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windows "last execute"?
Posted on 2015-01-28
In a single directory, there are many batch commands.
I would like to know which .bats are actually executed when a certain .bat is kicked off. The scripts are convoluted and there are many of them -- I can't determine which ones actually get run in a particular chain of command. I recall a Unix command like ls -ltu which would have given me this info. Is there such a thing for windows?
I would like to know which .bats are actually executed when a certain .bat is kicked off. The scripts are convoluted and there are many of them -- I can't determine which ones actually get run in a particular chain of command. I recall a Unix command like ls -ltu which would have given me this info. Is there such a thing for windows?
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Active today
Have you looked in Event Viewer? That may tell you when programs executed - I am not certain.
You can go to Local Security Policies (try secpol.msc) and look for audit policy under local policies. If you turn that on, you may be able to see when programs execute.
For batch files, you may need to look at the program being called and audit it.
It might be faster to parse the scripts.
You can go to Local Security Policies (try secpol.msc) and look for audit policy under local policies. If you turn that on, you may be able to see when programs execute.
For batch files, you may need to look at the program being called and audit it.
It might be faster to parse the scripts.
Active today
There is a "last access" date, but that might be unreliable for your challenge. No "last executed", sorry.
If I need to know the sequence and names of files used by a program, I monitor that with ProcMon from www.sysinternals.com and a filter on process name - cmd.exe here.
If I need to know the sequence and names of files used by a program, I monitor that with ProcMon from www.sysinternals.com and a filter on process name - cmd.exe here.
Active 1 day ago
-ltu will list files in a directory, sorted by access time
On the latest versions of Windows updating the last access timestamp on files is disabled. You can check the current setting by opening a command prompt with Administrative permissions (cmd.exe)
And then type:
1 = Last access timestamps are disabled
0 = Last access timestamps are enabled
Please see also:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc785435.aspx
To enable access timestamps on files you have to type:
Keep in mind that this can have some performance impact on your computer. Especially on directories with a large number of files.
After the access timestamps are enabled these can be displayed by starting a command prompt (cmd.exe)
and then "cd" to the directory with batchfiles. Then type:
dir /A /T:A
Or by opening a File Explorer
Go to the directory with the batchfiles
Right click on a column, add the field "Date accessed"
You have to find out if you get reliable results as it might be that by only listing the file, the timestamp is also updated.
On the latest versions of Windows updating the last access timestamp on files is disabled. You can check the current setting by opening a command prompt with Administrative permissions (cmd.exe)
And then type:
fsutil behavior query disablelastaccess
1 = Last access timestamps are disabled
0 = Last access timestamps are enabled
Please see also:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc785435.aspx
To enable access timestamps on files you have to type:
fsutil behavior set disablelastaccess 0
Keep in mind that this can have some performance impact on your computer. Especially on directories with a large number of files.
After the access timestamps are enabled these can be displayed by starting a command prompt (cmd.exe)
and then "cd" to the directory with batchfiles. Then type:
dir /A /T:A
Or by opening a File Explorer
Go to the directory with the batchfiles
Right click on a column, add the field "Date accessed"
You have to find out if you get reliable results as it might be that by only listing the file, the timestamp is also updated.
Active today
This is the reason I posted a reliable alternative approach in http:#a40576141
In this case nobody lists or looks at the files but me. I can leave them alone until this research is complete.
I like this solution because I can implement it myself. I am an application person and will have to get "approval" from the windows person to do this. I tried it on my own computer/node and it works for what I need.
It may be that he will prefer to implement the security policy method, or even a process monitor. But this was the best way for me to solve the problem independently. Thank you.
I like this solution because I can implement it myself. I am an application person and will have to get "approval" from the windows person to do this. I tried it on my own computer/node and it works for what I need.
It may be that he will prefer to implement the security policy method, or even a process monitor. But this was the best way for me to solve the problem independently. Thank you.
p.s Doing an "ls" ( or windows explorer window open or refresh) does not change the lastaccess date and time, per my tests.
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