Restrict A User's Time On The Computer?

[Ares]

Anyone here know of a way to restrict a users time on a computer per day??

Here's an explanation.

I have a computer with win2k pro installed. It's for the kids. They are both set up as restricted users (with password login). I'm wondering if there's a way to program the OS to give each user 5 hours a day of time on the pc. In other words, to let user1 login between noon and 5pm, and user 2 can login anytime after 5pm until 10pm.

Any programs out there that do this (short of writing a windows application myself)?? Any suggestions would be great.

[Bob42]

i think this link should help, it tells how to restrict certain times, and how to make it so it will give a warning for about 5 min, and then shut down the system at the end of that time.
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Oper..._20952673.html
Just scroll down past the ads asking to register.

[Ares]

kewl, thanks. I'll check it out.

Anyone out there actually try this before??

[Ares]

Ok i've been trying psshutdown, but i'm having problems. I can't get it to accept any of the switches or to even work.

I've tried every possible combination of switches and it doesn't seem to work for me. There's something i'm not doing right, and it may be that i'm not typing in the switches correctly. Can someone type an example showing the syntax use so that i could see how EXACTLY the command and the switches are to be inputted??

I'm using psshutdown. I've tried psshutdown -k -t5:00pm -m "blahmessage", i've tried psshutdown -k-t5:00pm-m"blahmessage", i've even tried it with the pipe character in between the switches like: psshutdown -k|-t5:00pm|-m"blahmessage". I've tried also using spaces in certain areas like: psshutdown -k|-t 5:00pm|-m "blahblah"..... nothing works for me and i've tried just about everything i can think of. Can anyone post an example using a few of the switches so that i can see how its to be typed using PSSHUTDOWN?

Thanks in advance.

[Bob42]

After you download the file, you need to copy the psshutdown file to your C:/Windows or C:/Winnt Directory.
Then you need to open a command prompt, and type psshutdown -f [-t [hh:mm]] (time to shutdown in 24hr format).
For help with the other commands like message to display, type psshutdown -?.

Hope this helps!

[Ares]

Yeah i got all that Bob. I was having trouble with the actual switches and parameters. I was either not typing the spaces like it wanted, or putting spaces where it didn't want them. There's no examples given with the readme file, so someone who's not familiar with the whole switch routine would be lost in the dust. Anyway, i ended up contacting mark (the programmer) and he helped me.

It's not the answer to my question though. PSSHUTDOWN has to be initiated each time in order for it to work, and it doesn't work quietly in the background either. I would have to go on the other computer each day, and initiate psshutdown to turn off at the designated time because it doesnt save settings or autorun each day.

When you turn it on it opens a countdown window, also. So if i were to get on the computer at noon, set it to turn off at midnight, that window is going to be there for 12 hours unless i close it. Kinda sucks.

A program like that would only be useful for me if i were logging onto the computer each day and locally turning on the shut down proggy each time. I can't possibly do that each and every day... so my look continues.

I may have to resort to buying software to do the job.

[darkside]

maybe you could try posting in the developers section and ask them to write you a prgram, im sure it wouldnt be that difficult

[mikezel]

You could try using a batch file to keep the settings and setting it as a scheduled task to run on every startup.

Mike

[RayH]

You could try telling the kids if you find out that they've logged on at times outside the alloted, you will have to take priviledges away.

If you're dealing with kids, you have to teach them that their word and honor have to mean something. Only looking for technical solutions teaches them that they have find ways around those solutions.

[Ares]

RayH, that has already been tried and done. It's the first thing a person tries, but after you learn you receive no respect from unruly snots, (if they were mine it'd be different) then you seek out other alternatives.

I have since confiscated the pc completely and made it unusable. Problem solved. I would still like to know how to set this up, though, just out of curiousity.

I have no idea how to make a batch file and run it. Guess that would require study. Thanks for the suggestions, darkside and mikezel.

[Miz]

Take a look at EyeTimer. It's not free but it does quite a bit. There are several versions offering ever-increasing levels and scope of control (at corresponding price increases, of course): "EyeTimer Software runs on your PC and acts as the "brain" of the system. Using the same technology as a cordless phone, EyeTimer turns on or off all the televisions, computers, and video games in your house. And it's tamperproof, so your kids won't find their way around the system."

If one of your kids is a real computer geek, "tamperproof" is probably an overstatement.