How to Enable Autologon During an Automated Setup

ID: Q136327

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51
Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51

SUMMARY

This article describes how to enable autologon for an automated Windows NT Setup. Page 97 of the "Windows NT 3.5 Resource Kit, Volume 1" describes a method to add registry entries by modifying Txtsetup.sif. However, page 96 notes that during a fresh installation of Windows NT, the registry hives are copied in their entirety to the new registry. Only during an upgrade of Windows NT are portions of the template hives copied to the existing registry as described on page 97 in the section "Using the TXTSETUP.SIF File to Update the Registry."

MORE INFORMATION

The following entries in the registry for winlogon need to be set to enable autologon:

DefaultUserName
DefaultPassword
AutoAdminlogon

Unattended Setup:

The INITIAL.INF file needs to be modified as follows to set these values:

NOTE: A network or local hard disk installation is required because the INITIAL.INF file can not be modified and saved to the compact disc.

Expand INITIAL.IN_ to INITIAL.INF

Rename INITIAL.IN_ INITIAL.OR_

Change INITIAL.INF to read as follows:

[Install-Win-Ini-Alter-1]
ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", Winlogon, DefaultUserName, administrator
ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", Winlogon, DefaultPassword, ""
ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", Winlogon, AutoAdminLogon,"1"

Computer Profile Setup:

If you have not run Uplodprf.exe yet, you can modify ~Profile.inf in the CPS directory. If you have already uploaded your profile, you should modify %Systemroot\System32\Profil.inf on the distribution system.

[Install-Win-Ini-Alter]
;ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", Winlogon, DefaultUserName, $(!STF_USERNAME)

ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", Winlogon, DefaultUserName, "Administrator"
ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", Winlogon, DefaultPassword, ""
ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", Winlogon, AutoAdminLogon,"1"

Ifstr(i) $(!STF_PRODUCT) == "WINNT"

ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", DeskTop, Wallpaper, "winnt.bmp"

Else

ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", DeskTop, Wallpaper, "lanmannt.bmp"

Endif
exit

NOTE: For more information on Unattended and Computer Profile Setup, read Volume 1, Chapter 3 of the Windows NT Resource Kit.

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q157361
TITLE : How to Automatically Log On After an Unattended Setup

Keywords : kbsetup ntsetup
Version : 3.1 3.5 3.51
Platform : winnt
Issue type :