Happy belated Thanksgiving.On a standalone Windows XP PC, running SP3, after totally random periods, a screen will come up and say, "This computer has been locked and is in use", and wants my password. My user name is present and as I do NOT have a password, all I have to do is hit enter and I'm in. So no big deal, right?But after, um, 123 - 7 years of having this PC, this is a NEW behavior as of a few months ago, and I do not like, want, or need it. It "obviously" happened after some update.I rightclick on the desktop, go to properties, screen saver, power, advanced, and click on the "Prompt for password..." (ALREADY empty), apply, click it off, apply, ok, etc - doesn't stop it.I go to start, run, control userpasswords2, click on "Users must enter a user name..." (ALREADY empty), apply, click it off, apply, hit ok on the Admin screen, etc - doesn't stop it.So please, this is NOT a password issue - there are none - this is a bug. Or a setting. Or a curse. Or Groundhog Day - Revenge of Windows 95, or something.Help. Please.Happy Holidays, y'all. Thank you for reading and for your consideration.Brick1 person needs an answerI do too

Hi,· Are you by any chance pressing Windows key + L on the Keyboard?· Does this happen randomly or whenever you access any application? If you are pressing Windows Key + L on the Keyboard then, this combination is used to lock the computer. If not, It might be that some application is causing this issue. Method 1:I would suggest you to perform a clean boot. Follow the steps mentioned in the article given below.How to configure Windows XP to start in a "clean boot" statehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353 Method 2:Check whether the screen saver that is set on the system is password protected. Follow the steps mentioned below.a. Right click on the desktop and click on Properties.b. Click on the screen saver tab and make sure that the Password protected is check box is unchecked.c. If not, uncheck the box and then click on Apply and then Ok. Thank you and Regards. Thahaseena MMicrosoft Answers Support Engineer.Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

Thank you for the suggestions.I am not pressing Ctrl L, rather, merely walking away from the PC. The power options darken the monitor. No screen saver is utilized, no passwords are utilized. It is a random occurrence although happening much more frequently. Some apps are always running but it does not fit any pattern.This is a NEW behavior in that it did not happen until a few months ago following an automatic update that included .net functionality.As no new software has been added to this PC by me (seriously - the last new "product" was over a year ago), it seems obvious that it is something in a push to this PC. Isn't there something in the registry to where I can be pointed?

To Brickinpa...I am having the EXACT same problem...no passwords involved...all I do is say "OK" and it lets me in, but, like you, I know SOMETHING has changed to cause this. It's SO annoying. I'm not pressing anything...I just walk away and then the message mysteriously appears.Kind of unsettling to see "This computer is in use..." -- will keep checking back on this thread to see if any solutions arise...the only "new" thing is that I went from dial up internet connection to an antenna...geez.

Hi,· What is the security update that is installed recently on the system?Let us know the Kb number I would suggest you to do a system restore and check whether the issue persists.How to restore Windows XP to a previous statehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084 Thank you and Regards. Thahaseena MMicrosoft Answers Support Engineer.Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.