Logon Options
Here's the dilemma: you've set up multiple user accounts on a machine, and you've gone the extra mile to ensure that your data is properly protected by configuring permissions and employing encryption. Now you find Windows so locked down that you can't do anything without having to enter a password first. Fortunately, you can customize the logon process to suit your needs and tolerance for cumbersome logon procedures.
Use the Traditional Log On DialogInstead of the Welcome Screen
The new, friendly Welcome screen is the default interface used when logging on to Windows XP.
The traditional Log On dialog forces you to type both the username and password of a user account to log in. Since a list of active users is not shown, it's more secure than the default Welcome screen. Here's how to switch:
Open the User Accounts window in Control Panel.
Click Change the way users log on or off.
Turn off the Use the Welcome screen option, and click Apply Options.
This change will take effect the next time you log off or restart your computer.
When you switch from the Welcome screen to the Log On screen, several other aspects of the Windows interface will be affected. Table 8-2 shows the differences between these two options of this deceptively simple setting.
Table 8-2. How disabling the Welcome screen affects other features in Windows
Welcome screen | Log On screen | |
|---|---|---|
Look and feel of Shut Down dialog: | Large, friendly, colorful buttons for Stand By,[2] Turn Off, and Restart | A simple drop-down list, ... |
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