User Account Shell and start-up Apps

[VijayS]

Hello,

To limit the end user my system boots by default into the EndUser
account.

I read :
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d.../html/tchDifferentShellsForDifferentUsers.asp

My user account still does not start with the ANY shell. Just the
desktop shows up. Key1 is set to SYS:Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon so the default shell should be used. I don't
understand why the Admin account shows my custom shell but the user
account does not. Key2 is of course set to the shell exe.

Also, the start-up apps specified in
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run do not run on the
EndUser account.

How can I fix this problem? Is there a registry setting I am missing?

 

[VijayS]

Ok, I've tried changing Key1 to:

USR:Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

and changed Key3 to:

explorer.exe

So when I log into my user account, explorer loads up. This works
correctly, but if I change Key3 to execute my custom shell, it doesn't
work. I'm just brought to the desktop.

If anyone has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated

 

[VijayS]

I've solved the first of my problems but i'm still having trouble with
start-apps specified in the

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

They don't seem to run at all when I log in as an EndUser

 

[RoyH]

VijayS,

That's correct -- the Run and RunOnce keys are only effective if
Explorer is the Shell. Alternatives are to add the Run commands to your
custon shell startup or add a Login script for the user account to
execute the Run commands.

The Logon script approach works even if you don't have an active custom
shell -- our shell is just a black screen display as background and we
start the app processes by running *.vbs file in the logon script.

HTH, Roy

 

[Sean Liming \(eMVP\)]

Interesting. Can your custom shells launch these other tasks?

Regards,

Sean Liming (eMVP)
Managing Director
SJJ Embedded Micro Solutions

Author of
Windows XP Embedded Supplemental Toolkit Covering XPe SP2
Windows XP Embedded Advanced
Windows NT Embedded Step-by-Step

All available at www.sjjmicro.com

XPe Center website: www.seanliming.com

To learn more about Windows XP Embedded, come to MEDC 2005 in Las Vegas!
www.medc2005.com

 

[VijayS]

That's correct -- the Run and RunOnce keys are only effective if

Explorer is the Shell. Alternatives are to add the Run commands to your
custon shell startup or add a Login script for the user account to
execute the Run commands.

The Run keys are executed with a custom shell when logged on
Administrator. When I change EndUser to an admin the Run apps are
started.

It didn't seem that explorer was responsible for starting the Run apps
because Process Explorer shows them starting through "userinit" which
is run by winlogon.

Where can I find more information about the XPe boot-up process?

The Logon script approach works even if you don't have an active custom
shell -- our shell is just a black screen display as background and we
start the app processes by running *.vbs file in the logon script.

HTH, Roy

Logon script would work fine. But I have to try using Power User
because I need to access process properties which User and Guest do not
have permission to access.