How to automatically log off after a set amount of time?

The following is a consolidation of this threads answers:
______________________________
Noel S.,

As an addition to my last reply, if we set only one hour for the computer to be used in Windows Vista Parental Controls - (e.g., 3 pm to 4 pm). Once that hour is up, the user with Parental Controls will automatically be logged off. Parental Control will notify the user that it will be loging off shortly and will specify the time remaining.
The links below offers more information about Windows Vista Parental Controls

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/parental-controls.aspx

 

http://www.microsoft.com/protect/products/family/vista.mspx

______________________________
ßsod - Posted on Friday, December 19, 2008 11:25:50 PM
Hello Noel S,

Yes there is software that will accomplish this, it's not third party, and it's FREE if you own a genuine copy of Microsoft Windows Vista. This tool has several features, some you may not need, but will as you've requested log a user out after a set period of time. I've used it before, on Windows XP, prior to Parental Controls being available and it did a great job.

The program I'm referring to is called Microsoft Windows SteadyState. It's a tool intended for "shared access" computers, such as libraries and schools, but again when I first discovered it Parental Controls did not exist.

There may be some features that you may not utilize, but overall it is a great piece of software. It will allow you to "lock down" a system or simply set the a user to be logged off after a set amount of time. There is some initial setup you will need to do for the users of the system, but once complete you won't have to worry about it in the future. The perk is that it's a Microsoft product (and) completely "free" if you own Windows.

ßsod

______________________________

Andreas Balzer - Posted on Monday, December 22, 2008 5:33:16 PM

There is a way with standard abilities of Microsoft Windows Vista (and below). Please notice that this is a translation from a German Vista installation and actual program names may differ. Any support member is allowed to feel free to edit my post :)

Warning: If you use your own user account in the following manual and make wrong selections it might not be possible to log into the computer until you removed the task with another administrative user account.

Notice: In order to perform this you have to get UAC permissions (you have to have an administrative user account)

Alright..
Go to start > All programs > Accessories > System programs > Task Planer
You have to confirm UAC by selecting "continue" via mouse or pressing [left arrow] > [enter] keys.
On the right side you'll find a panel titled "Actions".  Click onto "Create task" (not "create easy task").

A new window will open with many configuration possibilities.  First of all enter a name like "Automatically log out after one hour".

On the same page there is a part with "Security options". It offers you a button "User or group". Click on it. In the new window enter the username of the Windows account that should log out into the large text field that has a white background. Click ok.

Now you are in the window to set up the task again. Click on the tab "Trigger". On the bottom of the window you'll see a button "New". Click it.  At the top you'll see a drop down menu to select the Trigger.  It's titled "Run task". Select "At log in"
Then you'll see a part called "Settings" or "Options" with a selection called "Any user". Select "Specific user or group" and click the button "Change user/group". Again write down the username of the account that should log out and click ok. You'll see another part on the window titled "Advanced settings" or "Advanced options". Select the first entry called something like "wait for" and select 1 hour in the dropdown. Make sure you select "Active" at the bottom if it is not selected yet.
Click ok.

There should be the window titled "Create task" again. Open the tab "Actions".  Click "new".
A new window will appear. Select "Start program" in the first drop down. Write into the field "program/script" the word "shutdown" (without quotes). Write into "Insert arguments (optional)" "/l" without quotes. Click ok. You should see a new entry in the windows called "Create task" called "Start program" "shutdown /l" (without quotes)

If you use a notebook make sure to open the tab "Conditions" and deselect "Run task only if computer is plugged with power coord". Click ok.

Now you have set up the task to automatically log out one hour after the specified user logged in.

Hope that helps :)
______________________________

---

Rami
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer
Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.