Somone's been using my PC without permission!

wizard13 · 15-12-2006 02:02PM #1

I think my flatmate's been using my PC while I'm out of the house. Is there a way that I can check if she is such as a log of when people log onto the PC or use certain programmes?

Thomas_S_Hunterson · 15-12-2006 02:11PM

CHange your password, that'll more or less eliminate the problem unless he know's what he's doing;)

wizard13 · 15-12-2006 02:19PM

I've done that but just out of my own curiosity I want to know if she's been using it, there's surely some way of checking.

reg_anam · 15-12-2006 02:25PM

try event viewer in Administrative Tools in Control Panel, - may give you some info on when and what was used (you may need to log in as administrator)

Sam Vimes · 15-12-2006 02:27PM

a low tech solution:
leave it plugged out and place a hair on top of the plug. if the hair has moved when you come home its been used.

DeepBlue · 15-12-2006 02:49PM

Assuming that you are using Windows XP and that you don't leave the PC logged on then you can set Event Viewer to record login attempts.

When you check the log you can see if the computer has been used when you were not there.

This link gives a brief description of what you need to do.

wizard13 · 15-12-2006 02:54PM

Thanks for that, will give it a go. It's just so annoying when people do that, stay away from my stuff!!

Miguel_Sanchez · 15-12-2006 03:01PM

You could get one of those keystroke loggers - I think they plug into the keyboard socket at the back and record what's been typed. So you'll know what she's been up to then.

wizard13 · 15-12-2006 03:02PM

That's very sneaky but I like it! Never knew something like that existed. Is it legal?!

Thomas_S_Hunterson · 15-12-2006 03:05PM

It's your PC so its perfectly legal

HelterSkelter · 15-12-2006 03:07PM

Jeff_Lebowski wrote:

You could get one of those keystroke loggers - I think they plug into the keyboard socket at the back and record what's been typed. So you'll know what she's been up to then.

You can download software versions that just record all keystrokes to a file on the PC, no need for plugging anything into the keyboard socket.

Random · 15-12-2006 06:27PM

Careful what you download though, some aren't so legit and will send your keystrokes to someone else!

calex71 · 15-12-2006 06:45PM

a lot of loggers are detected by anti-virus and rightly so , however there are some that claim to work with AV software, as the poster above said be carefull with what u install the last thing you want is you credit card details etc being uploaded to some crook.

Gary ITR · 15-12-2006 07:42PM

A friend of mine was having the same problem. His flatmate owned up when the pc was riddled with viruses from porn sites. I fixed it for him, removed viruses and installed avg etc.. he told his flat mate that I charged 300 quid for my services and made him cough up. Which he did.. We got drunk that night!!

Maybe you could ponder out loud when she's in the room "hmmm something seems to be wrong with my pc"

Thomas_S_Hunterson · 15-12-2006 07:49PM

Onkle51 wrote:

A friend of mine was having the same problem. His flatmate owned up when the pc was riddled with viruses from porn sites. I fixed it for him, removed viruses and installed avg etc.. he told his flat mate that I charged 300 quid for my services and made him cough up. Which he did.. We got drunk that night!!

Maybe you could ponder out loud when she's in the room "hmmm something seems to be wrong with my pc"

What nice people you are:D

Capt'n Midnight · 15-12-2006 08:51PM

Jeff_Lebowski wrote:

You could get one of those keystroke loggers - I think they plug into the keyboard socket at the back and record what's been typed. So you'll know what she's been up to then.

CQ communications down opposite the new bridge near capel street had them

or use canary or similar programs

Gary ITR · 15-12-2006 10:33PM

sean_keevey wrote:

What nice people you are:D

He deserved it. He'd been told to stay away from it.

Anti · 15-12-2006 11:28PM

Id reccomend taking your ram out when you leave the house. Unless the sneeky fecker has spare ram, the pc will be useless to him. My method might be old skool, But dammit it will work.

There is also software you can download which will disable the internet connection. unless a password is used. Google will throw up loads of these. The best ones have a timer. So if he does manage to get past it, you can tell how long he was on for and what he looked at.

But if he has been found out using your pc, what else has he used ? cloths ? toothbrush ? you get the idea. I think the bigger problem is that your flatmate is untrustworthy. Kick his theaving arse out. Unless it is his flat/house. Then its time for you to leave.

hopeful · 15-12-2006 11:34PM

LockMyPC serves me well.

Even my very sneaky kids haven't found a way past it yet

el Bastardo · 15-12-2006 11:40PM

Just use a bios lock/password - it keeps the average idiots out. If she (it is a she, so you say) can bypass that, then you need a low tech padlock or some such to keep her out of the room.

the_syco · 15-12-2006 11:49PM

"View > History" To see what web pages they've been to.

Gary ITR · 16-12-2006 12:01AM

anti wrote:

Id reccomend taking your ram out when you leave the house. Unless the sneeky fecker has spare ram, the pc will be useless to him. My method might be old skool, But dammit it will work.

jeez why not put a nuclear bomb under the chair

5uspect · 16-12-2006 12:12AM

You could have some serious fun with this... assuming that you can prove beyond all reasonable doubt that she is indeed using your PC without permission.

To prove this the event logs are essential, and maybe a webcam to catch her in the act, plus this may also show if she's upto anything else in your room.

Once you have concrete proof the fun can begin.

Maybe some evening when she is watching TV wander into her room and grab her toothbrush and plonk yourself down on the sofa and start to use it to clean your sh!tty boots etc etc (Yes I'm a cruel fecker!)

Or you could stick a Knoppix Linux boot disk in your CD drawer and when she boots your PC the crazy open source stuff on the screen should suitably freak her out.

TempestSabre · 16-12-2006 12:25AM

el Bastardo wrote:

Just use a bios lock/password - it keeps the average idiots out. If she (it is a she, so you say) can bypass that, then you need a low tech padlock or some such to keep her out of the room.

Most people aren't going to bypass a bios lock.

the_syco · 16-12-2006 12:31AM

TempestSabre wrote:

Most people aren't going to bypass a bios lock.

User hasn't said her knowledge of 'puters. Know one or two ladies who'd know how to take the cover off the case, and take out the CMOS battery to reset the password.

TempestSabre · 16-12-2006 12:43AM

..and all the machines settings, quite often this leaves a machine unbootable unless you reconfigure it, and even if that doesn't happen you're gonna notice the password lock is cleared. If someones willing to reset the CMOS to access someone else PC they are not right in the head IMO.

Revalco · 16-12-2006 12:44AM

the_syco wrote:

"View > History" To see what web pages they've been to.

Probaly the easiest & simpliest way to check.

TempestSabre · 16-12-2006 12:50AM

calex71 wrote:

a lot of loggers are detected by anti-virus and rightly so , however there are some that claim to work with AV software, as the poster above said be carefull with what u install the last thing you want is you credit card details etc being uploaded to some crook.

I assume you'd use a legit one.

Be nice to get the flat mates details from your PC and print them up hand them to them, and ask them how do they feel with someone messing with their personal stuff! You don't have to be nasty to make the point.

Anti · 16-12-2006 05:46AM

Yeah, unless she clears the history. Every 13 year old in the country knows how to do this. Another simple method, Take the vga cable with you when you go out. or get a small money box, And put it in there with a padlock. But the best suggestion so far is, Padlock your door.

Capt'n Midnight · 16-12-2006 01:27PM

In the old days computers had a physical lock for the keyboard.

Put a password on the BIOS.

SeanW · 16-12-2006 02:34PM

the_syco wrote:

User hasn't said her knowledge of 'puters. Know one or two ladies who'd know how to take the cover off the case, and take out the CMOS battery to reset the password.

But if the OP came back to find the password gone/bios cleared, the flatmates cover would be blown.

Somone's been using my PC without permission!

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