How do you get rid of Windows Password box

Wangel

Banned
Mar 30, 2000
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Just got another computer and after each boot up, the Windows Login password comes up. I just hit escape to go past it, but it seems I remember a way to delete some file to get rid of this. Not the network password, the Windows password.
 

DAM

Diamond Member
Jan 10, 2000
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or find any file with the *.pwl extension and delete it.




dam()
 

reitz

Elite Member
Oct 11, 1999
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Try DAM's suggestion and remove all the *.pwl files. The next time you start up the computer, type a username and leave the password field blank.
 

Wangel

Banned
Mar 30, 2000
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Could not find any *.pwl files. I'm on a network, perhaps this info in on the network drive? Could it be anywhere else?
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
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They'll only be in the Windows directory. But the first suggestion was correct. Go to your Network properties and change the Primary Logon to Windows Logon instead of Client for MS Networks.
 

Crypticburn

Senior member
Jul 22, 2000
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BoberFett and Triumph are correct, go through the control panel. When I tried to rid myself of it, just deleting the *.pwl files didnt stop it from popping up (and I did find and delete them).
 

Wangel

Banned
Mar 30, 2000
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I see where you are talking, and right now there are 3 options. Client for Microsoft Networks, Client for NetWare NetWorks, and Windows Logon. Will this effect my Network log on in any way?
 

Wangel

Banned
Mar 30, 2000
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I see where you are talking, and right now there are 3 options. Client for Microsoft Networks, Client for NetWare NetWorks, and Windows Logon. Will this effect my Network log on in any way?
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
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What kind of network are you on? Do you need the Novell client? If not, delete that. As for the MS Network client, you need it to access file and printer sharing, but unless you're logging into an NT domain then you don't need it as your primary logon.
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
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Aaargh, TweakUI and that !$@#!@$#% auto-login. That piece of !@$#^% is an administators worst nightmare. Just what you want, peoples passwords sitting in plain text on their hard drive. :|
 

Prodigy^

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
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lol I couldn't exist without TweakUI ;)

but ok i understand that it's not so smart for networks :p
 

dennilfloss

Past Lifer 1957-2014 In Memoriam
Oct 21, 1999
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dennilfloss.blogspot.com
Interesting, my Primary Logon is Client for Microsoft Networks but I have no password box appearing. After my last clean install, when I upgraded my HD, I was asked for a password a few times and cancelled each time and after ~10 Windows stopped asking. Isn't it what is supposed to happen?

BTW, I'm on a home computer with a 56k ISP, no network as far as I know.
 

random

Senior member
Jan 19, 2000
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basically, since you're bypassing the network logon at the first windows screen, no it won't affect your network logon. set the primary to windows logon and then log off and for your password, pick a blank one. (or change password in control panels/passwords to blank)
 

Shotokan

Senior member
Oct 17, 1999
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Thanks guys.

I just stopped at a garage sale and bought a wierd looking little pc named "Monorail". I'm not sure what it is but it has an AMD chip in it. Anyway it had the windows password screen on it so I did a search and found this thread and deleted the monorail.pwl file and got rid of the screen.
 

Vinny N

Platinum Member
Feb 13, 2000
2,278
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well there's a couple of things.

A machine with a clean install of windows and the same name entered as the owner and entered again with no password on the first prompt will disable the prompt even if it's using Client for Microsoft Networks. (I've seen this happen inconsistently)

A machine using Windows Logon as the login, with a name and no password will disable the prompt IF AND ONLY IF the system IS NOT set up to use profiles. If you have profiles on, it won't matter how many times you change it to windows logon, cancel the prompt, or delete PWL files.

So, do four things:
1) disable profiles.
2) change to windows logon.
3) delete all PWL files
4) enter a name and no password


That should be the end of the prompts.
 

sd

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2000
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<< Go to your Network properties and change the Primary Logon to Windows Logon instead of Client for MS Networks. >>



That method worked perfect for me :)