win7 Bypassing autologon in Windows 7

[BeerFan]

Hello folks,

At work, we have an area where computers are available to the public. Because of this, we had them locked down fairly well with a combination of group policies, regedits, filters, etc. Previously, these machines were running XP, and we had them set up to automatically logon to a local standard user profile. If we needed to do some maintenance on these pcs, we would bypass the autologon by holding down the shift key while Windows was loading. We've just replaced the machines, and I want to use Windows 7 on them now. However, the shift-to-bypass-autologon functionality has been removed in Windows 7, and I have yet to find it's replacement or alternative. The autologon function still exists, but you can no longer bypass it by holding shift.

So, if you edit the registry to force an automatic logon to a standard user account, you're stuck there and can't get onto a different account. Does anyone know how to get out of this situation under Windows 7?

Thanks!

[I8PP]

We lock down several win7 machines at work and gray out switch user/log off. Just run shutdown -l (little L) to log off. Now if someone else knows of a bypass method for win7 I'd like to know too! :)

[Nick H. Supervisor]

Apparently (and I don't know this for certain due to not having a copy of Windows 7 handy to test it) you're supposed to alternate between tapping the left shift key and the right shift key. It's something to do with timing, using the shift key works but only if pressed at a specific time.

Let me know if that works though, it might be a load of rubbish.

[xdot.tk]

Log off and then back in to the account you want.

[Daedroth]

I've had no problems with the holding the left shift key on Windows 7 to bring up the login screen. :s We do a similar thing with some of our Windows 7 machines.

[cybertimber2008]

I think it was the registry edit instead of using the "controlpasswords2" method that Microsoft recommends.

Same person had your issue and MS's recommendation was to go back and use the proper method.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-security/windows-7-autologin-bypass-disabled/04e50d02-d3e9-41d7-ab2d-c311ce93a715

[BeerFan]

Log off and then back in to the account you want.

Wow, great reeeding skillz, brite won! Don't reply if you haven't a freaking clue...

I've had no problems with the holding the left shift key on Windows 7 to bring up the login screen. :s We do a similar thing with some of our Windows 7 machines.

Seriously? It has never worked for me. BUT, i did find that Intrinsica's suggestion worked sometimes. On roughly 60% of the tries, I was able to reach a login screen. Works for me!

[Fraud OS 11]

@the OP, by now, you should have read this: from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_features_removed_in_Windows_Vista : "It is not possible to override Autologon by pressing the SHIFT key before logon. The IgnoreShiftOverride registry value is ignored". It's one of the many features broken and which MS calls "by design" to avoid fixing it because it doesn't matter to Joe Average. :p

[BeerFan]

@the OP, by now, you should have read this: from http://en.wikipedia....n_Windows_Vista : "It is not possible to override Autologon by pressing the SHIFT key before logon. The IgnoreShiftOverride registry value is ignored". It's one of the many features broken and which MS calls "by design" to avoid fixing it because it doesn't matter to Joe Average. :p

I did read that, but it's not 100% true. Rapidly tapping both shift keys DOES bypass autologon, so this Average Joe is satisfied. :p

Edit: As stated elsewhere, I seriously doubt that it's the rapid tapping of both shift keys that actually does the trick. It's much more likely that you just have to hit a shift key at the exact right time to catch it. And tapping them both quickly just gets the job done. (Y)

[Fraud OS 11]

I can't get those acrobatics (rapidly tapping two Shift keys) to work on my Windows 7 machines. It always auto-logs on. Btw I wasn't calling you Joe Average. :) Joe Averages are the one who think Windows 7 is perfect when really there are many such small and big things broken.

[Fraud OS 11]

Guys dont hurt your self :) Take Logonexpert tool, it works like a charm and can interrupt autologon by shift

LogonExpert is not free. :) Would you mind giving us a license each? Paying $25 per computer for a feature that existed for ages in XP seems a bit too much. :)

[Thygod]

What I do in this case is turn on Remote Desktop on the Windows 7 Computer. Then using an iPad or another network connected computer I establish a Remote Session with an administrator account. It will give me the choice to logout the currently logged in user. After I do the logout I can then walk over to the computer and work on it.

If the computer is not network connected because it is a self-contained kiosk then I bring a crossover cable with me, plug it directly to my laptop and establish a small network with between the two computers. It works even if you are using APIPA IP Addresses.