Need Session Timer feature for a computer joined to a SBS2K8 domain
I really like the features in SteadyState and was really hoping to use the program in my SBS2K8 domain environment. However, after installing it on a desktop I noticed domain users can't be added. Do I install SteadyState on the server? I read the SteadyState Handbook but the info for domain accounts doesn't actually give specfic steps.I'm mostly interested in the Session Timeout feature. I want certain users to be logged in only for a specific amount of time. How do I accomplish this in a Windows SBS2K8 domain environment?Please help.Thank you.Rich Lusk Microsoft Small Business Specialist DiamondNet, Inc.
August 29th, 2009 8:15am

Hi Toughd, thanks for the post. First of all, I'd like to inform you that this is by design that Windows SteadyState does not detect domain users and we can only see local users under "User Settings" section. Also, Windows SteadyState can only be installed on client computers that are equipped with Windows XPor Windows Vista OS.For domain user restriction, you can use SCTSettings.adm on Windows Server computer. You can check the following paragraph in Windows SteadyState handbook: WindowsSteadyState includes a Group Policytemplate called SCTSettings.admin the ADM folder commonly located in C:\Program Files\WindowsSteadyState. This template reproduces most of the settings included in WindowsSteadyState Feature Restrictions tab of the User Settings dialog box, and can be used to deploy restrictions to users who are members of an Active Directorydomain. Group Policy for a domaincan be configured either with the Group Policy Management Console, an add-in tool available for download from Microsoft, or by using the Group Policy Editor built into Active Directory Users and Computers. By adding the SCTSettings.adm template into these tools, you gain access to account restrictions and settings that are appropriate for user accounts on shared computers. The SCTSettings.adm Group Policy template included with WindowsSteadyState also includes the capability to set idle and mandatory logoff timers, if WindowsSteadyState is installed on your computers. It is important that you apply these settings only to specific user accounts, so as not to restrict legitimate administrative user accounts on any computers. To use Active Directory Users and Computers to manage WindowsSteadyState restrictions 1. Start Active Directory Users and Computers on a computer running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 by clicking Start, and then clicking All Programs. 2. Click Administrative Tools. In Active Directory Users and Computers, right-click the organizational unit (OU) for which you want to configure policy, and then click Properties. 3. On the Group Policy tab, select the policy you want to modify, and then click Edit. 4. Expand User Configuration, right-click the Administrative Templates folder, and then click Add/Remove Templates. 5. In the Add/Remove Templates dialog box, click Add and then browse to the location of the SCTSettings.adm template, commonly located in C:\Program Files\WindowsSteadyState\ADM. 6. Browse the settings in the All WindowsSteadyState Restrictions folder and note their similarity to the program and user restrictionssettings in WindowsSteadyState. Descriptions are given for each setting. 7. Make any restrictions changes that you want and then exit Group Policy Editor. Note: We recommend that you create an OU that stores the shared user accounts in your environment, and that you apply the SCTSettings.adm template to the User Configuration portion of a Group Policy Object linked to this dedicated OU. For your information, session timer function is under: All Windows SteadyState Restrictions | General Settings | Force logoff after specified number of minutes.Hope this helps!Sean Zhu - MSFT
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August 31st, 2009 12:01pm

Sean,Thank you for the reply.I still have a few issues/questions regarding your reply.1. In Windows Server 2008 there is no tab for Group Policy when I right-click the Users folder.2. The steps don't clarify what I do with the file sctsettings.adm. Please help.3. Please provide the exact steps you recommend for the note listed in red.Thank you.Rich Lusk Microsoft Small Business Specialist DiamondNet, Inc.
August 31st, 2009 4:50pm

Hi, thanks for the update. We mainly use the SCTSettings.adm to create group policy template on Windows Server and deploy those group policies on clients. I suggest you firsttake a look atthe following articles regarding OU and group policyin Windows Server 2008: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771564.aspxhttp://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731745.aspxhttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/943729Also, as this forum focuses on Windows SteadyState specific issues, for Windows Server 2008 and how to create OU on Windows Server 2008, I recommend you post those issues in our Windows Server forum via the following link: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/windowsserverHope this helps!Sean Zhu - MSFT
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September 1st, 2009 12:31pm

Thank you for the reply.I have SteadyState inGroup Policynow as directed by the SteadyState handbook. However, when I set the Logoff time to two minutes for certain users it doesn't log them off after 2 minutes. I'm not sure what what I did wrong. The Group Policy is set to enabled.Please help.Rich Lusk Microsoft Small Business Specialist DiamondNet, Inc.
September 1st, 2009 3:07pm

Arethose users under the same OU? Have you made sure the Group Policy is linked to the OU?Sean Zhu - MSFT
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September 2nd, 2009 10:16am

i have impotet the adm file into my gpo. when i go the configuring the settings i don't see and option to log users off for idle times. i only see log off the user after a set number of minutes that they are logged the domain period. please help.
January 13th, 2011 9:21pm

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