We use the Windows XP power toys (tweakUI.exe) from Microsoft to automatically logon a user with password via the network dialogue. (my current favourite is the “sync toy” that allows you to synchronise files on the network & your laptop – far better than a lot of bought programmes).

Turn on the accessibility keyboard in XP. Set the options to switch or joystick (or mouse\hover if appropriate). With appropriate scan speeds etc. You have to use it with an appropriate switch box that starts before the welcome screen (commercial plug: EZ Keys uses this method) Then get the utility manager to set the accessibility keyboard to appear at start up.

Utility Manager enables users to check an Accessibility program’s status and start or stop an Accessibility program. Users with administrator-level access can designate to have the program start when Utility Manager starts. Users can also start Accessibility programs before logging on to the computer on by pressing the Windows logo key + U at the Welcome to Windows dialog box that appears when Windows starts.

You only need to turn on the utility manager once. Thereafter you get keyboard access that works with mouse, touch and switch\ joystick.

start it via control panel > accessibility > general > logon

http://www.microsoft.com/enable/training/windowsxp/settingslogon.aspx

I had some problems implementing this on a networked machine — Simon Judge 2005/12/03

EZ Keys runs as a service so enables the keyboard beforehand. You’ll need to run the On-screen keyboard as a service so that it is available at the logon screen. You do it like this.

• Run Group Policy (Start > Run > GPEdit.MSC).
  • Go to Computer Configuration→Windows Settings→Scripts (Startup/Shutdown)
  • double-click on Startup.
  • Click on the button Show Files... and in the newly opened window
  • right click and create a new text file.
  • Rename to osk.bat
  • Right click & edit the file
  • put in it the following line:
    • C:\Windows\System32\OSK.Exe (check this is the correct path for the machine you’re using!!)
  • Save & close the file
  • close it’s folder window
  • in the Start Properties dialog click Add...
  • type OSK.bat in the script window
  • Select OK twice

• Still in Group Policy, go to:
  • Computer Configuration→Administrative Templates→System→Scripts
  • on the right pane, select Run startup scripts synchronously
  • double click on this option
  • change to Enabled (This will make sure the logon process will continue even though the script has not ended).
  • Select OK
• Shut group policy
• Shutdown PC
• Restart system - the on-screen keyboard will be available about 5-10 secs after the logon screen occurs.

Put any other access tools into the startup folder as normal

– Contributed by Neil Hansen from Possum on the Assistech maillist.