Can non-admin users unlock workstations?

Bob Johnson

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Dec 23, 2003, 10:31:46 AM12/23/03

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We would like to roll out a 15 min screen saver to all the workstations wich
will lock the workstation so that customers can't just sit down at the pc
while it is unattended. The problem we have is the pc is shared between
users and if one user goes to lunch and the workstation locks they will
either have to know the local admin password or call IT to unlock it. Is
there a way we can give the users rights to unlock the workstations via NDS?

Bob

Dave Lunn

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Dec 23, 2003, 11:29:43 AM12/23/03

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No, but you can use common passwords for user groups.
--
Dave Lunn
NSC SysOp
http://support-forums.novell.com

Alan Adams

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Dec 23, 2003, 12:18:50 PM12/23/03

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Just to be clear, not even an Administrators user can actually
"unlock" the workstation. (In the sense of actually being able to
perform the same operation the logged-on user themselves would when
supplying their username and password for unlock.)

An Administrator can force the current logged-on user's session to be
terminated (applications forced to terminate, data not saved, etc.)
such that the workstation is now logged-out, allowing anyone to now
log themselves onto the previously locked workstation.

So someone who knows the Windows or NDS password of the logged on user
can actually unlock the workstation to expose the current user's
logged-on session. Someone who is a Windows Administrators member or
an NDS administrator can force the current user's logged-on Windows
session to be terminated, such that the workstation can be used by
someone else.

Just an explanation to clarify & ensure you get what you're actually
looking for. Implementing a password that is the same & everyone
knows would allow for unlocking the existing user's session for use by
someone else.

If you want to allow any user to cause the "Force Logoff" scenario
that Administrators can perform, the Novell Client 4.90 introduced a
"Force Logoff" button which can be enabled to allow normal users other
than the logged-on user to force the existing logged-on session to be
cleared such that someone else can use the workstation.

TID10087862, What is new in the 4.9 Client?
http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/10087862.htm

"Bob Johnson" <b...@nomailforme.com> wrote:

Alan Adams, MCNE

Bob Johnson

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Dec 23, 2003, 3:32:38 PM12/23/03

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Thank you very much,

The "Force Logoff" option is just what we needed.

Bob

"Alan Adams" <add...@withheld.com> wrote in message
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Bob Johnson

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Dec 23, 2003, 3:45:31 PM12/23/03

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Can I enable this setting through ZEN 4.0.1 Client configuration?

Thanks,

Bob
"Alan Adams" <add...@withheld.com> wrote in message
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Hamish

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Dec 24, 2003, 7:46:26 AM12/24/03

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Bob,

> Can I enable this setting through ZEN 4.0.1 Client configuration?

Yep - its just a registry setting:

HKLM\Software\Novell\NWGina\Login Screen\ForceLogoff

Type: Dword - 1 to enable it, 0 to disable it.

--
Hamish Speirs
Novell Support Forums Volunteer Sysop.

http://haitch.net

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