Err Msg: "Workstation Is Locked" with Invalid Screen Saver Program

ID: Q229687

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

After you restart a computer running Microsoft Windows NT Server and no one has logged on, you are unable to log on to the computer (locally or to the domain) and the following error message is displayed:

This workstation is in use and has been locked.
The workstation can only be unlocked by \ or an administrator.
Press CTRL + ALT + DELETE to unlock this workstation.
If you try to unlock the computer, the following error message is displayed:
This workstation is locked. Only \ or an administrator can unlock this workstation.


CAUSE

This problem occurs in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 when you change the default screen saver program to a nonexistent screen saver program or to one that is corrupted.

The registry location for screen saver program information is HKEY_USERS\.Default\Control Panel\Desktop.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, use another screen saver program (such as Logon.scr) that has password functionality.

To work around this problem and still be able to log on:

  1. When the logon screen appears, clear the Username box.


  2. Clear the Domain Name box, and then clear the Password box.


  3. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, and log on normally.


NOTE: If you do not use this method to log on, you must restart the computer and log on before the screen saver program starts.


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.


REFERENCES

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q99590 How to Activate the Screen Saver During Logon

Additional query words: 


Keywords          : 
Version           : winnt:4.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: May 28, 1999