Changing the Windows GINA

Ran into a Novell to Microsoft migration case where the client wants to leave the Novell client on the Windows XP workstations to allow access to non-migrated volumes, but wants the user to have the Microsoft GINA for login. When all the volumes are migrated, then the client will be removed or the workstation will be reimaged. The change itself is simple is relatively simple. To replace the Novell GINA with the Microsoft GINA, edit the registry under the following key:

HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Change the data value GinaDLL from "NWGINA.DLL" to "MSGINA.DLL" (without the quotation marks). This changes the GINA, but the Novell client still prompts for authentication to Novell after you log in to the Windows GINA. To stop that, you need to make a change to this registry key:

HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Novell\Network Provider\Initial Login

Add a string value called Login when NWGina Not Loaded (unless it already exists of course) and set the value to "no". You'll find that you still get a nice Novell splash screen and we don't want that! To turn it off, you'll need to make a change to this registry key:

HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetWareWorkstation\Parameters

Add a dword value called NoLogoDisplay (unless it already exists) and set the value to 1. Finally, if you don't want the big red N in the tray, you'll need to remove the NWTRAY value from the following registry key:

HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

And now the Novell client is fully "disabled". You can still log on to Novell by going to the Programs - Novell and logging in from there.