Auto Logon to Network Connection

[StumblingThrough]

I have a PC running Windows 2000, and two that run Windows XP. When I start the XP computers, they will not automatically log onto the shared drives that are located on the Win 2000 PC. When I click on the shared connections on the XP computer (Windows Explorer), I get a message saying my userid or password was invalid. All I have to do then is type "Administrator" for the userid, and click "OK", and I'm logged in (left password field blank).

Regarding the Win 2000 PC, I do NOT have a user password set. I have it so when the Win 2000 computer starts it does not prompt for a userid or password. Do I have to set a password for other computers to automatically refresh network connections on this PC?

Thanks in advance.

 

[1101001100110101]

Setup a local user account on the win2k machine that is the same as the one your logging in with on the XP machines (if the 2k is were the share is). That should fix your problem.

 

[StumblingThrough]

Not sure what you mean. All 3 PC's do not use passwords. Each of the XP PC's have only one user (an administrator account) that is automatically logged on. So, in that sense, they are the same now.

 

[bcastner]

Use the default Simple File Sharing (enabled) model and activate the Guest account on both XPs.

 

[StumblingThrough]

bcastner,

Thanks for the response. Just some clarification, please. I'm not sure what your refer to as the "default Simple File Sharing" model. Is that something I'm going to enabel on the Win2K PC or on the WinXP PC's.

And when you say "Activate" the guest accounts, are you saying the user needs to log on as a Guest to make this work?

Just to make sure I made myself clear above, the drives I'm trying to share are on the Win2K PC. Thanks!

 

[bcastner]

1. The default for XP is for Simple file sharing to be enabled. If you have not changed this, then do nothing.

2. Under Control Panel, User Accounts, enable the Guest account. This will tell XP to follow the Win9x Guest authentication. No, you do not have to logon as Guest, you are a guest by being a member of the same workgroup.

See:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/filesharing.htm

 

[StumblingThrough]

bcastner,

I'm not sure if Simple File Sharing is enabled or not, but enabling the Guest account didn't work.

While on the XP PC, and when I click on the network drive after just turing on the PC, I get a dialog box that asks me to enter a password. At the top it says either the username or the password is invalid. In the username box it says administrator, and the password field is blank. All I have to do is press OK and I'm connected. Really strange. I don't have to enter anything.

I believe the problem is with the 2K PC because I don't have this problem when sharing drives between the XP machines. Those network connections are live from the start without having to take any action.

Thanks again!

 

[bcastner]

Asynchronous processing of logon commands.

You may experience extremely long delays (up to 5 minutes) when logging into domains using Windows XP Pro. There can be authentication issues in mixed Workgroups. This is caused by the asyncronous loading of networking during the boot up process. This speeds up the login process in a stand-alone XP workstation by allowing the user to log in with cached logon credentials before the network is fully ready.

To disable this "feature" and restore your logons to their normal speed and Win2k behavior, open the MMC and add the group policy snap-in. Under Computer Configuration-->Administrative Templates-->System-->Logon, change "Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon" to ENABLED.

Do this on the XP workstations and test again.

 

[StumblingThrough]

Bcaster,

That sure sounds like it would work, but I'm running XP Home, and I don't see those features. Any other thoughts?

 

[StumblingThrough]

Bcastner,

Regarding my comment above, the other XP machine doesn't have anything in either the USERID or PASSWORD field. I have to type ADMINISTRATOR in the USERID field, leave the PASSWORD field blank, and press OK. A window then pops up with the contents of the network drive.

Really strange. I really feel, though, that it's an issue (or setting) on the 2K machine. Network connections between the two XP machines are automatically connected every time the XP machines are turned on.

Thanks again for trying...

 

[bcastner]

In XP Home, Control Panel, Computer Management, Local Security Policy, Disable the security policy to restrict the use of blank passwords to the local console only.

I do strongly feel that you would be happiest having created on all three machines new users with passwords.

Setting up the machines to Autologon with a real username and real passwords is trivial. The Microsoft Powertoy (versions available for both Win2k and XP) TweakUI makes this easy to do.

 

[StumblingThrough]

bcastner,

Thanks. If this doesn't work, I'll try adding passwords. I already have Powertoys.

Regarding your previous suggestion, I can't find "Local Security Policy". Here is what I have...

Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > System Tools; Storage; Services & Applications

I don't see Local Security Policy as a setting withing any of the above options.

 

[twohawks]

This is either a bug in XP, or a feature... you decide....
I have had this problem...
What I suggest doing is:
1) Go to the Start Menu and the Run box.
2) Type in the following:
control userpasswords2
now click OK.
You are now in the "other" user accounts" administration screen, and you can change the properties to what you need accordingly.

The problem is is the user was originally setup as "this user" and then is later changed to "that user", it seems "this user" stays persistent until you change it here, thus keeping you from automagically logging in to a Win2k server, or automagically attaching to mapped drives.

Hope this helps ;^)
twohawks

 

[StumblingThrough]

twohawks,

THanks for the response. I don't believe that is the problem. I have the same problem with both XP machines. One is new and I have not made any changes to the user account on the new one.

I did try what you suggested. I've done this before, too, when I originally disabled the requirement not to have to log on using a password. That box was (already) still unchecked.