How to get a login in screen when connecting to VM

Question

Trying to set up a domain and a client with multiple users that can login. When im making the client VM you have to assign an administrator account and now that is the only thing i can login as cause to connect to the VM you have to use that and it automatically takes me past the login screen so i cant use any of hte accounts i set up in the doamin, can someone please help me.

Answer 1

Hello Colin Walsh

When you create a Windows VM in Azure, you have to set a local administrator account. By default, the VM automatically logs in using this admin account when you connect through RDP. Because of this, you don’t see the normal Windows login screen and cannot sign in using any other accounts, including domain accounts.

Basically, the VM is skipping the login screen because auto-login is enabled for the administrator account.

1. Disable Auto-Login Log in with the current admin account. Open the Registry Editor (regedit) and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Change these settings:

AutoAdminLogon → set to 0

DefaultUsername → clear it

DefaultPassword → delete it

Restart the VM. After this, the standard Windows login screen will appear.

2. Configure Remote Desktop Access for Domain Users Open Local Security Policy (secpol.msc) → Local Policies → User Rights Assignment → Allow log on through Remote Desktop Services. Ensure that the required users or groups are included and not denied.

3.If your VM is a domain controller or needs multiple users to log in simultaneously, ensure that it is configured to allow multiple sessions.

Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any queries in comments.

Answer 2

I think that VM’s just autologging with the local admin, so u never get the domain screen. turn that off and reboot… once it sees the DC, the domain prompt comes back on its own.