Topic: Unable to Switch User

[Ryman24]

I am running Windows XP and it had been working perfectly until a few days ago.

When ever I try to log off, I have the ability to "Log Off", but not the ability to "Switch User", the screen just doesn't do anything.

I thought I had found the problem when I looked in Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Systems. There was a system called "Fast User Switching Capability. It was not started, so I tried to start it. I got an error message.

Also, when I got into the task manager and click the users tab, no user it listed.

I have the links to screenshots below and attached my dxdiag.

Screenshots:
System Tab - http://jotdot.net/wes/system.gif
Error Message - http://jotdot.net/wes/error.gif
Task Manager - http://jotdot.net/wes/taskmanager.gif

[attachment deleted by admin]

[gryphon]

what does you event log say about the dependancy that is needed for user switching to work ?

Have you changed anything recently. . like installing a Novell client .. change the way you logon to the old control-alt-delete way .. things like that ?

you could try the following ...

Open your registry and find the key below.

Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value called 'AllowMultipleTSSessions' using the settings below.

Note: Windows XP users must use the standard Welcome Screen logon method.
     
  (Default) REG_SZ (value not set)  
  AllowMultipleTSSessions REG_DWORD 0x00000001 (1)  
 
 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon  


Settings:
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
Name: AllowMultipleTSSessions
Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value: (0 = Disable Fast User Switching, 1= Enable)

[Phoenix]

Maybe you can check this before gryphon is gonna start with reg keys...

Have you recently did something with off line files???

go to your control panel, then select useraccounts.
You can pick a task, there select the 3rd (3rd it is here at my place) way users logon/logoff.
there check your configuration.
If Offline Files is enabled, you cannot swich between users

[Ryman24]

Hey, I got it working by doing a Windows Reinstall, the problem came up again. So I did another reinstall, and the problem came back up about 2 days later.

This is what I see when I go into User Accounts in the Control Panel

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/Ryman2489/useraccounts.gif

Then I click the 3rd option and this comes up:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/Ryman2489/useraccountsmore.gif

Now, I no that Fast User Switching is unchecked, but when I check it, and click apply options, I go back in and it's unchecked.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/Ryman2489/msconfig.gif

^I found that interesting. Notice that "Fast User Switching Capability" is checked. However, the status is "Stopped" and I can't figure out how to get it running. I have tried unchecking it and then checking it and restating.

[Phoenix]

What happens when you right click that service and choose start?
Or choose properties, and then set it to start automaticly...

Have you got something done with offline files... because that could also be a problem....

You can try also to uncheck both of them... user needs to fill in his name and password on logon...
after you restarted, you can try to set them back to what you actually wanted...

[Ryman24]

What happens when you right click that service and choose start?

Nothing comes up, I just right click and no options appear.

Have you got something done with offline files... because that could also be a problem....

How could I check this or reset it?

You can try also to uncheck both of them... user needs to fill in his name and password on logon...
after you restarted, you can try to set them back to what you actually wanted...

Tried, didn't work.

*EDIT*
I found this interesting. When I go into Task Manager and click "Users", no Users show up despite being logged on. Image below.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/Ryman2489/task.gif

[Ryman24]

I read the Optimize XP Guide that Atomic has posted and through all of the things I did, I was able to diagnose the User Switch problem. Apparently "Terminal Services" was disabled, and by enabling it, I was able to start Fast User Switching Compability.

[number6]

What happens when you right click that service and choose start?

Nothing comes up, I just right click and no options appear.

Really? Here is what I see when I right click: