Software - - Need Windows ME expert

jerry · #1 09-26-2003, 05:41 AM

Hi Folks
I need some help with computer oddity that just occurred. When I turned on my computer last night I found Photoshop to be reset and all of the menu's were as they are found when Photoshop is first installed. I thought that this was very odd since the computer should not have been turned on while I was at work.

Then I noticed that icon locations on my desktop were returned to locations that were several days old.

It would appear that maybe Windows ME was reset to an earlier date.

Here is the question. I have a houseguest that I now suspect might have been snooping on my computer and reset windows to cover his tracks.

Does anyone know if Windows ME has an file that records times that the computer is turned on. Or can anyone think of a way to tell if files were copied or if the cd burner was used. I suspect that Photoshop would have been of great interest to this person.

I know this is a shot in the dark but any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
Jerry

chris h · #2 09-26-2003, 05:55 AM

Can't help you on the usage monitoring but password protection might be a good start.

KevinBE · #3 09-26-2003, 08:59 AM

Jerry, there are a large number of programs that will do what you want. Here is one I found with a quick google search.
http://download.com.com/3000-2092-10222172.html

I don't know anything about this program but you can chech it out. You can also search the CNET.com shareware & freeware sections to find others.

jerry · #4 09-26-2003, 11:08 AM

Thanks Chris and Kevin

Kevin, do you know if programs like these can find events that have already occured on your pc or do they only record things forward in time from installation.

I was hoping to find a Windows ME log somewhere in a file on my pc that recorded happenings/times, such as a reset, that occured yesterday..

Thanks
Jerry

Hunter · #5 09-26-2003, 01:05 PM

Jerry, I've not used ME (one of the worst versions of Windows), but it may have event logs you can look at - NT, 2K, and XP all have event logs for system, application, and security.

KevinBE · #6 09-26-2003, 04:15 PM

Hey Jerry, I don't think that you can get any information about things that happened before the software was installed. Windows doesn't track that type of inforation normally. There may be a program that can look for changes in files that took place during a specified time event but I'm not sure.

It's real hard to secure a PC running Win95,98, or ME. You can set up a password requirement but it is easily bypassed. Under Windows NT, 2000, or XP the password requirement cannot be bypassed.

DannyRaphael · #7 09-28-2003, 06:02 PM

Jerry:

I have Windows 2000, so I'm "shooting in the dark" ME-wise.

If Win/ME has a START > FIND FILES feature, you might be able to display which files on your system were "modified" or "last accessed" according to a date range.

That info could give you an indication of what went on based on files you know YOU didn't access or modify during that same time span.

~Danny~