WinExit does not always work properly
Microsoft Windows Resource Kit includes the winexit utility, that can be used as a screensaver that can automatically logoff the user after a set period of inactivity, just like ActiveExit does. If that's all you need, you may want to use winexit instead of ActiveExit. Keep in mind, however, that for winexit to operate properly on Windows NT, 2000, and XP computers, you must configure the appropriate permissions to modify the machine-specific part of the registry, compromising the security of the computer (see Microsoft Knowledgebase Article Q156677 for the details). ActiveExit does not require such permissions.
In addition, winexit does not always logoff the user properly. For example, on a computer with Windows XP + Service Pack 2, with the Welcome screen of Windows XP disabled, if the user has locked his or her computer, winexit will NOT log the user off, even if you enable the Force application termination option of winexit. Instead, it will take the computer to some state that looks like the computer is still locked, but you cannot even unlock it: if you enter your password, you are presented with a blank screen, and sometimes even the Ctrl+Alt+Del combination has no effect at that point, you must use the Reset button to restart the computer.
Here is the description of a simple test that you can try to reproduce this problem of winexit:
- Obtain Microsoft Windows Resource Kit for Windows Server 2003, that contains the latest version the winexit as of this writing;
- Install winexit on a computer with Windows XP Pro + SP2;
- Enable the Force Application Termination option of winexit;
- Disable the On resume, password protect option on the Screen Saver page of the Control Panel - Display window;
- Disable the Welcome screen (using the Users command on the Control Panel, the Change the way users log on and off link);
- Lock the computer (by pressing Win+L) and wait for winexit to try to logoff.
The result we have observed: the logoff does NOT occur, the computer remains locked, and an attempt to unlock it results in a blank screen (as described above).
Another example: repeat the steps listed above, but enable the Welcome screen of Windows XP, and disable its Fast User Switching option. Then the result is slightly different: when winexit attempts to logoff from a locked computer, the blank screen appears right away, without a prompt to unlock the computer. The Ctrl+Alt+Del combination has no effect; only the Reset button can restart the computer.
The On resume, password protect option on the Screen Saver page of the Control Panel - Display window of Windows XP can change the result in some way, too, but it does not help winexit to logoff from a locked computer. In fact, it may stop winexit from logging off even if the computer is not locked: instead of logging off, winexit may lock the computer instead, if the option On resume, password protect is enabled.
Unlike winexit, our product ActiveExit XP does restart the computer and return it to the logon screen properly in all cases described above, even if the computer is locked by the user.
In addition, ActiveExit XP offers more options than winexit:
- More ways to exit Windows: besides Logoff, you can also select Lock computer, Restart, Shutdown, Hibernate, provided your computer configuration supports such commands; (winexit offers only the Logoff option);
- ActiveExit can restart or shutdown the computer even if the user has locked it, or if no user is logged on to Windows;
- ActiveExit can force user to exit not only after a period of his or her inactivity, but also according to the schedule of the allowed hours you set up;
- ActiveExit allows you to customize the warning messages displayed to the user before ending the user's session: the countdown may be paused, the exit process may be enforced or cancelled, and more. (winexit offers only the Cancel button);
- And much more! Please refer to ActiveExit User's Guide for more information on what ActiveExit has to offer.
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