Wednesday, March 09, 2016

Enable Windows 7 Computer to Accept Blank Passwords While Accessing Through the Network

To make computers secure by default Windows 7 does not allow users to log on from the network if they have not set their account passwords. This means that whenever a user wants to access the computer remotely, that is from the network, he needs to specify the password for his user account without which Windows 7 would straight away deny the access. However, in home environments where there are more than two or more computers users can remove this restriction considering that in homes computers are not at potential security risks. You can remove blank password restriction by following the steps given below:
  1. Logon to the computer with administrator account.
  2. Click on Start button.
  3. At bottom of start menu in search box type gpedit.msc command and press enter key.
  4. On Local Group Policy Editor snap-in under Computer Configuration expand Windows Settings and then expand Security Settings.
  5. Expand Local Policies and click on Security Options.
  6. From the right pane double click on Accounts: Limit local account use blank passwords to console logon only and from the opened box select Disabled radio button.
Allow Blank Passwords
  1. Once done, click on Ok button and close Local Group Policy Editor snap-in.
  2. Open Command Prompt and in command window type gpupdate /force to update here computer policy with latest configuration.
  3. Close Command Prompt.