How to Limit a Windows User Account's Usage Time (in Vbscript)

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Get the two scripts.

   General overview:
   There are 2 scripts that should be placed together.
   
   Timer.vbs, the main program itself, CheckTimeLeft.vbs, which produces a messagebox showing the time left for the day.
   
   How Timer.vbs works:
   It creates a log file and writes to it every minute the user account is logged on, thus the time used is not lost in multiple logins/logouts.
   
   Once the time used for the day is up, it locks the computer by pressing Windows+L.
2. 2

   Step 2: Download the files.

   Timer.vbs at (The set-up (for admin accounts):
   Place the script files in the C:\ root drive.
   
   In this set-up, the log-file will be produced at C:\timelog.txt The set-up (for limited, UAC'ed accounts):
   You'll have to change a few constants, as limited accounts have no rights to access the C:\ root drive.
   
   So we can place the scripts and set the log-file to be produced in the user's My Documents folder for example.
   
   In Timer.vbs, change lines 9 and 10 to a suitable folder.
   
   In CheckTimeLeft.vbs, change line
   6.
   
   In SetTime.vbs, change lines 6 and
   7.
   
   The set-up, continued.
   
   Create a shortcut to Timer.vbs and place it in the user's Start Menu\Startup folder. (For Vista/7 users, a user's Start Menu folder is at C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu) You're done. , Make sure the number set is in minutes.
   
   What happens now? Whenever the user logs in he'll see a messagebox telling him the time left for the day.
   
   A warning is produced at the 15min, 10min, 5,4,3,2,1min left mark.
3. 3

   Step 3: Change the time allocated for weekdays and weekends: In Timer.vbs

4. 4

   Step 4: change lines 101 and 103.

Detailed Guide

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