Setting MS-DOS Client 3.0 to Automatically Log On to Domain

• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51
• Microsoft MS-DOS Networking Client 3.0

SUMMARY

In certain situations it may be necessary for a computer running MS-DOS Networking Client 3.0 that is connecting to a Windows NT Server Domain to be able to provide all user identification and password without the user being present to enter this information at the system. This can be accomplished by using a command line utility, several switches and a text file passed to the utility.

MORE INFORMATION

The command line utility in the MS-DOS Networking Client 3.0 is the NET LOGON command. In certain situations where power to an MS-DOS client is terminated ungracefully, it may be desirable to configure the MS-DOS client to automatically reconnect to the Windows NT domain with no user interaction or where a user may be unavailable to interact with the system.

WARNING: The following set of procedures allows the MS-DOS client to basically bypass normal Windows NT Domain USERID/PASSWORD security. User IDs and passwords for this client are maintained in plain-text format and are accessible to anyone who has direct access to the MS-DOS client. Therefore, it may be necessary, depending upon your situation, to restrict this particular user's access to the domain and its resources by implementing strict share level controls, group controls, and/or limit this user's logon to the Medium Access Control (MAC) address defined on the MS- DOS client's network interface board.

Configuring an MS-DOS Networking Client to Log On to Domain Automatically

1. On a Windows NT Domain Controller Server in User Manager create a user account to be used by the MS-DOS client. Provide password, group membership, home directory, logon times, logon script, logon location and other account information as deemed necessary.

2. Setup your MS-DOS 3.0 Networking Client system to automatically logon to your domain. This is done, if you used defaults values, by running SETUP.EXE from the C:\NET subdirectory on your client's hard drive. This setup program can be set to automatically run the network client at startup. It does this by adding NET commands to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file or by allowing you to use the NET commands in another batch file that can be called at startup (or when executed by a user). We will be editing this batch file in the next step.

3. At the MS-DOS client, run your text editor and remark out (REM) the NET START command.

   For example, this NETSTART.BAT is the batch file used on a client with the TCP/IP protocol:

         C:\NET\net initialize
         C:\NET\netbind.com
         C:\NET\umb.com
         C:\NET\tcptsr.exe
         C:\NET\tinyrfc.exe
         C:\NET\nmtsr.exe
         C:\NET\emsbfr.exe
         rem C:\NET\net start
   

   This keeps the network redirector from starting and allows us to start it with the options that are entered in the next line you see here:

         C:\NET\net logon {userid} {localpassword} /domain:{ntdomainname} /yes
            /savepw:no < C:\NET\password.txt
   
      NOTE: Make sure that you do NOT enter a hard return at the end of this
      line. Let the line wrap as you type it and then finish it with a hard
      return. The finished batch file looks like this:
   
         C:\NET\net initialize
         C:\NET\netbind.com
         C:\NET\umb.com
         C:\NET\tcptsr.exe
         C:\NET\tinyrfc.exe
         C:\NET\nmtsr.exe
         C:\NET\emsbfr.exe
         rem C:\NET\net start
         C:\NET\net logon {userid} {localpassword} /domain:{ntdomainname} /yes
         /savepw:no < C:\NET\password.txt
   
   

4. Save your batch file and create a new text file with the user account's password on the first line (the password is case sensitive) followed by a hard return. Save the file in the C:\NET subdirectory with the name PASSWORD.TXT.

5. Try running the batch file. If it does not work make sure that the the user and domain information are correct, then check to make sure that the MS-DOS client is initializing the network board and loading the protocols properly.