Unlockable Windows XP Logon Windows

We got a phone call today saying that someone couldn’t log in to their computer, so we decided to view the computer remotely with UltraVNC. Once we could see what they could see we were baffled, here is what we saw. (I blurred the username and replace the logon domain but everything else was left untouched)

(Notice the grayed out username, password and cancel buttons.)

I quickly decided to get a screenshot and hit Google looking for an answer as to what this was. I found all kinds of posts talking about people rebooting at the “resolves” the issue but I want to know what caused it. Rebooting does seem to get ride of the issue and we have only seen it a few times and at very random times.

Can anyone verify seeing this in other environments or explain why/how this happened?

Cloning with a LanDesk Front-end and a Symantec Ghost Back-end

-Why use both products

We use to use the GhostCast part Symantec Ghost to clone out all our computers using the unicast part of the product to clone 30+ computers in under 15 minutes. This all changed when we moved to LanDesk and started using LanDesk’s multicast cloning to 30+ computers; we went from 15 minutes to 3+ hours and losing clients along the way. Nothing against LanDesk but the product is just to able to handle such a task with the current technology they use to clone. When cloning <5 computers we can get them done in under 15 minutes using the regular methods which still work wonderfully. What we wanted to do is mix the LanDesk scripting language with the GhostCast cloning.

SysPrep in Depth – Part 5 addition 1 – Customizing Sysprep.inf

Customizing Your Sysprep.inf For Use

-An overview of SysPrep

As always I found more info to add on to a previous post… To find the original post with much more info then this post please look at this post: SysPrep Part 5

-Additional Info