Tracking User Logon and off time, Windows 2000 domain

You can write a log off script to solve this problem

It would not work if the user forced shutdown by pressing the power button. But otherwise, if user logs on or off you can run the particular script.

You can use Windows Scripting Host to write the logon /logoff script.

To make it easier for you, here is the script written in Microsoft JScript.

Save it as .js file. Assuming that you have wscript installed in your machine (by default it is there in every windows machine)

/*****************
Logon Audit
logon.js
*****************/
var wNetwork = WScript.CreateObject ("WScript.Network");
var fso = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
var out = fso.OpenTextFile("c:\\log.txt", 8, true);
out.WriteLine("Logged on at "+(new Date()+"").substring(0, 19)+"\t"+wNetwork.UserName);
out.Close();

/*****************
Logoff Audit
logoff.js
*****************/
var wNetwork = WScript.CreateObject ("WScript.Network");
var fso = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
var out = fso.OpenTextFile("c:\\log.txt", 8, true);
out.WriteLine("Logged off at "+(new Date()+"").substring(0, 19)+"\t"+wNetwork.UserName);
out.Close();


The scripts will write username and date in the log.txt file in C drive.

When you have these 2 files, save them somewhere in your computer.
Ideal location would be

c:\winnt\system32\GroupPolicy\User\Scripts
Put logon.js in folder called logon
and logoff.js in folder called logoff
These folders are inside the scripts folder.

GroupPolicy folder is hidden

Now click start button in the desktop, click Run...
In the run dialog, type gpedit.msc
It will open Group Policy Editor.
While you are there, under the User Configuration branch -> Go to Windows Settings subbranch -> Then Scripts (Logon/Logoff)
On the right hand side of the window separated by split bar, you will see logon and logoff
Click them one by one.

There will be a script choose dialog coming up for both.
Click add button in the dialog that opens. There will be two textboxes,
In the top one, type wscript and in the second box which takes parameters put the script name (logon.js for logon script).

Do the same for Logoff by choosing logoff.js for parameter.

Sometimes, you don't want user to see error if something goes wrong with your script (due to file permissions and other things), put /b option before the script name in the parameter box to run it silently.

Finally make sure, you give write access to your users for the logfile you are using.
In the script above, I have used log.txt in C:\ for both logon and logoff messages.