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How can I lock computers to prevent logon?

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by shadetreeadmin

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I am working in a small school with some really tough students. One teacher with ten computers in his room wants to prevent students from logging on to a computer until he gives the okay. This is to prevent the computers from becoming a distraction while he is trying to get them to do something else. He would like a way to lock and unlock all ten machines at once as needed. How can this be done--without buying expensive software?

A few details:
55 Computers(that includes the ten in question) on one domain, one forest
Windows 2003 R2
Windows XP SP3

20 replies

by oldbaritone

The simplest thing I could think of would be having an electrician wire power plugs for the computers in the classroom, controlled by a switch at the teacher's desk.

Yes, it's crude. I can hear IT techs cringing. :-)

But the simplest way to be SURE the student doesn't use the computer is to turn it off and put the switch somewhere else.

Then set the BIOS power options so the machines will automatically power-up after power loss. When the teacher flips the switch, all the machines will start.

by ---tk---

create a batch file that reads from a list of the 10PCs.txt and executes the remote shutdown cmd, disconnect the power button on the PC's, and a second batch file that boots the PC's up.... magicpacket....

or a batch file that places a second batch file in the start up folder that loggs off the user... and a second batch file that removes the .bat...

There are a bunch of creative ways... but absolute power corrupts absolutely... So I would give him the key, but not the priv. to look at the key code and edit it...

by shadetreeadmin

Okay. So you're thinking a batch file that performs the

shutdown -m \\computername

command.

How can I remotely boot the computer though?

Also, how can I write it so that someone without Admin privileges can run it from their computer?

by ---tk---

sysinternals
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897541.aspx

The link will show you the syntax. Eh... lol, I guess give him full priv. its his choice if he abuses it...

But make a admin group for those 10 PC's, and add him to that group, that way he cant go around and reek havoc on the network...

look into magicpacket (Wake On Lan), you might have to config the hardware settings for this to work...

by slayer_

I'd be the a$$hole student that types that and keeps on fooling around. :)

Be sure to specify an immediate shutdown so students don't get the chance to cancel it. The default 30 seconds is more than long enough to google how to cancel an automatic shutdown.

by ---tk---

Yeah that is if they have the run command/task manager available... those two would be the first things I would edit out of the students GPO policy... :)

by shadetreeadmin

Thanks a bunch! I needed to get this done so I could move on to other issues.

by ---tk---

its a tricky situation...

Stick around the Q&A, there are alot of great techs here, which comes with alot of great advice... :)

by ---tk---

Go to the principle, and suggest this:
Each teacher run the shutdown cmd at the end of the day, which results in no PC's consuming electricity at night...

Each PC use's X wattage
X wattage = y kilowatt hour's
y kilowatt hours's * $ per kilowatt hour
$ per kilowatt hour * hours PC's are not used at night
How much will the school save in $ during the month and year in just power?

I would like a raise.

That is if all the teachers leave the PC's turned on during off school hours.... I don't know what your policies are... Just a suggestion... :)

by shadetreeadmin

Yes. That is what I was thinking. I especially like the part about the raise! ;)

by slayer_

Make a shortcut with this path
%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\shutdown.exe -a

by ---tk---

there is always 15 ways to do the same thing :)

by slayer_

For the students group. But leave it for the instructors group.

by ---tk---

If you go forward with this plan... MAKE SURE you stagger the PC's that boot up in the morning... lol, if you do them all at the same time you will create one hell of a power surge, and might throw a couple breakers!

Even though the PC's probably are not that powerful at POST they probably pull around 150-200 watts * 50 = 7,500 Watts (min) at the same time... That is a big draw! So, I would recommend powering 10 up at a time with 3-5 minutes in between.

by ---tk---

but if the students are in a group, with less permissions than the "admin", would executing (-a) command over ride the admin? B/c the Admin should over ride any account with less privileges, under any circumstance...

by slayer_

Cause presumably the students are logged in with their own account. If they do not have execute permissions, they shouldn't be able to run the command to counter the auto shutdown.

Remove shutdown and remote counter shutdown could still be used from an admin machine.

I think the command is something like
shutdown \\computername -s -f -t 0 -d :"Mandatory Shutdown":"Mandatory Shutdown"

by ---tk---

I think we are talking about two different things...

I was saying, even if you didn't change the file permission on the students machine... you execute the remote shutdown from a higher Domain account than the student... So even if they do run the (-a), it shouldn't matter b/c the command was coming from a higher account...?

Yes, you are correct about the syntax... but I would use sysinternals b/c it can read a list of PC's from a .txt file. so you only have to run once and it will hit all 10 PC's.

added: It wouldn't really matter since you have the -f -t 00... lol, I don't know anyone quick enough to beat zero seconds...

by slayer_

Happens to me all the time at work, some admin thinks its time to restart my computer for a virus or windows update.

I say hell no I'm busy and do shutdown -a.

The command even works for Windows started shutdowns, such as closing of svchost processes. You really can close every process on your computer if you keep running that command.

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