Description of the Windows XP Professional Fast Logon Optimization feature

This article describes the Windows XP Professional Fast Logon Optimization feature.

By default in Windows XP Professional, the Fast Logon Optimization feature is set for both domain and workgroup members. As a result, Windows XP does not wait for the network to be fully initialized at startup and logon. Existing users are logged on using cached credentials. This results in shorter logon times. Group Policy is applied in the background after the network becomes available. Note that because this is a background refresh, extensions such as Software Installation and Folder Redirection take two logons to apply changes. Additionally, changes that are made to the user object, such as adding a roaming profile path, home directory, or user object logon script, may take up to two logons to be detected.

If you turn off this feature, logons are performed in the same way as for Windows 2000 clients, in that Windows XP waits for the network to be fully initialized before users are logged on. This results in the synchronous application of policies when the computer starts and when the user logs on. This application of policies is similar to a background refresh process and can reduce the length of time it takes for the Logon dialog box to display and the length of time it takes for the shell to be available to the user. An administrator can change the default by using the Group Policy MMC snap-in.

Fast Logon Optimization is always off during logon under the following conditions:

• When a user first logs on to a computer.
• When a user has a roaming user profile or a user object logon script. .

Note that under the preceding conditions, computer startup can still be asynchronous. However, because logon is synchronous under these conditions, logon does not exhibit optimization.

When your folder redirection policy is not completely applied at first logon, you can find the following warning in the event log:

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Folder Redirection
Event Category: None
Event ID: 301
Description: Folder redirection policy application has been delayed until the next logon because the group policy logon optimization is in effect.

Folder redirection and software installation policies

Note that when logon optimization is on, a user may need to log on to a computer twice before folder redirection policies and software installation policies are applied. This is because application of these types of policies require the synchronous policy application. During a policy refresh (which is asynchronous), the system sets a flag that indicates that the application of folder redirection or a software installation policy is required. The flag forces synchronous application of the policy at the user's next logon.

The following table summarizes the default processing of policy on Windows XP. Note that Windows XP clients support Fast Logon Optimization in any domain environment. To turn off Fast Logon Optimization, you can use the following policy setting: When this policy is enabled, a Windows XP client behaves in the same manner as a Windows 2000 client at both system startup and at user logon.

For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: