Auto-Login / Logon is a feature that can be used if you have several User Accounts [Section I-pg 28 of Book] on a computer. And, you should since this will provide a backup User in-case a particular User Account becomes corrupted. It is a convenience feature providing for a particular User Account that is used daily to automatically login when the computer is started. Here is why Auto-login is not recommended:
- Auto-login User Account becomes corrupted; you will need to login to the alternate User Account and stopping the auto-logon process can be difficult. For XP, hold the SHIFT key after seeing color on the screen during the boot-up process to stop the Auto-Logon. In Vista, this option is likely not available and there is the problem.
- Guests, Friends or Associates; reality means sometimes we prefer not to have someone gaining access to our files or the potential of their actions enabling Malware to access the computer. By requiring a Username and Password during the log-in this protects from this situation. And, if extra security is needed, you can require a password each time the computer goes into Screen Saver Mode. [Right-Click on the Desktop (pg I-20), Left-Click Properties, Left-Click the Screen Saver Tab, place a check mark in
.]
To gain quick access to the Auto-Login settings you can:
In XP; Left-Click on 
, Left-Click on 
and type in Control Userpasswords2 (there is one space between the words) and place a check mark in 
if not already there to require a Username and Password during logon.
In Vista; Left-Click 
and this box will appear
, type in Control Userpasswords2 (there is one space between the words) and select the setting to require Username and Password. Although, inconvenient most of the time, it will save the day when you need to access a different User Account for whatever reason.
