This is really a question for your OS newsgroup, but I just had a similar
experience.

I had to reload XP/SP2. Prior to that, when I booted up I was taken directly
to the Desktop. After the install, I had to click on the Icon at the Welcome
Screen to continue to my Desktop and I never set a logon password.

I inquired and was first told to remove NET.Framwork, which didn't help.
This was the solution that worked for me. It includes instructions whether
you had a password, or not.

If you go to the Control Panel | User Accounts, you should see an ASP.NET
account that was created. Leave the ASP.NET account and go to Start | Run
and type:

Control userpasswords2

Uncheck "users must enter a user name and password to use this computer"
Click apply
On the popup window type in your user name,password,and confirm the
password
Click OK
Click OK

If you never entered a logon password when setting up the machine, go to
Control Panel | User Accounts and create a password for your account. Now go
back and do the above again.

I know it doesn't make sense that you have to have a password in order to
ignore it, but you are dealing with Microsoft.

Hope this helps.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Cuyler" wrote in message
...
Looking thru my PC log, I see I downloaded and installed .NET Framework
which
was a required component of one of those MS Power Toys. Was about that
time
my OE went wonky with the missing graphics. Also, my PC now INSISTS I
login
at each bootup where before, everything loaded without my intervention.
I'm
on a standalone desktop and have no need for any network settings and now
wonder if there's some underlying security settings in that .NET Framework
file?


"Cuyler" wrote:

Steve,
Yes, I've tried all those settings in the Security TAB numerous times,
but
thanks anyway.


"Steve Cochran" wrote:

Tools | Options | Security and uncheck the option to block images and
external content.

steve

"Cuyler" wrote in message
...
Oh, I see. Was buried under those carats and thought part of a
previous
post.
The only thing without a carat was the 'news' item under my
signature.

So you suggested the Tool Options & uncheck the HTML content box?
Yes,
I've been thru those menus over and over again. Every button and
every
TAB.

There's some other underlying cause of this I'm pretty sure and Bruce
sent
me numerous links to articles that may be the root cause of all this
but
it'll take me some time to work thru it all.

------------------------------------------------------------------

"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:

"Cuyler" wrote in message
news Frank, can't see to find that article via MS or Google. Any add'l
info
avbl
on that thread ?

What article?
I gave you something to try.
Did you try it?

"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:

"Cuyler" wrote in message
...
I installed cable broadband last week and ever since, all my
email
messages
have been stripped of the html graphics. I subscribe to
numerous
trusted
sites i.e. Amazon.com, Buy.com, Cnet.com etc. and now only
get
text
messages accompanied by those little boxes with the red 'x' in
them.

Have confirmed all the Security settings as described here and
elsewhere.
Plus, the option View Message in HTML is now grayed out.

My ISP, Comcast cable, insists they installed no software that
would
disable
this feature yet I had no problems for years on my clunky old
dial-up.

I'm sure there's another setting I have to locate, possibly in
the
registry,
or Internet Explorer, or some other?

WinXP Home SP2

Tools | Options | Security
Uncheck the option to block external content in HTML messages.