how can i track pc usage?

helpimcrap · 12 Jul 2009 at 12:14

i.e. when windows/the pc is on?

at the moment the pc is password protected but is there a simple report i can run once a week to show me what time it was signed on and for how long?

windows xp home and ie8 if it helps.

Doctor_Zhivago · 12 Jul 2009 at 12:20

Spying on the wife?

GhostlyPea · 12 Jul 2009 at 12:22

I dont know of any software but its easy enough to do in event viewer

Start --> Run --> "eventvwr" --> Go to the security pane, it tells you Logon attempts. Don't know if it's any help but thats the best I can think of at the moment

- Pea0n

UKDTweak · 12 Jul 2009 at 12:32

You can write a .bat file to write to a log file for log on and log off, username and date/time, just use GPO to call the .bat?

Example:

Echo off
echo Username\%username%; Date\%date%; Time\%time%; >>c:\Activity.txt

Copy the Bold text to a .Bat file, call it Logon.bat, then run GPEDIT.msc and under User Config/Windows Settings/Scripts, you add the logon.bat to the Startup and also to the logoff...

Each time a user logs in, the bat file will run silently and add the details to the Activity.txt file on the root of C:\.

helpimcrap · 12 Jul 2009 at 15:51

Doctor_Zhivago said:
Spying on the wife?

nah lol.

i was just wondering if there was an easy way of doing it with regards to kids etc?

helpimcrap · 12 Jul 2009 at 15:52

UKDTweak said:
You can write 2x .bat files to write to a log file for log on and log off, username and date/time, just use GPO to call the .bat?

Example:

Echo off
echo Username\%username%; Date\%date%; Time\%time%; >>c:\Activity.txt

Copy the Bold text to a .Bat file, call it Logon.bat, then run GPEDIT.msc and under User Config/Windows Settings/Scripts, you add the logon.bat to the Startup and also to the logoff...

Each time a user logs in, the bat file will run silently and add the details to the Activity.txt file on the root of C:\.

i'll try the event viewer first, then this. cheers peeps.

original.wood · 12 Jul 2009 at 16:15

i installed a keylogger on my home computer, it was trial ware and didnt pose any problems and was completely transparent, it even took screenshots every X ammount of minutes or hours.

www.actualspy.com
www.refog.com

try those, i dont know if they're free or whatever, but its along what i used.

helpimcrap · 13 Jul 2009 at 17:36

UKDTweak said:
You can write a .bat file to write to a log file for log on and log off, username and date/time, just use GPO to call the .bat?

Example:

Echo off
echo Username\%username%; Date\%date%; Time\%time%; >>c:\Activity.txt

Copy the Bold text to a .Bat file, call it Logon.bat, then run GPEDIT.msc and under User Config/Windows Settings/Scripts, you add the logon.bat to the Startup and also to the logoff...

Each time a user logs in, the bat file will run silently and add the details to the Activity.txt file on the root of C:\.

epedit i don't have. will autoexec.bat be ok instead?

UKDTweak · 14 Jul 2009 at 11:39

Failing that, you can put the .bat file in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

The only down side is it will only run when the user logs in and not when they log out.

helpimcrap · 15 Jul 2009 at 21:14

can anyone expand on this?

UKDTweak · 15 Jul 2009 at 22:00

Google: gpedit.msc on xp home

There are loads of results on how to add this XP Pro feature to XP Home, but i've never tried it myself.

helpimcrap · 16 Jul 2009 at 18:03

UKDTweak said:
Google: gpedit.msc on xp home

There are loads of results on how to add this XP Pro feature to XP Home, but i've never tried it myself.

ah right, it's a pro thingy. i'll look into it in the absence of alternatives bar kiddy monitors.