My Welcome Screen is Disabled

[mysticdreams73]

I have a Dell with Windows XP Professional, Version 2002, and  Service Pack 2 on it. I bought it secondhand, they had wiped everything off and then reinstalled Windows XP on it. (I don't know how much difference that will make.)

About 3 weeks ago I was on my computer, the power flickered and then my computer shut off and then rebooted itself, which was kind of weird since when that had happend previously it just stayed off. When it got to where the Welcome screen was at, a prompt came up (with a black screen behind it) like the Windows 98 used to use asking you to input the user name and password. When I do this it works perfectly fine in every way. Its just that I no longer have a Welcome screen.

It also won't let me switch users. When I try to it shows just my background and then a prompt comes up that says "This computer is in use and has been locked. Only a Computer administrator may unlock it." I am a computer administrator.  Then it has a place to type my name in and password. When I do this, it brings my taskbar back up and then continues on as normal. However, I had never tried to switch users before this happend, because I had offline files or something enabled.

I have more than one account on this computer and it is very annoying to have to type in names when one of us wants to get on. Can someone please tell me a way to get my welcome screen back?

[Dusty]

Welcome to the CH forums.

Lots of info here..

This seems clear enough..

Good luck.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

No registry editing needed (your second link, Dusty).

Just go to Control Panel --> User Accounts --> Change the way users log on or off.
Check 'Use the Welcome Screen'.
Click Apply Options
Reboot.

[Dusty]

No registry editing needed (your second link, Dusty).

Yep, that's exactly wot is said on the linked site, a regedit it's just given as an option. 

Note: To disable the Welcome screen you can also open the Registry editor and go to... etc

Apart from that, the first choice on the linked site is to do presactly what you also posted.

Here's a verbatim quote from the linked site:

   1.     Open User Accounts in Control Panel.
   2.     Click Change the way users log on or off.

And from you:

Just go to Control Panel --> User Accounts --> Change the way users log on or off.

Looks kinda similar...

What more could be asked for    Two minds with just a single thought.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Oh wow, It appears I wasn't reading carefully..........or at all....

Sorry, Dusty.

[Dusty]

No apology necessary, just an extra special donation when next you visit the Buddha at the Po Lin Monastery, Lantau Island.

LOL

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Lol, haven't been there for a loooong time.

Anyways, -500 points for me for not reading properly and +500 points for you for providing two good links.

[mysticdreams73]

Sorry, I tried that before and just forgot to mention it. Nothing happends. It still makes me type in all the info. As a matter of fact when I go to it, the options are still selected. (And have been applied) Would the registry thing work, and is there a chance I could accedentally mess up my computer?

[Dusty]

Would the registry thing work, and is there a chance I could accedentally mess up my computer?

The registry 'thing' might work and yes, you could accidentally cripple your system during a regedit.  Regedits have been known to cause mayhem and should never be undertaken unless the user has backed up the registry and knows how to reinstate the backup copy if things do go wrong.  Check your keyboard entries and you should be good to go.

Good luck