Enable the Classic log-on style in Windows Vista

By Tech_Dude_5000
in Microsoft (Windows)

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Grand Master

Tech_Dude_5000

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Posted (edited)

From: Windows Now

If you are used to the old style logon screen from Windows 2000 and Windows XP (where you typed in your user name and password), you may be a little shell-shocked to find that you cannot disable the Welcome Screen in Windows Vista, which also means you cannot revert to the older style of logon screen, and the only way to achieve this functionality was to be joined to a domain... until now.The tool we will be working with today is called the Windows Local Security Policy Editor, or "secpol".

To launch the Local Security Policy Editor:

  1. Click on Start, and then click on Control Panel.
  2. Click on "System and Maintenance".
  3. Click on "Administrative Tools".
  4. Double click on "Local Security Policy", and if User Account Control prompts you for consent, click on "Continue".

In the Local Security Policy editor you will see two panes, one on the left with tree-view navigation and one on the right which will have the actual definitions and items to edit.

On the left hand side, expand (either by clicking on the arrow or double clicking) the "Local Policies" section, and then click on "Security Options".

On the right hand side, scroll down until you see "Interactive logon: Do not display last user name". Double click on this entry and you will be presented with a dialog box that has two options - "Enabled" and "Disabled", with Disabled being selected as default. Change this setting to "Enabled", and then click on the OK button.

Now locate the entry "Interactive logon: Do not require CTRL+ALT+DEL" and double click on it. Again, you will see two settings, "Enabled" and "Disabled", although neither will be selected by default. Select the "Disabled" option, and then click on the OK button.

Close the Local Security Policy editor and log off. You will now see that you are required to press CTRL-ALT-DEL and after doing this you will be prompted with a more "classic" style log on screen where you can type your user name and password.

If only there was an easer and quicker way. :no:

Edited by Tech_Dude_5000
Grand Master

CPressland

Posted
Posted

In Windows XP the classic logon had a few advantages for example CTRL+ALT+DEL would bring up a dialog box instead of the task manager.

but in windows vista... Whats the point?

unless you've got hundreds of users! lol

Grand Master

I8PP

Posted
Posted

I just tried it, and all i got was the login screen that currently exists minus the user's display picture (blank) and blank fields for user/pass. Can't screenie the login screen though. Not very "classic" by any means. MSGINA (classic login and associated functions) no longer exist in Vista and is replaced with what we have now, so you won't see win2k style.

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