and has 7 comments
I work in this silly place where everything must be done according to some plan or procedure. They aren't even very good at it, but they are very proud of this bureaucracy. For example I don't have Outlook installed on my work machine, but on a virtual one which is in a different network and can be accessed only by remote desktop protocol. Some admin with a God complex thought it was a good idea to make the computer lock itself after a few minutes of idleness and even close the entire virtual machine when no one accesses it for a while. This might have some sick sense in the admin's head, but I need to know when an email arrives and so I would like to have this virtual machine open on the second monitor without having to enter the password every 5 minutes. To add hurt to offence, I cannot install any software on the virtual machine or using Powershell to prevent the computer going idle or anything useful like that. Good, a challenge! I need to find a way to keep the remote desktop session alive.

Enter Windows Script Hosting. I've created a small Javascript file that gets executed by the machine and occasionally moves the mouse and simulates pressing Shift. No more idleness and no need to access Group Policy or install anything. Just create a text file and paste the following code and then save it with a .js extension, then run it. It will keep the computer from going idle.
var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
for (var i=0; i<60; i++) // 60 minutes
{
WshShell.SendKeys('+');
WScript.Sleep (60000);
}

Step by step instructions for non technical people:
  1. Press the Windows key and E to start the Windows Explorer
  2. In the Explorer, navigate to Desktop
  3. Remove the setting for "Hide extensions for known file types" - this is done differently from Windows version to Windows version, so google it
  4. Create a new text file on the desktop by right clicking in it and choosing "New Text Document"
  5. Paste the code above in it
  6. Save the file (if you successfully removed the setting at point 3, you should not only see the name, but also the .txt extension for the file)
  7. Rename the file to busybee.js (or any name, as long as it ends with .js
  8. Double click it

The script will run 60 times at every minute (so for an hour) and keep the machine on which it runs on from going idle. Enjoy!

Comments

renate

It doesn&#39;t seem to be working for me, when I run the script it doesn&#39;t show up in task manager.

renate

Siderite

Yes. You can increase the value as you see fit. You can put it at 60000 if you want to.

Siderite

Siderite

Just kill the wscript process from Task Manager or logout manually...

Siderite

Arabinda Ghosh

This is really working. But after run the file how can I stop it? Thanks!

Arabinda Ghosh

Siderite

Just kill the wscript process, via the Task Manager. Or logout manually.

Siderite

Paul

Would you be able to tell us how to disable it also?

Paul

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