Windows – Set Windows 7 Default Login to a Non Domain Account

domainwindowswindows 7

We have 12 Laptop Pc's that we have upgraded from Windows XP to Windows 7.
The laptops are used by staff on away days. They log on to a local account on the machine – say User1 with no password.
On the Windows XP Login screen there was a drop down menu allowing them to log on to the Local Machine. However in Windows7 there is no such box and it is confusing staff.
Windows 7 tries to log into the domain by default, it doesn't seem to remember where the user last logged into.

Is there a way to set Windows7 to log on to the local machine by default instead of the domain?
I do not want the staff to have to type for example stafflaptop1\User1 when they log on.

Best Answer

You can use Group Policy (local or domain) or edit the registry directly.

Direct registry edit seems to work best for us. We use a generic script to assign the local computer name, with the variable %COMPUTERNAME%, as the default domain for logon where needed. Run the following:

reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v DefaultLogonDomain /t REG_SZ /d %COMPUTERNAME% /f

If using GP look under Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, System, Logon. The setting is labeled "Assign a default domain for logon". However, entering %COMPUTERNAME% here does not appear to be correctly interpolated prior to the logon display.

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