How can I find out if somebody is using my PC while I am away?
Thread poster: Spanish-English Translator
Spanish-English Translator
Spanish-English Translator
Local time: 02:28
English to Spanish
+ ...
Mar 18, 2007

The question is, when somebody turns on a PC, is it created some file or identification that I can look for? Thanks and best regards, Ines

 
Luisa Ramos, CT
Luisa Ramos, CT  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 01:28
English to Spanish
Set as password Mar 18, 2007

It does. And you also have the History, the cookies, and a myriad of things to let you know whether someone used your computer. However, you can assign a password and when the computer is turned on it will ask for the password. No one will be able to sign in, not even you if you forget it.

To do it, click:
Start
Control Panel
User Accounts(click on the account)
Create a password


 
M. Anna Kańduła
M. Anna Kańduła  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:28
English to Polish
Log files Mar 18, 2007

Not sure which OS you use, but maybe the one you use has log files, which would tell you if and what was done.

In Linux log files are here: /var/log/


Anni


 
Gianni Pastore
Gianni Pastore  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 06:28
Member (2007)
English to Italian
Even better Mar 18, 2007

Set a password from the BIOS. This way, they will not be able to access the OS at all.

 
Spanish-English Translator
Spanish-English Translator
Local time: 02:28
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I cannot set a password Mar 18, 2007

The PC is at work. I cannot set a password. The Operative System is Windows 98. Still, which are the names of those files created when somebody just turns on the PC?

 
Luca Tutino
Luca Tutino  Identity Verified
Italy
Member (2002)
English to Italian
+ ...
Add 2 lines in C:\autoexec.bat Mar 18, 2007

You can just add the following lines in your autoexec.bat file (just open it with notepad, it should be located in the folder C:\ )

----------
copy C:\usage c:\usage.lst /Y
ver > C:\usage
----------

For best result you should locate these lines immediately after the line
--------
@echo off
--------

Now you should create a new file named usage in the folder C:\


From now on every time the pc is turned
... See more
You can just add the following lines in your autoexec.bat file (just open it with notepad, it should be located in the folder C:\ )

----------
copy C:\usage c:\usage.lst /Y
ver > C:\usage
----------

For best result you should locate these lines immediately after the line
--------
@echo off
--------

Now you should create a new file named usage in the folder C:\


From now on every time the pc is turned on it will rename the file "usage" into "usage.lst", and then create a new file "usage". At this point you can simply look at the date of the usage.lst file in the C:\ directory: this is the date and the time of the last time the computer was used.


NB1 Before editing the autoexec.bat file, make a copy of it with another name, so that you can use it in case of problems.
NB2 Only use Notepad (NOT Word!) to edit autoexec.bat.
NB3 If your hard disk is not named C:, or you do not have access to C: just replace the letter of your hard disk with the letter in the lines above.
NB4 If your Win98 does not use an autoexec.bat, just create one with the three lines:
----------
@echo off
copy C:\usage c:\usage.lst /Y
ver > C:\usage
----------

If windows 98 does not execute automatically autoexec.bat at start (win XP does not) you can just add autoexec.bat in your Scheduled tasks via the Control panel.

I hope this helps.

[Edited at 2007-03-18 21:58]
[Edited at 2007-03-18 22:00]

[Edited at 2007-03-18 22:01]
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Harry Bornemann
Harry Bornemann  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 23:28
English to German
+ ...
Alternatives Mar 18, 2007

First I had a similar idea as Luca, but there are straighter alternatives:

- Attach a note at the screen, saying:
Please annotate when you use this computer.
Thanks, Ines

- Use the freeware KeyCounter from
http://www.zhornsoftware.co.uk/keycounter/index.html
and place a link to it in your Autostart folder.

Of course, apply
... See more
First I had a similar idea as Luca, but there are straighter alternatives:

- Attach a note at the screen, saying:
Please annotate when you use this computer.
Thanks, Ines

- Use the freeware KeyCounter from
http://www.zhornsoftware.co.uk/keycounter/index.html
and place a link to it in your Autostart folder.

Of course, applying all of the suggestions would give you the most detailed information

[Edited at 2007-03-19 13:30]
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Irene N
Irene N
United States
Local time: 00:28
English to Russian
+ ...
Unclear all together Mar 19, 2007

From what I understood:

1. This is not your PC, right? So why are you bothered? If you keep your personal stuff in it, dump it to the memory stick at the end of the day.

As far as all the manipulations are concerned, if you do not have administrative rights, there is very little you can do. I believe you might still have a folder under a password.

2. One of a 2:

a. Every employee with the assigned individual office PC normally has h/h own log
... See more
From what I understood:

1. This is not your PC, right? So why are you bothered? If you keep your personal stuff in it, dump it to the memory stick at the end of the day.

As far as all the manipulations are concerned, if you do not have administrative rights, there is very little you can do. I believe you might still have a folder under a password.

2. One of a 2:

a. Every employee with the assigned individual office PC normally has h/h own login and password. You may request system administrator to help you. It should be even more so if the PC is used by different people - one PC but individual registration. It is very, very strange that the setting is different.

b. If you suspect that someone is browsing inappropriate sites and you might be accused of it - don't worry, the investigation will reveal a mismatch between your work hours and the site visits.

My suggestion - talk to your system administrator.
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How can I find out if somebody is using my PC while I am away?






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