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'08 Server - Force client logoff ?


mmomega

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Ok, running Win Server 08 and I need to know if there is a way to force a client computer to logoff after a set priod of inactivity. Not just the screen saver lockout after a set amount of time but a way to make the computer close all open programs and logoff.

If this can be done Domain side or even if I have to set this on each individual client it would be fine also.

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The following is only available to Vista clients and newer (Server 2008 and Windows 7, etc). You need to specify User Logon hour restrictions in order for this to work.

Open the Group Policy editor. Navigate to the following:

Default Domain Policy (yours might be called something else)

User Configuration

Administrative Templates

Windows Components

Windows Logon Options

and the option to pick is:

Set action to take when logon hours expire.

You can select Logoff, lock workstation, etc. Its describes it in the GPEdit Window what your options are. If you are dealing with Legacy clients, you are going to need to find another way to do it.

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The following is only available to Vista clients and newer (Server 2008 and Windows 7, etc). You need to specify User Logon hour restrictions in order for this to work.

Open the Group Policy editor. Navigate to the following:

Default Domain Policy (yours might be called something else)

User Configuration

Administrative Templates

Windows Components

Windows Logon Options

and the option to pick is:

Set action to take when logon hours expire.

You can select Logoff, lock workstation, etc. Its describes it in the GPEdit Window what your options are. If you are dealing with Legacy clients, you are going to need to find another way to do it.

the clients are all Vista with exception to 2 being xp pro.

Wouldn't this method auto log people off even if they are still working if they reached the designated logon hours? Say I set it for 4hrs, so after 4hrs of being logged into the computer it will log the person out?

I more so need a way to force log off after a period of inactivity rather than activity.

Basically my dilemma is...

Server runs a program to the clients, every night I have the server set to perform server backup, the server side program is set to reindex it's files and repair any errors it finds. I have it set to do this at midnight each night so everything will be fine the next morning. Problem comes in when 1 person may forget to close the client side program on their computer, if any portion of the client program is open the server side will not reindex or repair until all clients are logged out. So the next day I end up having to do a manual reindex/repair then everything is fine.

Ideally if there was a way to force logoffs at specified time every night, great. If there was a way to force logoff after specified time of no activity would be great also.

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The Logon hours are a block, not a timer. So say you have a dude in sales. The sales department is open from 7am to 8pm. You set the logon hours to be between that period M-F. But say you've got a dude in Accounting, and they are only open from 7am to 4pm. You set those hours appropriately.

If you are concerned about a specific person working longer than they are supposed to be there, you can modify their logon hours to be a couple over than someone else. If someone stays late to work on something and doesn't tell anyone, then yes they might get logged off while working, and thus won't be able to log back on. However if you set their logon hours appropriately, this shouldn't happen.

To be safe (to start) you can set that everyone's hours end at say, 10pm.

Your XP clients aren't going to be affected by this option, so you might still get a problem concerning them.

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