Unattended Startup

[BenR16]

I am trying to figure out how to do an unattended startup in Windows XP Professional.

I have a program that needs to always run to control lighting and other home security functions. This program is in the Startup folder, but if there is a powerfailure then I have to start Windows manually to make sure the program is running.

Is there a way to have Windows XP or 2K automatically startup without requiring a user name and password so that anythin in my Startup folder can get executed even if I'm not home and there has been a powerfailure?

Thanks

[Force Flow]

Have only one user account enabled and set with no password. Also disable the welcome screen in XP, if you haven't already, by going to the control panel > user accounts > change the way users log on or off > uncheck "use the welcome screen"

[glc]

If you have multiple user accounts and passwords, I believe you can use TweakUI to set up an automatic logon - I know you can with Win2K Pro because I have it and use that feature.

[Miz]

You can configure XP to automatically boot into a user account by going to Start>Run, type in "control userpasswords2" (without the quotes, with the space after "control"), click OK.

Uncheck "Users much enter a user name and password to use this computer," click OK. In the window that opens, enter the name and password of the user account you want it to log onto. If there is no password, leave that field blank, click OK.

In the BIOS, find the setting for what to do when power is reapplied (some do not support this feature, most newer BIOS do) to "last state" or something similar...to tell it to go back to the state it was in when power was lost.

Keep in mind that damage is minimal when a power outage shuts the computer off. Real damage can occur when the power surges back on. If you don't have a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply, aka "battery backup"), spend the $40 or $50 and get one. It will keep the computer running for anywhere from 10 minutes to days, depending on how much money you want to spend. It also "cleans up" the power going into the computer. Very, very few electrical distribution systems don't have constant tiny surges that aren't noticed by anything but the elctronics in your computer. The damage is cumulative.

The better UPSs come with software that will shut the computer down properly in case of a power outage that lasts longer than the battery can keep things running.