Keeping script alive

[Overkill]

I work as a tech/salesperson for a retail outlet and one of our biggest problems is kids messing with our floor models (adding passwords, changing homepage, etc) and I'm writing a script that will stop all that once and for all. The question I have for you guys is what's the most effective way to prevent the script from being closed via the task manager? Would it be to write a second script and have each script ProcessExists($otherscript), or is there a more elaborate way that would take more than fast fingers to get around?

[LurchMan]

I work as a tech/salesperson for a retail outlet and one of our biggest problems is kids messing with our floor models (adding passwords, changing homepage, etc) and I'm writing a script that will stop all that once and for all. The question I have for you guys is what's the most effective way to prevent the script from being closed via the task manager? Would it be to write a second script and have each script ProcessExists($otherscript), or is there a more elaborate way that would take more than fast fingers to get around?

If I remember right (which could very well be wrong) there's a registry key that would stop all of that without a script.

For your question though, I usually just have a small script called svchost.exe and run it as local admin or similar that constantly checks for main script and starts it again if it disappears. You might also want to check out Kellys Korner for some reg tweaks that could probably help you.

[Overkill]

If I remember right (which could very well be wrong) there's a registry key that would stop all of that without a script.

For your question though, I usually just have a small script called svchost.exe and run it as local admin or similar that constantly checks for main script and starts it again if it disappears. You might also want to check out Kellys Korner for some reg tweaks that could probably help you.

The short version is that we may need access to all of that stuff at the drop of a hat, and rather than go through something complicated I can enter a password into the admin login for my script and it will give me or another associate control of whatever is needed. The svchost.exe idea is something that I've used in the past but this needs to be a little smarter than that since Win7 has the "full path" option in the task manager. Running it as a service may be the best way to do this but I don't have the experience/knowledge needed to do this quickly and efficiently.

[Richard Robertson]

You should look into a hard drive locker. Something that lets you reboot and return to a saved state.

[4Eyes]

There are 2 'hard drive lockers' that I know of. One is HDGuard and the other is DeepFreeze. Both do as OP said... reboot and all changes are gone.

Re: svchost.exe ... that seems a most curious name for an AutoIT program as a file by that name is a vital part of Windows. That strikes as just plain dumb to call it that.

4Eyes

[JoHanatCent]

#NoTrayIcon
HotKeySet("{ESC}", "Stop")
While 1
    Sleep(10.5)
    If WinActive("Process Explorer - ") Then
        WinKill("Process Explorer - ")
    EndIf
    Sleep(10.5)
    If WinActive("Windows Task Manager") Then
        WinKill("Windows Task Manager")
    EndIf
WEnd
Func Stop()
    Exit 0
EndFunc   ;==>Stop

This could keep them guessing for a WHILE.

Edited September 24, 2010 by JoHanatCent

[Overkill]

#NoTrayIcon
HotKeySet("{ESC}", "Stop")
While 1
    Sleep(10.5)
    If WinActive("Process Explorer - ") Then
        WinKill("Process Explorer - ")
    EndIf
    Sleep(10.5)
    If WinActive("Windows Task Manager") Then
        WinKill("Windows Task Manager")
    EndIf
WEnd
Func Stop()
    Exit 0
EndFunc ;==>Stop

This could keep them guessing for a WHILE.

1) CTRL+SHIFT+ESC is the hotkey combo for taskmgr in Windows ME II (Vista) and Windows 7.

2) I suppose in the stop function you could have a password window pop up instead of exiting the script, but I'd really just like to have this installed as a service that restarts itself when the script is closed like many AV programs, netlimiter, and others do.

As for DeepFreeze/HDGuard - retail store = corporate licensing = costs money = declined. This script is officially unsanctioned by the management (though unofficially they like the idea), so they're going to be "unaware" of my actions and will "take appropriate action" if something goes wrong. We're not even allowed to use our own toolkits on virus removals when the provided AV software fails, so something like this is of course very much a violation of policy.

[Richard Robertson]

I can understand the prohibitive costs of the hard drive lock, but why can't you even do your own work on the floor models if there is a problem?

Why not just make the user a limited user and remove all their privileges? The group policy editor can block a lot of things.

[Bert]

I agree. Simply using MMC to lock the rig down would do the trick.

http://www.theeldergeek.com/microsoft_management_console.htm

Edited September 24, 2010 by MPH

[Overkill]

We sell a lot of floor models this time of year and I'd much prefer to have a script set up that we can remove quickly and easily when needed without making any software changes to the computer so that if the customer doesn't want to wait to for the computer to be re-imaged we can get them out the door in a timely manner. I appreciate your alternative ideas but there is a method to my madness, and at this point I'd like to focus on the question asked instead of different theories.

[Valuater]

Sounds like you have your direction now...

... what's the most effective way to prevent the script from being closed via the task manager?

I use to run Task Manager and then "hide it".... and that takes care of that

... Would it be to write a second script and have each script ProcessExists($otherscript), or is there a more elaborate way that would take more than fast fingers to get around?

Due to the simplisity of removal at time of sale, I think the dual script is right for you

8)