Article ID: 291559 - Last Review: May 7, 2007 - Revision: 4.5

How to change the logon window and the shutdown preferences in Windows XP

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To continue receiving security updates for Windows, make sure you're running Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3). For more information, refer to this Microsoft web page: Support is ending for some versions of Windows (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/help/end-support-windows-xp-sp2-windows-vista-without-service-packs)

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INTRODUCTION

The Windows Setup program configures Microsoft Windows XP to use the friendly Welcome logon screen and the shutdown buttons if your computer is installed as a home computer. A home computer is a computer that does not specify a network domain.

This article describes how to use the classic logon screen that Windows XP-based computers use when they are joined to a domain. The classic logon screen looks similar to the following example: 
Log On to Windows
    User name: _____________
    Password:  _____________


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MORE INFORMATION

Use the classic logon screen

To temporarily use the classic logon screen, press CTRL+ALT+DEL two times on the Welcome logon screen.

To configure Windows XP to use the classic logon and shutdown screens for every logon session, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click User Accounts.
  3. Click Change the way users log on or off.
  4. Clear the Use the Welcome screen check box.
Note If you turn off the Welcome logon screen, you also turn off the Fast User Switching option.

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Require users to press CTRL+ALT+DEL before the classic logon screen appears

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322756  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/ ) How to back up and restore the registry in Windows


If you want users to have to press CTRL+ALT+DEL before the classic logon appears like a Windows XP-based computer that is joined to a domain, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
  2. Click the Winlogon subkey at the following registry location:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
  3. Click Edit, click New, and then click DWORD value.
  4. To change the value name, type DisableCAD, and then press ENTER.
  5. Keep the data value set to 0. The data value set appears as 0x00000000(0).


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REFERENCES

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
314493  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314493/ ) How to change the Windows Logon screen saver in Windows XP
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APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
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Keywords: 
kbenv kbhowtomaster kbui KB291559
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