How to enable Automatic Logon for a computer in Windows Domain?

Question

I need to setup publicly available computer to perform automatic log on using domain credentials when powering on. When it was not a domain member this option was available on control userpasswords2 panel, but after domain join this setting have gone.

Is there any way to accomplish this?

Answer 1

You can run a SysInternals tool from http://live.sysinternals.com/Autologon.exe to do the registry change a bit more easily.

Answer 2

Set the following settings in the registry, and it should work:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

AutoAdminLogon = 1
ForceAutoLogon = 1
DefaultUserName = username
DefaultPassword = password

Answer 3

You can use Registry Editor to add your logon information. To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Double-click the DefaultUserName entry, type your account user name, and then click OK.
Double-click the DefaultPassword entry, type your account password under the Value Data box, and then click OK.

If there is no DefaultPassword value, create the value. To do this, follow these steps:
    In Registry Editor, click Edit, click New, and then click String Value.
    Type DefaultPassword as the value name, and then press Enter.
    Double-click the newly created key, and then type your password in the Value Data box.
If the Note:DefaultPassword registry entry does not exist, Windows XP automatically changes the value of the AutoAdminLogonregistry key

from 1 (true) to 0 (false) to turn off the AutoAdminLogon feature after the computer restarts. Double-click the AutoAdminLogon entry, type 1 in the Value Data box, and then click OK.

If there is no AutoAdminLogon entry, create the entry. To do this, follow these steps:
    In Registry Editor, click Edit, click New, and then click String Value.
    Type AutoAdminLogon as the value name, and then press Enter.
    Double-click the newly created key, and then type 1 in the Value Data box.
Exit Registry Editor.
Click Start, click Restart, and then click OK.

After your computer restarts and Windows XP starts, you can log on automatically.

Copied from: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315231

Answer 4

Auto logon function works only when the LOCAL ACCOUNT is created. If you need domain account to have auto logon on you need to create a separate Policy for that server but this is temporary.

Please note auto logon works for local account not domain account / user

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Workstation-Player-for-Windows/16.0/com.vmware.player.win.using.doc/GUID-8F4AC8BD-F5E0-4ABA-B1B3-80041EBBD9F3.html

Prerequisites - 2nd point