W2K Pro SP4 - Configure Logon So Previous Users' Name is Not Present

[Mike]

How can I configure a W2K Pro SP4 PC so the previous users' name is not
displayed on the log on screen?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Greg Stigers]

In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon,
set DontDisplayLastUserName to 1. Or, if you use TweakUI, on the Paranoia
page, check "Clear Last User at logon".

As a security measure, this cuts both ways. It prevents users from
discovering the names of other users, especially helpful if you have renamed
the adminstrator account, and are keeping the account name secret. But most
users' account names are based on a known pattern, such that if you know the
user's real name, you know their account. And, one can learn account names
various other ways. And, if you clear the last user, how will anyone know if
someone else has attempted to log on to their workstation?

 

[Oli Restorick [MVP]]

As Greg says for a direct registry edit. The more civilised way to do this
on a machine by machine basis is as follows:

Administrative Tools | Local Security Policy | Computer Configuration |
Windows Settings | Security Settings | Local Policies | Security Options

Enable "Interactive logon: Do not display last user name".

If you want to do this in Active Directory for site, domain or OU, the
setting can be found in the same place in group policy.

As for motivations for doing it, it forces users to remember their usernames
(how can you forget something you type in every day) and so reduces "one of
your techies has done something to my PC and now I can't log in" calls to
the helpdesk. It's also good to remove the mentality of a PC being "my" PC
among users.

Hope this helps

Oli

 

[Greg Stigers]

Are you in a domain, or stand-alone?

 

[Gary Smith]

As for motivations for doing it, it forces users to remember their usernames
(how can you forget something you type in every day) and so reduces "one of
your techies has done something to my PC and now I can't log in" calls to
the helpdesk. It's also good to remove the mentality of a PC being "my" PC
among users.

Another motivation: on a home machine with multiple users, the usual
reason for logging on is to change users. In that situation, the previous
username is just in the way.

 

[Flash]

Mike,
Go to Control Panel ->Administrative Tools->Local Security Policy
Expand Local Policies, Click Security Options and disable
"Do not display last username in logon screen"
(How to disable: just right click, select Security... -> select
disable radio button)

This should do it.
Vijay