One of the changes from Windows98FE (First Edition) to Win98SE is in the way that Windows provides for logging on. In Win98FE, Windows used the name of the registered owner as the default user so that when no User Profiles were created, the default was used.

This has caused a lot of confusion amongst users of Win98SE because Windows introduced the AutoLogon registry key that controls the type of logon that is used. If the AutoLogon key is set to zero, windows performs what I call an anonymous logon--that is, no opening dialog box asks for a user name and password, no user profile is used to customize the logon, and DUN will not save the password needed by the Internet Service Provider.

Some OEM PC Manuf's create a Default user during the installation of their version of Win98SE so that the new owner will not be faced with an anonymous logon.



WHEN I USE MY DIAL-UP NETWORKING (DUN) TO LOGON TO MY SERVICE PROVIDER, THE SAVE PASSWORD CHECK BOX IS GREYED OUT AND I HAVE TO ENTER MY ISP'S PASSWORD EACH TIME. HOW CAN I CHANGE THIS SO THAT MY PASSWORD IS SAVED?

The save password check box is greyed out if you are not logged on as a User. One reason you may not be logged on as a user is because the AutoLogon key in the Windows Registry is set to zero. To change the key so that the save password box is not greyed out you must edit the registry and change the AutoLogon key to one. To change the key, click on Start/Run then type in regedit and hit enter. Navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVe rsion\Network\Real Net

In the right-hand window, double click the key AutoLogon. Press the Delete key to delete the value 00. Type in 01 then click OK. Click on Registry on the menu bar then on Exit. Reboot the computer. Another reason that you may not be logged on as a user is that the User name and password was not entered when it was asked for--that is, you pressed the ESC key or you clicked Cancel.



WINDOWS ALWAYS ASKS ME FOR A PASSWORD WHEN I LOG ON EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT USE A PASSWORD WHEN I LOG ON. CAN'T IT JUST LOG ME ON WITHOUT ME HAVING TO CLICK OK OR PRESS ENTER?

Windows is asking you for a password because you have the button selected that says "Users can customize their preferences and desktop settings." To correct this, go to Control Panel/Passwords and click on the User Profiles tab, then click the button that says "All users of this computer use the same preferences and desktop settings." Click OK then click YES to restart the computer.



WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING USER LOGONS? THERE IS ONLY ONE USER OF MY COMPUTER SO WHY DO I HAVE TO HAVE A USER LOGON?

The purpose of user logons is so that if more than one person uses the computer at different times, each person can have his own desktop settings, wallpaper, etc--that is, a custom look and functionality. When you set up a user logon using the Users icon in Control Panel, Windows creates a user profile and saves your customized settings there. If you don't want to have any user profiles on your computer and you don't want to have to log on to Windows then set the AutoLogon key in the registry to zero. See the answer to the 1st question above. To overcome the problem of no saved password write a simple script to automate the logon password then reference the script in your DUN under the scripting tab. Here's a template:

proc main
  waitfor "login"
  transmit "yourloginnamehere ^M" (use quotes around name and password)
  waitfor "password:"
  transmit "yourpasswordhere ^M"
endproc



I CREATED ANOTHER USER LOGON BUT WHEN I START UP THE COMPUTER, THE OTHER USERS NAME IS NOT THERE BUT WHEN I LOOK IN THE USERS THING IN CONTROL PANEL, BOTH USERS NAMES ARE THERE. ISN'T THERE SUPPOSED TO BE A LIST OF USER NAMES WHEN I START UP?

Now that you have more than one user you have to switch your Primary Network Logon to Micrsoft Family Logon. Go to Control Panel/Network and click on the down arrow in the Primary Network Logon text box, then select Micrsoft Family Logon, then click OK and restart your computer.



I WENT BACK TO WINDOWS LOGON IN MY PRIMARY NETWORK LOGON IN CONTROL PANEL/NETWORK BUT I STILL GET A LIST OF USER NAMES WHEN I START WINDOWS. WHY IS THIS AND WHAT CAN I DO TO GO BACK TO THE SINGLE USER?

This is a bug in Win98SE! An easy way to correct this is to set the Primary Network Logon to Client for Microsoft Networks, don't restart your computer, go back and set the Primary Network Logon back to Windows Logon, don't restart the computer.Go to Start, click Log Off, then verify that only your user name is listed then log back on. Now, whenever you start Windows you will have just the one name in the logon list.



HOW TO PREVENT WINDOWS FROM PROMPTING YOU FOR A PASSWORD AT STARTUP:

Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network (or rt click the desktop Network Neighborhood Icon and choose Properties). In the Configuration tab, click "Windows Logon" in the (Primary Network Logon) box, and then click OK. When you are prompted to restart your computer, click No.

In Control Panel, double-click Passwords. On the Change Passwords tab, click Change Windows Password, select any of the check boxes that you want, and then click OK.

Click Start, point to Search (or Find), and then click For Files or Folders. Type *.pwl in the Named box, click Local Hard Drives in the Look in box, and then press ENTER. Right-click on each .pwl file found, select Rename, and then rename the file with an .old file name extension. Repeat this step for each .pwl file.

Reboot the PC. When the logon box re appears, DO NOT enter a password, just press the <Enter> key. Next time you boot up the Password request will NOT appear.

NOTE: If you do not rename the .pwl files, the passwords from those files may be detected by Windows and the Windows Logon request may continue to appear. Shut down and then restart your computer.

SPECIAL NOTES: If you cancel the "Network Logon" dialog box when you start your computer, the Change Passwords tab may not be available. You must log on so that the Change Passwords tab is available. In the Change Windows Password dialog box, type your current Windows password in the Old Password box. Leave the New Password and Confirm New Password boxes blank, click OK, and then click OK.