Fine-tuning the Simulation

One of the key pre-requisites for the simulation is a user account with local administrator rights on the simulation endpoint. This user should also be logged in at all times for the simulator to run continuously. Sometimes however, this user session may get disconnected. For instance, if the simulation endpoint is rebooted due to automatic updates, scheduled reboots, power failure etc., the user session on the simulation endpoint may get disconnected.

Every time a session disconnect occurs owing to reasons cited above, the administrator will have to login to the endpoint by manually providing the user credentials at the login prompt, while the system boots. If this is not done, then the user session will not get up and running; consequently, the simulation will not occur.

To save the time and effort involved in manually typing the login credentials everytime the endpoint reboots, and to make sure that a user is always logged into the endpoint (even when it reboots) for the purpose of the simulation, you can automate a user login at the time of a reboot. To achieve this, you can either run Autologon.exe or manually edit the windows registry.

Note:

Editing the windows registry or executing the Autologon.exe will not work if the Logon Banner defined on the server either by a Group Policy object (GPO) or by a local policy appears before the login screen.

Fine-tuning the simulation using Autologon.exe

If you wish to automate the user logon using Autologon.exe, follow the steps below:

  1. Download the Autologon.zip file from the Download Autologon link from the following location:

    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autologon

  2. Extract the contents of the Autologon.zip file.

  3. Once extracted, run the Autologon.exe file.

    Figure 1 : Agreeing to the Software License Terms

  4. Figure 1 then appears. Click Agree to accept the Sysinternals Software License Terms.

    Figure 2 : Provide the password in this form

  5. In Figure 2 that appears next, the name of the user and the domain to which the user belongs will be automatically populated against the Username and Domain fields. Specify the password that should be used for automatic user logon against the Password text box.
  6. Click the Enable button.
  7. Ensure that the eGurkhaAgentServices are delayed for a period of 5 minutes (using Automatic (Delayed Start) Service properties ) before restarting the simulation endpoint.
  8. Finally, restart the simulation endpoint.

Fine-tuning the simulation by editing the windows registry

If you wish to automate the user login by editing the windows registry, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Windows Registry Editor.

  2. Locate the following registry entry:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Winlogon

  3. In this registry entry, add the following REG_SZ string values:

    • AutoAdminLogon: To enable automatic user logon on the simulation endpoint, set this string value to 1.
    • DefaultUserName: Specify the name of the user who is authorized to login into the simulation endpoint.
    • DefaultPassword: Specify the password for the user mentioned in the DefaultUserName. Note that the password should be entered in plain text.
    • DefaultDomainName: Specify the domain to which the user belongs to.
  4. Ensure that the eGurkhaAgentServices are delayed for a period of 5 minutes (using Automatic (Delayed Start) Service properties ) before restarting the simulation endpoint.
  5. Finally, restart the simulation endpoint.