Password v. PIN

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I had set up my PIN, and gotten pretty comfortable with the change. Then I decided I wanted to invoke automatic login, so I ran netplwiz.exe.

The (Microsoft) program works fine with passwords, allowing for the setup of auto-logins. It does not, however work with PIN’s. It stops and says that the password is incorrect…

Interesting foible I would say. I would have thought that MS would have reworked netplwiz.exe ro work with PIN’s. But I guess not.

Chuck Billlow

Chuck Billow

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I too had set up a pin but wanted automatic login. But I used Autologon (also MS) and that works fine with a pin. Perhaps netplwiz isn’t pin aware because it’s quite old, whereas Autologon is newer so is pin aware. Whatever the answer it worked for me.

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Malcolm, I could only find autologon from Sysinternals, which works fine with passwords but not with PIN’s. Is there another program I should be finding?

Chuck

Chuck Billow

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Malcolm, I could only find autologon from Sysinternals, which works fine with passwords but not with PIN’s. Is there another program I should be finding?

Chuck

Hmmm, I will have to investigate tomorrow – just too hot here tonight and I’m away to my bed!

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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I couldn’t find Autologon by MS. I found Sysinternals’ version, but that didn’t work.

Chuck

Chuck Billow

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Chuck,hello.
I use a PIN on all my machines and I like it. This even if on the lappy I do not have a numeric keypad, I am used to this top row use as I started all this on a C= 64.

A great Vegas day to you. Jean.

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Okay…thanks guys.

Chuck

Chuck Billow

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Chuck,

I tried to use SysInternals AutoLogon to accept my PIN but no go here either!

Maybe we need a secret pass word or something? :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Hmmm,

I’ve been using PIN entry for quite some time now on both PC & tablet with no issues.

I’ve just ran ‘netplwiz’ on the tablet, deselected the option for password login and clicked OK. As expected it prompted for my user name and password which I duly entered and clicked OK again. Upon restart it took me straight to the desktop. No PIN or password required.

I’d already set my PC up this way so in my experience it just worked as expected.

PC – x64 Insider Pro build 14905.1000
Tablet x86 Insider Home release preview build 14393.82

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Browni, I too can get netplwiz to work — but only with a password, not a PIN. Although “locally” just a password is fine, that sidesteps the added protection that the PIN was/is supposed to provide.

As for Netplwiz, that has worked fine for me for years, but by entering my PIN as a password I have also ignored the point of the PIN.

Chuck

Chuck Billow

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Hmmm,

I’ve just ran ‘netplwiz’ on the tablet, deselected the option for password login and clicked OK. As expected it prompted for my user name and password which I duly entered and clicked OK again. Upon restart it took me straight to the desktop. No PIN or password required.

PC – x64 Insider Pro build 14905.1000
Tablet x86 Insider Home release preview build 14393.82

Worked fine for me as well

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By invoking automatic login, you’re ignoring the point of both password and PIN (and “added protection”).

A PIN is a device shortcut for a password. If you’re never going to enter a password, you don’t need a PIN.

Sysinternals has been part of Microsoft for 10 years.

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Bruce, working backwards…I knew Sysinternals was part of MS…I just expected (I guess) that, since the web site is separate, the name use would be as well. As for the password/PIN…

I always viewed the password — especially that of login — as a more local protection: If my machine is off, it isn’t available anyway (remote access is disabled) and if it is on, then firewalls et al were meant, I thought, to provide protection against hacks. Aside from the PIN being quicker for input, I was drawn to the idea that the PIN wold only work if entered directly from the machine involved. Was I wrong in this? For, if in fact I am correct, that combined with blocking remote access it would provide a good deal more protection than a password, and my plan was to remove all but the PIN for access to my machine.

If however I was/am incorrect in this assumption, PIN’s are still, as is stated in the Windows 10 installation process, easier and therefore “better.”

In either case, I cannot help but be a bit surprised that auto-logon would be hampered by a newly instituted process, and, being the curious and nosey sort that I am, I was/am looking for a way to combine the old with the new, much like how legacy apps are often still accommodated by later O/S/ versions.

Chuck

Chuck Billow

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You cannot have a Windows PIN without having a password.

With auto-login, a PIN is pointless; choose one or the other.

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Bruce, it isn’t really “pointless” in that 1) it still is tied only to the one machine thereby further deterring hackers, and 2) The ease of PINs is still valid if one does any switching between users’ accounts. At the same time, if I (anyone) cannot have a PIN without a password, how would that deter hacking, since password hijacking would still be available, and 2) If anyone (I) had set up the PIN doing Windows setyp, would it then also have required me to set up a password as well? Somehow that appears somewhat self-defeating.

Chuck

Chuck Billow

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Chuck,

The idea of using a PIN is to have an easy way to get on your local machine (requires physical access) while allowing you to use a long complicated strong password on your MS Account to deter remote hacking. At least that is the way I read things.

If you are using Autologon the point is moot as it is a type it once and it’s done operation. BTW: you can use Autologon for the initial signon then it’s easy enough to switch to the PINs for switching between accounts. A quick click of the Signon Options link on the signon screen and select pin and you’re good to go. The next time you restart (cold or warm) you will be autologged in. I just tested this so I know it works…at least with Local Accounts I didn’t test with a MS account but I don’t know why it should be any different…yeah right it’s computers we’re talking about here!

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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It sounds a lot, RG like PINs are a convenience measure (under certain circumstances) and otherwise not so much. From a security standpoint, what would be / would have been cool is to be able to set up a PIN that could only be applied from that particular machine, and then remove all other access. Obviously for one that does a good deal of online support rtc. that wouldn’t be so helpful, but for a goodly portion of the universe that only works on one machine or from one location that wold be super helpful. Well, maybe next version…

Chuck

Chuck Billow

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Now that the grandchildren have gone back and my brain has cooled somewhat (it’s been far to hot and humid here for my comfort) I think I can remember what I did. I had a pin set up as I wanted to make my MS password far more complex than it is. That worked fine. As I understand it, it only applies to this desktop PC and I had to be logged in to set it up. Having seen Autologon from Sysinternals (an MS app) and seen it was recommended on this forum, I downloaded and used it and it worked fine.

I’m pretty sure that I had to restart for an upgarde to be installed (my desktop is normally on permanently), and it asked for a password when I did this. But there was a numeric keypad icon which, when clicked, allowed me to use the PIN. I don’t know whether netplwz is the same as Autologon but as mine worked and yours didn’t I assumed it wasn’t the same.

My only concern with having autologon is that I wonder if I will remember the password or PIN should I need to use them…

I assume that the PIN is available so that you can have a complex MS account password. And I assume that it’s only valid for the PC which it’s created on (same as the picture login). I don’t really understand what your issue is with PINs (other that autologons don’t work for you). But then it’s still hot here!

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