Windows 7 asks for "Other User" Name & PW ?

[JillyBean]

Hey guys, looking for some help with a weird problem. I've even googled it with not a lot of results or helpful info.

This happened to me a while ago but on re-start, didn't happen. Then today it happened but on restart it continued each time. I ended up pressing F12, running a check, then restarted and F10, then restarted. Didn't really do anything at all. Made no changes. But then when I restarted, things started normally.

I have only 1 user (me) and no password set. So when I start up my computer it just goes straight to my wallpaper, icons, etc. I don't select a user or anything.

The thing that happened a while ago and then today is that windows comes up with a login for "other user". It requires a user name and pw (which does not exist as far as I know). Trying to hit enter past it just prompts it to say that windows security requires a user name and password. The only option is to shut it down again really.

Anyone know anything about this? Or what I can do to prevent it or if it happens again?

[JillyBean]

I've decided to go ahead and create a PW for my User Name. Again, I'm the only User, and "Guest" is turned off. I understand it will prompt me for a PW when I turn on my computer. I'm hoping if I get the weird "other user" prompt that I will just be able to log in as my username and PW.

The only thing I wonder about is this "warning" -

You are creating a password for Jill.
If you do this, Jill will lose all EFS-Encrypted files, personal certificates and stored passwords for Web sites or network resources.

I understand what stored passwords are, I don't really store any. I can't imagine that I have any personal certificates, but what exactly does this and "EFS-Encrypted files" mean? Is it anything I need to be concerned with losing? o.o

I did create a password reset disc on a USB drive (using no PW since I don't yet have one).

[Norack]

From what I understand your certificates are your keys for your encrypted files. So if you lose your certificates no one will be able to access your files that is why your files won't be encrypted anymore.

I would assume in order to re encrypted you would have to uninstall and re install on your drive to create a new certificate that way giving you new keys to re encrypt your files.

Unless if you don't care if your files are encrypted or not. This is just me thinking so idk if that is exactly what will happen it's just what im assuming might happen.

Edit----------

EFS is microsofts encryption service so i don't really understand how it works, if you want everything encrypted I would rather go with a third party program and you could easily just encrypt your entire HDD as opposed to individual items.

[JillyBean]

Well I've never encrypted anything myself so I can't imagine I'll lose access to anything. I went ahead and created a PW for my pc/Username. I don't see anything different other than I have to enter the PW.

Still wondering about the random "other user" thing that it has done a few times... hopefully if it happens again I will be able to just use my user name and newly created PW and it will bypass that ...

Anyone know anything about this or have any other ideas, I'm interested ^^

[Norack]

Well I've never encrypted anything myself so I can't imagine I'll lose access to anything. I went ahead and created a PW for my pc/Username. I don't see anything different other than I have to enter the PW.

Still wondering about the random "other user" thing that it has done a few times... hopefully if it happens again I will be able to just use my user name and newly created PW and it will bypass that ...

Anyone know anything about this or have any other ideas, I'm interested ^^

If you do have something encrypted and this happens you will still have access to it, it will just un encrypt everything. It's like a fail safe the OS knows that if this happens you would lose access to your files so to remedy it, it will just un encrypt everything so you still have access.