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There is no switch users option on the login screen

Anonymous
2010-07-21T16:16:50+00:00

Good Morning/Afternoon,

Last night I was trying to log into my Windows Vista laptop.  At the time I didn't realize it but I was entering the wrong password,  instead I thought I was trying to log-in using the wrong user.

I went ahead and switched user log-ins and it was at that point that I realized that the password was my issue from the beginning. 

At that moment I wanted to switched back to the user-login but the option to "switch users" is no longer there. 

The only way I can access that laptop is with that specific user-login. 

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Paul

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-07-21T18:38:18+00:00

    It sounds as if you somehow locked the system and when that is done it can only be unlocked by the user who locked it (which is why you see a log on option instead of a log off option and why pushing the logon option gets you only to that one screen because that is the user who implemented the lock.  This is normal and the way it is supposed to happen.  You can't switch users if the system is locked by another user.  Once you login, you should be able to then go to the Start Menu and switch users since the system is no longer locked.

    If switch user is not showing up as an option in the Start menu and the problem is not that the system is locked, then it may have become deactivated.  Here's a procedure to reactivate the switch user option in the start menu if it is missing:http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/89939-fast-user-switching.html.

    If you want to switch users (and don't mind closing all the windows for the current user), then you can hit ALT-F4 and that will eventually bring up a shutdown window.  Click on the arrow next to the chosen option and the other options will appear.  One will be Switch User.  Select it and click OK.  The switch user process should then begin.

    I hope this helps.

    Good luck!

    Lorien - MCSE/MCSA/Network+/A+ --- If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-06-17T19:57:28+00:00

    For me, the system is not locked.  I log in as the administrator, then click Start, Switch User.  The administrator is then basically locked.  When the screen comes back, it says that the Administrator is logged on, and asks for the admin password.  It does not ask me to press CTRL+ALT+DEL, as it should.  THERE IS NO 'OTHER USER' ICON TO CLICK.  There should be.  How do I get that back?

    For missing user icons on the logon screen, if the user account is not disabled there is yet another possibility.  Open the registry and navigate to the following:

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList]

    If a user is listed in the right pane, delete it.

    This setting is used to block user accounts from being displayed on the logon screen.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-07-21T17:51:27+00:00

    There are, as far as I know and I could be wrong, 2 ways to handle this...

    1. Restart the machine.
    2. Logon to the account that you don't really want > Start menu > click pointer > click Log Off > you are back on welcome screen with all user accounts ready to be selected.

    t-4-2

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-07-21T17:58:05+00:00

    Here is a better solution for you.....  create a Swtich User shortcut on your desktop.

    Follow this tutorial :

    http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/136969-switch-user-desktop-shortcut.html

    Use the ' download ' method. Less chanve to make mistake than in manual method.

    t-4-2

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-07-21T16:52:15+00:00

    Not sure I had followed you completely.

    If you click Start button > at the bottom right of the Start menu, there is a pointer, click that > Is " switch user  " option listed ?

    t-4-2

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