Interactive (desktop) login as other user on Windows 7

I have a Win7 machine, on which I am an administrator. There is a separate regular user account on the machine.

I'm wondering if it's possible to login interactively (i.e. with a desktop session) as that other user, without knowing or changing his password. I know runas can be used to run console programs and the like as the other user, but it would be nice to get a proper desktop session.

In this scenario, I have to do tech support for the other user frequently, and it is a hassle to ask him to change the password (as he won't give me his real password). So, being able to log in "directly" would be a big help.

nneonneo

Posted 2012-10-15T04:26:17.037

Reputation: 901

is it a local machine or a remote one? – Michael – 2012-10-15T05:52:51.193

It's a local machine, but it does have a network connection. – nneonneo – 2012-10-15T05:53:45.447

well, if you use a remote control software such as TeamViewer, you could control the desktop as the user when this user is logged in. – Michael – 2012-10-15T05:56:46.697

Answers

Sorry, no, that's not possible. You can elevate without a password, but you can't login as another user without knowing his password.

Nicole Hamilton

Posted 2012-10-15T04:26:17.037

Reputation: 8 987

so it's not possible at all to attach a desktop session as another user, or anything like that? – nneonneo – 2012-10-15T04:34:37.840

It's certainly not what Microsoft intended and, so far as I know, there's no way to defeat their intent. – Nicole Hamilton – 2012-10-15T04:52:58.590

I just realized you said "attach" this time but in your original question, you said "login". Those are different things. You will need the password to login but as agentmike mentions above, if you mean you'd be happy to take control of the user's desktop once he's already logged in, that's possible. – Nicole Hamilton – 2012-10-15T06:02:37.483