Force Windows to Login Automatically After Logging Out with ForceAutoLogon

It’s possible to auto login to desktop or console in Windows operating system. However, after logging on to the system automatically, user can manually log off and logout from the system. In some system, such as computer that functions as public kiosk, there should be only one user account on the system that remains logged on all the time.

To enforce the policy so that Windows automatically logs back in again after any logoff, user must first enable the automatic logon feature. See the guide on how to enable automatic login in Windows XP or make Windows Vista automatically log on.

Then, run Registry Editor (regedit), and then navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Change the value for ForceAutoLogonn registry sub-key to 1. If ForceAutoLogon does not exist, create a new String Value (type REG_SZ) registry key with the value name as ForceAutoLogon, and then set its value data to 1.
After setting the registry value, system will automatically login again with the default user name and password account set in the registry entries. The ForceAutoLogon setting, when configured to True (1), effectively locks out all users aside from the one set as default user and password. However, it’s possible to break the automatic login with SHIFT key.


Trick 2

Like Windows Vista which has an user interface to configure automatic logon to skip entering password and directly boot up to desktop, Windows XP also have such convenient feature, which works for non-domain connected PC, and can be used to automate the log on process so that system can startup and login automatically.

Normally Windows XP will automatically log into desktop console if there is only one single user on defined or created in the system. However, sometimes, user may need to create more than one user accounts for various applications usage, such as for FTP account, .NET Framework, web server, VMWare 2.0 web console etc., and with the existence of additional accounts, Windows XP will display Welcome Screen or Ctrl-Alt-Del dialog box to allow user to select an user account to logon. Setting the auto login feature will start computer and use preset account to automatically log on.
To set Windows XP to auto logon, follow procedure below. Note that once the computer is configured for automatic login, anyone who can physically gain access to the computer can also gain access to everything that is on the computer, including any network or networks that the computer is connected to. Besides, the password to login is stored in plain text format in the registry, which readable by anyone who can access the console, or remotely by Authenticated Users group. So, auto login feature is convenient, but not entirely secure.

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the “Open” box, type control userpasswords2, and then click OK.
3. Clear the check box for Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer, and then click Apply.
   
4. An “Automatically Log On” window will appear. In the dialog box, type the password for Administrator in the Password box, and then retype the password in the Confirm Password box.
   Normally, the User Name field will auto fill with “Administrator”, the default super user account in Windows XP that does not come with any password (and normally use as a backdoor hack access to XP system). If you wish, you can change the user name to another user account.
5. Click OK to close the “Automatically Log On” window, and then click OK to close the “User Accounts” window.

Note: The guide also works in Windows Vista, which also open Advanced User Accounts Control Panel.

Source:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/enable-automatically-logonlogin-into-windows-xp/