Microsoft KB Archive/242917

= Administrator unable to unlock a "locked" computer =

Article ID: 242917

Article Last Modified on 3/1/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition

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This article was previously published under Q242917



IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry



SYMPTOMS
After you restart a computer running Windows and no one has logged on, you may be unable to log on to the computer either locally or to the domain.

The following error message may be displayed at logon:

This computer is in use and has been locked.

Only or an administrator can unlock this computer.

Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to unlock this computer.

If you try to unlock the computer, the following error message may be displayed:

This computer is locked. Only or an administrator can unlock this computer.

If a user has logged on and logged off, you may be unable to log on to the computer (locally or to the domain) and the following error message may be displayed:

This computer is in use and has been locked.

Only \  or an administrator can unlock this computer.

Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to unlock this computer.

If you try to unlock the computer, the following error message may be displayed:

This computer is locked. Only \  or an administrator can unlock this computer.

NOTES
 * In the error messages above,  is the domain name of the last user who logged on to the server and   is the name of the user who last logged on to the server.



CAUSE
This behavior can occur for either of the following reasons:
 * When the default screen saver is set to use a non-existent screen saver program.
 * When you use a corrupted screen saver that is password protected.



RESOLUTION
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this problem, use another screen saver program (such as Logon.scr) that is installed locally on the system or that is not corrupted.  Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe). Locate the Scrnsave.exe value under the following registry key:

HKEY_USERS\.Default\Control Panel\Desktop

 On the Edit menu, click String, type logon.scr, and then click OK. Locate the ScreenSaverIsSecure value. On the Edit menu, click String, type 0, and then click OK. Quit Registry Editor.</li></ol>

WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use the appropriate method.

Method 1: When the Error Message States the Computer Is Locked by \

 * 1) Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to unlock the computer.
 * 2) Type the logon information for the last logged on user, and then click OK.
 * 3) When the Unlock Computer dialog box disappears, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE and log on normally.

Method 2: When the Error Message Does Not State Who Locked the Computer

 * 1) Use the Shutdown tool in the Microsoft Windows Resource Kit and attempt to shut down the locked computer. The System Shutdown dialog box is displayed on the locked computer, but the computer does not restart.
 * 2) When the shutdown timer expires, the Welcome to Windows dialog box is displayed.
 * 3) Before the screen saver becomes active, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, and log on normally.

NOTE: If you do not use one of these methods to log on, you must restart the computer and log on before the screen saver program starts.

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STATUS
This behavior is by design.

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MORE INFORMATION
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

99590 How to activate the screen saver during logon

229687 Err Msg: "Workstation Is Locked" with invalid screen saver program

Additional query words: fus

Keywords: kbenv kberrmsg kbprb KB242917

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