Running into a strange issue with a Windows 7 image. Three years ago, I wrote a Powershell script which took a basic Windows 7 image (with only the Administrator account on it) and the script adds all the user accounts, applications, programs, regedits, et al. Used sysprep to complete the image so it could be cloned using Clonezilla onto several hundred computers and go out to different sites, as well as create replacement PCs down the line.
Those original PCs we used ran out and we got a different line of PCs from the same maker, again with a Windows 7 operating system and just an Administrator account. Found out this time the person who created that basic image for me did not put a password on the Administrator account as they did the first time, so it was automatically logging on for me. Added a password to the Administrator account so it wouldn't auto-login.
Ran my script after making some edits to bring applications up to date. Now after rebooting, it not only tries to Auto logon (despite everything I've checked to make sure Auto logon was disabled), but when you click OK to get past the Auto login error, it only shows the Administrator account instead of showing Administrator along with the other two account icons. You then have to click "Switch user" and it will show only "Administrator" and "other user". You have to click on "other user" and input your account name and password.
How do I get it back to showing me all three account icons - Administrator plus my other two user accounts - after a reboot?
PS - these images were loaded onto the PCs by a person from another dept. Same person three years ago as currently.
I finally discovered from a worker in another dept that Microsoft changed Windows 7 so that the last user logged in is the icon that is shown after logging off or rebooting. Love how Microsoft always "fixes" things that don't need fixing.
Related
I set up multiple custom settings via OMA-URI on the Google Workspace Admin panel, from inactivity to simple background image changing. But every single one fails for all 13 computers (different types/brands).
All computers running Windows 10 Pro (current updates) except 1 (special computer)
We switched from 2003 AD (removed all computers from the domain) to Google Workspace MDM and everyone can login to the computers via their Google accounts and no issues with that. But not a single OMA-URI is working. I go to audit and ask day every attempt to sync/deploy the settings said "failed" "error 500"
The crazy things, is that 1 of the computers is Windows 11 Pro brand new or off the box yesterday, never joined the AD even, I set up straight to Google MDM and it's also failing. I can't figure out the issue.
Can anyone help?
Good Afternoon, never seen this one before in my years of working with Windows but im at a loss to try and find the solution to this one.
When users log on to their desktops as Non-Admin accounts, there are particular applications they need to run as different users due to the way some of the systems work. A load of system policies where updated for security at group policy level however now something strange is happening when the user initiates a RunAs by holding the shift key down or if they attempt to remote desktop to another machine, the NLA Windows Security box that prompts for credentials takes 5/10 minutes to appear.
When the user hovers over the taskbar icon, then over the window without clicking the Windows Security box displays as full screen missing the username and password box but when you click on it nothing happens and just disappears. Eventually after a few minutes the windows security box will appear and can log in as normal however the users jump into systems adhoc and cant be waiting for minutes at a time to put their credentials in which could cost a lot of user down time during the day.
I have tried looking at the security log but as you can imagine its filled with all sorts and trying to locate one specifically without knowing the issue is difficult at best. Has anyone had this issue before that can point me in any direction. I have to assume this is permission related on the devices trying to access something locally because when i log on to the devices with an account in the administrators group all these issues disappear and the windows security works as normal. Also, if they click "Run as administrator" they get the UAC credential box so i don't believe this is UAC related as its working by design just anything with "Windows Security" prompts. I should point out that whilst this is waiting - the File Explorer icon highlights under "Run As" like the explorer is waiting to do something.
OS - Windows 10 Pro
Acc - Domain Joined
Group policy enabled
Local Policy Disabled
Update: 21H2
Never seen this before but hoping one of you legends has!
Dev
Full Screen Box - Screenshot
For anyone reading this - although bizzare as it is...
It turns out it was McAfee Disk Encryption - there was a bug in the local FDE security provider causing it to hang every time it was accessed.
Update your McAfee FDE Client/Agent to the latest version
One of my customers got hacked big time: Hotmail (where it probably started), Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat. She couldn't log on to her computer anymore, since her password on her Microsoft account has been changed by the hacker.
I enabled the Administrator account, and gained access to the data.
Now I am looking for a way to unlink the local user account from Microsoft, so I can log in to her own account.
I have access to her files, but not to her account.
Is there any way to unlink a local account without being logged on?
I found a solution, or rather, a workaround:
I booted the computer from a Windows USB-stick, chose "Repair", "Advanced" and then "Command Prompt"
I changed drive and directory to the System32 folder on the volume Windows was installed
I renamed utilman.exe to utilman_old.exe and copied cmd.exe to utilman.exe
I restarted the computer normally with boot from harddisk/ssd.
At the logon screen, I clicked the button for Accessibility Options, which normally invokes utilman.exe. However, utilman.exe is now a copy of cmd.exe, so an ELEVATED command prompt is started
I wrote the line "net users administrator active=yes"
I rebooted the computer, and at login, I chose the Administrator account that was located at the bottom left of the login screen
I downloaded ProfileWizard from https://www.forensit.com/downloads.html, installed it an ran it
I selected the profile, that was linked to the Microsoft account, and clicked Next
I opened an elevated Command Prompt, and wrote "net users tempuser /add"
I went back to Profile Wizard, and wrote "tempuser", and clicked "Next"
At finish, the current administrator user was logged of, and logged on again. I logged administrator off, and logged on as "tempuser". I then had full access to the account that was linked to a Microsoft account, but now as a local account.
My Audio Service refuses to function properly. I have tried so many different solutions I can't even recall all of them.
Here's how it started; I got home from work one day to see my computer has no video signal but is turned on and receiving input from my mouse/keyboard. I force restart my computer and, after it boots up, I see that the Windows Audio Service is stopped.
I first try to use the task manager to start the service (Audiosrv) and it would blink at Starting then immediately go back to Stopped. From here I went to the Services window and tried starting it from there (Windows Audio) and, after trying to start, says Access Denied (Error 0x80070005).
So after searching a solution I went into regedit and was told to add System as a permission group for AudioSrv and the AudioEndpointBreaker service. Turns out they were already there with FULL CONTROL for both.
I try to change the logon to use Local System Account (WITH INTERACT DESKTOP CHECKED!) and voila, my audio service is running! But my bad luck continues.
None of my speakers/headphones are creating sound even though the service turned on and I can see all my devices. As an attempt I tried to do test sound, and this error appears.
Keep in mind I've restarted after every one of these fixes, both the service and my computer afterwards. As a final attempt I tried to open the Command Prompt as administrator and entered sfc /scannow . After verifying, this message appears.
I honestly have no clue what could've happened while I was working, but I'd rather not have to reinstall my windows to lose all my files.
Recap of my attempts to solve
Start the Audiosrv service from Task Manager (failed to start but keep in mind the EndpointBreaker service was running)
Opened services window and tried starting the Windows Audio service (Access Denied [Error 0x80070005])
Tried adding System as permission group for AudioSrv and AudioEndpointBreaker to find out both already had Administrators, my user, and System with full Control.
Changed login to local system account with interact desktop control checked and it fixed! Supposedly. THIS WAS THE FIX FOR 99% OF PEOPLE ON THE FORUMS
After realizing my sound wasn't playing but my devices/control was showing up, tried testing sound and received an error.
Last resort I did a sfc /scannow command and was given the response shown above.
What should and what can I do to get my audio running?
SIDENOTE
When I drag the volume slider [which usually creates a tone with the volume adjusted], the speakers/headphones meter on the Sound window do NOT light up green (in other words they aren't showing sound receiving on its end)
I resolved this issue after doing a system restore.
Add the Local Service in the Local Users and Groups
Right-click This PC or My Computer, depending on which version of Windows you have, and select Manage from the dropdown menu.
To the right, you will see a System Tools section. Double click Local Users and Groups, and select Groups beneath it.
Right-click Administrators in the list in the middle of the window, and select Add to group.. from the dropdown menu.
Click Add, then Advanced, and then click Find Now. Double click Local Service, and click OK. You should see NT Authority\Local Service in the list, click OK. Close the Computer Management window and reboot your device. Your problem should be solved.
Then in services.msc change logon to LOCAL SYSTEM.
If you dont permission to run Windows Audio:
key windows + Services
search Windows Audio
right click settings
login
Local system account and allow the service to interact with the desktop
save and run Windows Audio
I have a Windows Server 2008 R2 platform hosting a website in a cloud service provider. When I remote desktop in as the main administrator account the UI and system locale is set to Chinese (convenient for the Chinese freelancers we have working on the project). How do I set it so that it is not system wide as it ask for a system reboot.
I created a new user and placed it in the administrator group but how do I set it so that whenever this user logs on, everything is displayed in English while the main administrator user account remains the same and displays Chinese?
I downloaded the english pack and installed it on the server. With my second administrator account, I changed the language under the "Keyboard and Languages" tab to english. Problem solved.
Now my first administrator account will always display windows GUI in chinese while the second one one will display english. Restart of the server was required though as prompted when the setting was changed.