H&S Thing...

[Joanne]

So there is a health and safety consultant in our school for the next couple of weeks.

 

Apparently, we have 10 days to sort out computers being left on over night.

 

Usually there is a command sent out and most computers shut down at 6pm. If someone is still logged onto a machine it will not shut down, and if someone switches on a machine after 6pm (community classes) it will also not shut down.

 

The only viable solution I can see is that every night I run round for an hour or so manually turning off all the equipment (we have asked others to do it, but it has not worked!).

 

What do you do?

 

Apparently we are wasting thousands of pounds because of this

[russdev]

Send 1 command for 6 that knocks them off unless logged in.

One at 8 that sets them all off and then one at 11pm (as should be no one in school) that sends them all off as well.

 

That way 6 catches most 8 catches ones logged in and 11 catches any that have been left one.

 

Russ

[elsiegee40]

You can set permitted logon hours for users in AD.

 

this stops people from logging on at certain times, and then in Group Policies somewhere force logoff if a user is still logged on outside permitted hours. (I'd have to get back to work to find out exactly where - it's a Computers setting)

 

This would allow your machines to shut down I think

 

EDIT FOR REFERENCE

Group Policies:

Computer Settings > Windows settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options

Enable " Network: Force logoff when logon hours expire"

Edited February 6, 2008 by elsiegee40

[Joanne]

good idea!

 

Only problem with forced log offs is that there are some admin staff that sometimes stay late doing time tabling... and if we shut down their machines we could be in for it!

[mattx]

As Russdev has stated - use two scripts - one at the end of the school day - [ see PS Shutdown on the Admin's Admin Bar if you want to do this using that ] - and then another one late which will run on the server.

I use:

 

psshutdown -c -k @shutdownlist.txt -f -m "Shutting Down" -t 60

 

in a scheduled CMD [ say around 11pm ] with the shutdownlist.txt in the same folder as psshutdown.

 

If someone is still logged on when the late one is run, they have the option to cancel it.

[Joanne]

thanks... now *whisper* will that work on an RM network? *whisper*

 

heheh.... I'll speak to my 'bosses'

[mattx]

thanks... now *whisper* will that work on an RM network? *whisper*

 

heheh.... I'll speak to my 'bosses'

 

Does anything work on an RM network ?

[plexer]

Whats health and safety got to do with leaving computers on?

 

Ben

[Geoff]

Leaving computers on is a fire risk. Apparently.

[Joanne]

i dunno... i kinda question it myself... i just got told today. If only the teachers and pupils could switch off the machines and projectors!!

 

I bet I will run around the school for a few weeks and then it'll be back to same old. I can't see how the computers (that would be on standby) would be eating up so much electricity though.... hmmmm...

[plexer]

So is the moped that was parked outside the site managers workshop today leaking petrol everywhere.

 

Ben

[DMcCoy]

I'd completely forgotten, computers are more liable to spontaneously combust at NIGHT. The daylight shields their EM radiation causing them to become like a giant microwave in the dark! ;-)

 

Mine go into low power mode, but they patch at 3am so are left on most of the time.

[Joanne]

i hate those damn things... crappidy scooters! they are always in my way!

[Joanne]

DMcoy is right... thing is people are around during the day to see the fire.... meh

[DMcCoy]

DMcoy is right... thing is people are around during the day to see the fire.... meh

 

Yes, they all stand around pointing while the building burns down. At least its empty at night so perhaps its *less* dangerous as no one is there to get hurt. I'm pretty sure we have detectors and stuff these days...

[ICT_GUY]

http://lantricks.com/lanshutdown/

 

this is fun, also allows forced shoutdown

 

also shutdown /force will terminate any programs and for the computer to turn off.

 

' SHUT DOWN AND RESTART IN VB6

Const EWX_LogOff As Long = 0

Const EWX_SHUTDOWN = 1

Const EWX_REBOOT = 2

Const EWX_FORCE = 4

Private Declare Function ExitWindows _

Lib "User32" Alias "ExitWindowsEx" _

(ByVal dwOptions As Long, ByVal dwReserved As Long) As Long

 

Private Sub Command1_Click()

 

'Shut down windows

ExitWindows EWX_SHUTDOWN, &HFFFFFFFF

 

 

End Sub

 

Private Sub Command2_Click()

 

 

ExitWindows EWX_REBOOT, &HFFFFFFFF

 

 

End Sub

 

 

 

force does what it says and will make sure the computer goes off.

[torledo]

Leaving computers on is a fire risk. Apparently.

 

so am i supposed to switch my servers off overnight aswell ? Or is that an exemption in the wacky world of the H&S mafia....

 

having to switch off computers overnight because of fire safty is news to me....i think it's daft if indeed it is the case.

[webman]

I'd completely forgotten, computers are more liable to spontaneously combust at NIGHT. The daylight shields their EM radiation causing them to become like a giant microwave in the dark! ;-)

 

Of course... but during the day there should be personnel on site who are capable of using a fire extinguisher (providing they don't catch fire themselves in the process) or are a phone to dial for the emergency services Thus minimising the spreadability of the fire and the damage it could cause

 

To completely eliminate the risk of electrical fire when the building is closed, it's best to unplug everything and shut off the main power

[enjay]

having to switch off computers overnight because of fire safty is news to me....i think it's daft if indeed it is the case.

Perhaps, but it is good from the points of view of your electricity bill and the penguins.

[elsiegee40]

Only problem with forced log offs is that there are some admin staff that sometimes stay late doing time tabling... and if we shut down their machines we could be in for it!

 

I've done this at our school. The school is unlocked at 7.30am and usually locked up at 7pm. Our late facilities run until 5.30pm. Pupil hours 7am-6pm; Teacher hours 7am-7pm; Office Staff hours 7am-midnight (allows for meetings running late!)

 

Our computers are divided into 3 OUs - ICT Suite, Classroom and Admin. Initially, I didn't use the GP on the Admin machines, but I do now. It doesn't seem to cause a problem. It also gives me a timeslot when I can be certain nobody will be logged on.

Edited February 5, 2008 by elsiegee40

[enjay]

As elsiegee40 says, forced logoffs/shutdowns will only be a problem if you do them at problematic times of day.

 

Work out when each computer/location stops being used, and then set scripts to shut those PCs down after that time, or just run one big script round the network once everyone has gone home.

[torledo]

 

To completely eliminate the risk of electrical fire when the building is closed, it's best to unplug everything and shut off the main power

 

you don't happen to have a script that can do that ? ;-)

 

Better still, make it a part of a support teams 'housekeeping' duties....

if you start at 3:00pm you may be done before the site manager locks the gates at the end of an evening

[webman]

you don't happen to have a script that can do that ? ;-)

 

I'll see if I can dig one out...

[K.C.Leblanc]

Gotta love education, in any other industry who ever used the equipment would be responsible for switching it off.

 

I use PSSHUTDOWN, works very well.

 

We share a DT block with another school, who do turn off their ring mains at night. Probably something to do with the old DT block converting it's self into a smoldering mess.

[Oops_my_bad]

You can set permitted logon hours for users in AD.

Be careful with this if you're using AD for other stuff like LDAP/SSO this will also prevent folk logging on.

Edited February 5, 2008 by TeddyKGB