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I'm using a few inexpensive PCs to control some remote equipment. They are running Windows 10 and the scripts start automatically on sign-in. Sometimes, the PCs, may lose power and I want them to auto-logon WITHOUT a monitor connected. At the moment, the auto-logon process works fine when a monitor is connected using the following with the terminal:

REG ADD "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /v AutoAdminLogon /t REG_SZ /d 1 /f

But that only works when I have a screen connected via HDMI. If the screen isn't connected on bootup, the PC doesn't log in and run the necessary scripts.

Anyone have an Idea of how this can be done?

DarkDiamond
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David O
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2 Answers2

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This is a well known problem. There is no software solution to this to my knowledge, but an inexpensive hardware solution: Virtual Display Dummy Plugs like these ones.
Windows lets you only log in if there is a screen because it does not make much sense to try to type a username and password if you cannot see anything. Due to that, the auto login only works when there is a screen. The little dummy plugs tell the computer that there is a screen connected by putting the correct voltage on some of the display cable pins, and then you can log in without a problem without there actually being a real screen connected.

DarkDiamond
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Had a similar issue a couple of years ago, iirc with Windows Server 2016. The solution was Sysinternals Autologon.

Autologon is easy enough to use. Just run autologon.exe, fill in the dialog, and hit Enable. The next time the system starts, Windows will try to use the entered credentials to log on the user at the console.

hanshenrik
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