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I know if a Windows users logs into a machine, and later that machine falls off the network, that the user can log in to the machine with cached credentials. Is there any way to precache those credentials? (Without having to log into each and every machine locally?) We use some tablet PCs in our manufacturing facility and they use wireless cards to access the network. Sometimes new users need to use the tablet PCs when they are unable to connect to the network, and can't because they've never logged into it before. It would be nice to be able to put their creds there in some automated way before that happens.

Kara Marfia
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bpfinn
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  • I'm very interested in this question as well. Just yesterday I shipped a replacement laptop off to a user offsite. We had to reset his password so I could cache them on the machine before shipping. I'd love to know a way around this. – prestomation Aug 27 '09 at 19:58

2 Answers2

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As far an I know there isn't.

For the remote user getting a new laptop, you could have them remote desktop into the new laptop while it is still attached to the domain to get them cached.

mrdenny
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  • In all my years of working with windows this has been a common desire, there is no way to pre-cache..it is because of all the profile, group policy, and security operations that take place at first login. You just have to do the change password or RDP dance before you ship. T – Thomas Denton Aug 28 '09 at 00:10
  • The other option fore remote users is to setup the vpn client to start before login... then they are on the network before they try to log into the box. – Zypher Aug 28 '09 at 02:01
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How about setting a default password, logging in as the user to build the profile, then set the domain account to reset the password, forcing a password change upon next logon?

Keith Stokes
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  • In bpfinn's case, he would have to do this with what sounds like a number of machines. In my case, it's an existing user with an exiting machine. Changing their password is what I do currently, but it can/does inconvenience the end user. – prestomation Aug 28 '09 at 02:01