Skip Logon screen in Windows XP

Windows security updates are undeniably a good thing, but they can be pesky at times. One of the oddities is that after a couple of the patches your computer will no longer go straight to the desktop at bootup, but will display the Logon screen. This can be especially annoying since most machines have only one user account on them. These are the few steps it takes to have Windows XP skip the logon screen and booting straight to your desktop.

1. Click Start -> Run
2. Type or copy-paste: control userpasswords2
The window shown below should appear.

3. DO NOT UNCHECK ! the box that says "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer". You have to highlight the default user account first, and then uncheck the box.

Windows will autoboot to whatever account is highlighted when you uncheck the box. On the picture above, I have selected my account, drow.

4. After you have selected your account and unchecked the box, click OK.

5. Dialog window "Automatically Log On" will pop up. Don't enter a password and click OK.

Windows XP now knows what account you want as the default and it will automatically load that account.

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Disabling logon screen after Windows XP resumes from standby or hibernation

1. Click Start, Settings, and Control Panel
2. Double click Power Options
3. Under Advanced tab uncheck the "Prompt for password when computer resumes from standby" option.
4. Click Apply and then OK.