Use USB stick to allow an Administrator to log in to windows 7 machine if it's locked

[dloudon96]

Hello All,

 

I'm not sure if this is possible at all, just a stab in the dark...

 

Basically, if a machine is locked by a user, is there a way to plug a USB Stick in to the machine, and a dialog box appears from the lock screen asking an administrator to enter their credentials to unlock the machine.

 

Quite often, we can get asked to look at an issue after school, once the students have gone home, and staff lock their machine and walk away, meaning they're not in the classroom when we go to visit and get the problem sorted out.

 

I can go back to the office and use Impero to unlock the machine, this could be an issue if the machine is unlocked while I'm walking back to the classroom.

 

Is there a way to log on as an admin account from a USB stick, basically something where once the stick is inserted, and the machine is locked, a dialog box appears, and the machine asks for a Domain admin credentials??

 

Or is there another way to do it without having to switch user?

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

[3s-gtech]

I can pretty confidently so that no, this isn't possible. If switch user is enabled you should be able to log them off using the domain admins credentials - with switch user capability disabled this also disappears.

 

We use AB Tutor to do what you do with Impero. If the server app is installed (or you can RDP in to a machine that has it) on a laptop or tablet you could take that with you.

[k9mjl]

We use Administrative Unlock, its free and works really well:

 

https://4sysops.com/archives/restore-administrative-unlock-to-windows-7/

[Arthur]

We use Administrative Unlock, its free and works really well

Same here. I actually made an MSI to make it easier to deploy.

Administrative Unlock v1.0.0 (x64).zip

[sllorep]

+1 for Administrative Unlock. Been using it since we rolled to W7 a very long time ago. Wish there was something similar for W10 though (anyone know of a way?).

[caffrey]

I just hold down the power button for 4 seconds, with SSD's the reboot isn't that bad - It's not that ideal but unlocked PC's aren't too much of an issue here. I also have a logon/off script that basically tells me what machines a user is logged onto and if they are logged on after hours I can just do a shutdown /r /f /m \\machinename