Microsoft KB Archive/312394

= Automatic Logon Does Not Work if the Local Administrator Password Is Encrypted in the Answer File =

Article ID: 312394

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q312394



SYMPTOMS
When you try to use the automatic logon feature in Windows XP to run unattended or Sysprep.exe installations, automatic logon may not occur, even though your answer file has the correct settings.



CAUSE
This behavior can occur if you encrypt the local administrator password in the answer file. When you do so, the automatic logon feature is disabled.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



MORE INFORMATION
You can encrypt the local administrators password in Windows XP so that it is not kept in clear text in an answer file. You must use Setup Manager (Setupmgr.exe) from the Windows XP Resource Kit to encrypt the local administrators password and create the base answer file. Note that as of January 2002, a problem in Setup Manager allows you to select automatic logon in Setup Manager when the password is encrypted, but automatic logon will not be enabled.

The automatic logon feature works by placing the clear text password in the Winlogon key (the DefaultPassword registry value). When the password is encrypted, it cannot be extracted to place the un-encrypted password into this registry key.

Additional query words: encryption

Keywords: kbenv kberrmsg kbprb KB312394

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.