# Log on to Windows box at startup **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/log-on-to-windows-box-at-startup/300676 "2005-04-22T22:07:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/log-on-to-windows-box-at-startup/300676/1 "2005-04-22T22:07:35Z")
I just reinstalled windows xp professional SP 2. I have a box in the middle of the screen that says: Log on to Windows Username\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Password\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ OK I don’t have a password, so I just click on OK. I can’t seem to get rid of it. Before I reinstalled, I did not have this box. How can I get rid of it and just log on to windows without this hassel? ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/log-on-to-windows-box-at-startup/300676/2 "2005-04-22T23:04:01Z")
Open the Users applet in the Control Panel. You will notice a hyperlink that says ‘Change the way users log on or off’. Click it and observe the ‘Select logon and logoff options’ screen. It has 2 check boxes, the first of which is labelled ‘Use the Welcome Screen’. It is probably not checked. If so then check it and that should solve the problem. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/log-on-to-windows-box-at-startup/300676/3 "2005-04-23T15:03:48Z")
Thanks Imasquare, that remedy fixed my problem. I should have known that, but I just haven’t committed to memory all the idiosyncrasies of Window XP yet. Perhaps in another 5 to 10 years…