Desktop health/status monitoring tools?

Fonz_2

Hi All,

I live some distance away from my parents and theyre not the most technology savvy people in the world.

There is a possibility that I'll be moving out of the country and wondered if anyone knew of any tool/agent I could install on their home PC which would report or alert to me on status of their windows update, AV definitions, etc?

jaydeeuk1

I'd install logmein (https://secure.logmein.com/home.asp?lang=en). Fantastic (and free!) tool. Doesn't have the automatic reporting on updates etc as you'd need to login, but useful nonetheless for when they 'get stuck'.

dogmaryxx

Use Crossloop Watch 1 minute video here http://www.crossloop.com/help/help_home

No need to register,just download to computers required.

Jaffa.

Use remote desktop?

Just forward the relevant port (tcp 3389) to the computer you wish to have communications with.

Fonz_2

Thanks for the ideas guys - it's not so much remote access which is an issue, it's more a proactive approach to ensuring the PC is healthy when the local users don't have the know how to identify that.

Jaffa.

Something like Altiris would do exactly what you want But I guess thats for big networks and what not. How about Windows steady state?

diable

Create a login account change the permissions so they can't install anything, change anything or download sod all then you'll know that when you come back it will be exactly as you left it.