Windows 7 logon to PC in workgroup

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John Gray
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Windows 7 logon to PC in workgroup

Post by John Gray »

This is a Windows 7 PC in a workgroup.

For the purposes of the question there are two users which currently appear with pictures on the logon screen:
  • Admin, who is an administrator
  • User, who is a standard user
I would like to hide the Admin picture from the Logon screen BUT be able to log Admin on by some easy method (which does NOT include rebooting in safe mode!).

Is this possible?

On a domain it is possible to press Ctrl+Alt+Del twice, rapidly, to get the two-line domain logon window, but this doesn't seem to work in a workgroup.

Any ideas, please!
John Gray

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DaveA
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Re: Windows 7 logon to PC in workgroup

Post by DaveA »

The following was copied and pasted from http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... b599b31bf5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
To hide the account with REGEDIT by setting:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE \Microsoft \Windows NT \CurrentVersion \Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList [hiddenaccountname] [DWORD(32bit) Value=0

The only way to log on to a hidden account is to temporarily unhide it. If you do this frequently then you should write a little batch file that flips the relevant registry between the two states.
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John Gray
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Re: Windows 7 logon to PC in workgroup

Post by John Gray »

Thanks, Dave - I know of Special Accounts / User List, but hadn't realised that "the only way to log on to a hidden account is to temporarily unhide it". It would be quite possible to task schedule such a BATch file at startup time, but that would cause the Admin picture to appear - which defeats the object of hiding it.

I think is the answer to my original question is "no, it isn't possible"... Grrrh.
John Gray

Venison is quiet deer, and quite dear.

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jonwallace
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Re: Windows 7 logon to PC in workgroup

Post by jonwallace »

This PCAdvisor article suggests requiring all users to login with username/password

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windo ... windows-7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

but that be an annoyance too far for your users...
John

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