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As a workaround for recent problems running OneDrive in Session 0, we configured AlwaysUp to automatically log in and start OneDrive in the new session. I followed your instructions but it’s not working because, as far as I can see, Windows isn’t logging in automatically. What could be going wrong with auto login and how can I fix it?
— Amy
Hi Amy, thanks for reaching out.
We’re not surprised that you’ve run into trouble. For some reason, automatic login (“autologin”) remains a poorly documented feature of Windows. It’s available, but Microsoft doesn’t make it particularly easy to use.
In any case, let’s review the five most likely places where things could be going off the rails with autologin.
Problem #1: Automatic login isn’t set up properly
Autologin only works if you’ve provided a known user name and its associated password. Are you positive that you entered the correct password? If you haven’t, automatic login will silently fail.
How to fix it
Download Microsoft’s free, standalone Autologon utility and use it to set up automatic login.
It’s super easy to use. Enter the user name, domain (if applicable) and password and Autologon will save them all in the Windows registry:
And when you click the Enable button, Autologon will verify your credentials and alert you if you put in a bad password:
That check will eliminate some head scratching later on if you’re prone to fat-finger situations. 🙂
Note that Autologon encrypts your password in the registry. But even though that’s a good line of defense, the password may remain vulnerable to determined administrators. For more on that, please review this post discussing security issues related to automatic login.
Problem #2: Your password changed
When you set up automatic login, your user name, domain and password are all saved in the registry. If you subsequently change your password, autologin will fail because Windows keeps using your old password.
How to fix it
Simply re-run the Autologon utility and enter your new password. Autologon will save your updated password, encrypted.
Problem #3: A local or group policy is preventing automatic log on
Even though you may have set up automatic login using Autologon or another method, your intentions may be at odds with the administrator who manages your machine. In fact, that’s extremely likely if your computer is part of a corporate Windows domain.
You see, Windows enforces your company’s policies and practices through group policies — centrally-managed restrictions that apply to all company computers. And those all-powerful policies can curtail almost any feature, including autologin.
How to fix it
If you think that your local settings are being countermanded by a group policy, it’s best to raise the issue with your system/domain administrator. They can make the necessary changes to permit auto-login — but only if they agree with what you’re trying to do. Be prepared to discuss security.
Here are some resources that may be helpful as you’re working with your administrator:
- Turn on automatic logon in Windows — describes the registry entries involved in automatic login)
- Is it Safe to Automatically Log In to my Computer? — discusses relevant security concerns
Problem #4: A Logon Banner is blocking autologin
Do you have to acknowledge a legal notice or disclaimer when you sign into your computer? It may look like this:
That interactive Logon Banner — which requires you to click a button whenever you sign in — will definitely hold up automatic login.
In fact, Microsoft says exactly that on this page:
This registry change does not work if the Logon Banner value is defined on the server either by a Group Policy object (GPO) or by a local policy. When the policy is changed so that it does not affect the computer, the autologon feature works as expected.
Therefore, you (or your administrator) must update the group policy to disable the Logon Banner on your computer for automatic login to succeed.
Problem #5: AlwaysUp isn’t starting your application after autologin
It doesn’t seem this way from what you describe, but is it possible that automatic login succeeds and AlwaysUp fails to launch OneDrive in the newly-created session? That may be happening for a couple of reasons.
Reason number one is that you’re not giving Windows enough time to start AlwaysUp. For instance, if you’ve instructed AlwaysUp to start your application Automatically but shortly after the computer boots, it may take up to 5 minutes for your application to start running. If you log in too soon, you may get the impression that “nothing’s working.”
And beyond a slow start, it’s quite possible that AlwaysUp is running into a problem finding the new login session or cannot launch your program on the desktop. If any of those oddities occur, AlwaysUp will note the problem in the Windows Event Logs. Select Application > Report Activity > Past Week to generate a full report in your web browser:
How to fix it
First, please be patient. Automatic login may take longer than you think.
Second, review the AlwaysUp activity report for clues and take action on what you find. This page documents common errors and warnings. Please be sure to get in touch with our technical support team if you need help.
Good luck!
![OneDrive Version 23.48: Trouble Running in Session 0 [RESOLVED]](https://www.coretechnologies.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/onedrive-error-150x150-1.webp)
