Thank you for using Brutus 2006. You can use Brutus for free and distribute it freely! It's freeware and free from malware. Release date: November 2, 2005. Download size: 1.0 MB. Copyright © Mats Hindhede 2003 - 2005. All rights reserved. GENERAL INFORMATION =================== Brutus lets you log off, restart, or shut down a computer running Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003. The way you always wanted to. With a single click. In Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003, you can also lock your computer with a single click. PLEASE NOTE THAT BRUTUS IS SIMPLY USING A STANDARD MICROSOFT API TO SEND AN ORDER TO WINDOWS TO LOCK, LOG OFF, RESTART, OR SHUT DOWN. IF YOU CANNOT LOCK, LOG OFF, RESTART, OR SHUT DOWN PROPERLY WHEN YOU ARE USING BRUTUS, IT'S BECAUSE YOU CANNOT LOCK, LOG OFF, RESTART, OR SHUT DOWN PROPERLY WHEN YOU ARE USING THE NORMAL PROCEDURES IN WINDOWS. SUCH PROBLEMS CAN HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS. QUESTIONS ABOUT SUCH PROBLEMS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO MICROSOFT AND/OR THE MANUFACTURER OF YOUR MAINBOARD. Brutus is simple to install and uninstall, and leaves no trace whatsoever, should you choose to uninstall it. If you want to install Brutus on Windows XP or Windows 2000 you must log in with administrator privileges. This is not a problem for home users, since they normally have administrator privileges, but if your computer belongs to a local network in your workplace you may have to ask the system administrator for assistance. Brutus is developed and tested with the utmost care. However, Brutus is provided as is, without warranties of any kind. The copyright holder is not responsible for any direct or indirect consequence of using this software. For the time being, Brutus is only available in English. Do you like Brutus? Let the programmer know! Send comments and suggestions to mats.hindhede@comhem.se Learn more about Brutus on the web at http://www.proffs.nu/brutus.htm VERSION HISTORY =============== 0.9 Beta (January 22, 2003): First public release. 2003 - 2003 SR2 (January 29, 2003 - November 1, 2003): Added control panel and lock feature. 2005 (September 8, 2004): Added option to hide the shutdown command on the start menu. 2005 R2 (November 14, 2004): Added option to terminate hung applications (requires Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003). Added option to end applications automatically (requires Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003). Fixed problem with "Forced exit from Windows". 2006 (November 2, 2005): Added option to lower the start menu delay. Added option to hide more items on the start menu. Added option to disable the shutdown event tracker in Windows Server 2003. ALL USERS ARE RECOMMENDED TO UPGRADE TO BRUTUS 2006 TECHNICAL INFORMATION ===================== Brutus Lock calls the LockWorkStation API function. Since this API function does not exist in Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows Me, Brutus Lock only works if the operating system is Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003. Brutus Logoff calls the ExitWindowsEx API function. The first parameter is EWX_LOGOFF. This parameter can be combined with EWX_FORCEIFHUNG or EWX_FORCE depending on the settings in Brutus Control Panel. The setting that combines EWX_LOGOFF with EWX_FORCEIFHUNG is unavailable and the setting that combines EWX_LOGOFF with EWX_FORCE is ignored if the operating system is Windows 98 Second Edition or Windows Me. The second parameter is SHTDN_REASON_MAJOR_APPLICATION. Brutus Restart calls the ExitWindowsEx API function. The first parameter is EWX_REBOOT. This parameter can be combined with EWX_FORCEIFHUNG or EWX_FORCE depending on the settings in Brutus Control Panel. The setting that combines EWX_REBOOT with EWX_FORCEIFHUNG is unavailable if the operating system is Windows 98 Second Edition or Windows Me. The second parameter is SHTDN_REASON_MAJOR_APPLICATION. Brutus Shutdown calls the ExitWindowsEx API function. The first parameter is EWX_SHUTDOWN if the operating system is Windows 98 Second Edition or Windows Me, otherwise it is EWX_POWEROFF. This parameter can be combined with EWX_FORCEIFHUNG or EWX_FORCE depending on the settings in Brutus Control Panel. The setting that combines EWX_SHUTDOWN with EWX_FORCEIFHUNG is unavailable if the operating system is Windows 98 Second Edition or Windows Me. The second parameter is SHTDN_REASON_MAJOR_APPLICATION. If "Try to end applications automatically" (only available if the operating system is Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or 4, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003) is checked in Brutus Control Panel, it will try to make the following settings in the Windows Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\AutoEndTasks = "1" HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\HungAppTimeout = "3000" HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WaitToKillAppTimeout = "10000" If "Try to end applications automatically" is unchecked in Brutus Control Panel, it will try to make the following settings in the Windows Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\AutoEndTasks = "0" (the default value in Windows 2000 and XP) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\HungAppTimeout = "5000" (the default value in Windows 2000 and XP) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WaitToKillAppTimeout = "20000" (the default value in Windows 2000 and XP) If "Try to disable shutdown event tracker" (only available if the operating system is Windows Server 2003) is checked in Brutus Control Panel, it will try to make the following setting in the Windows Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Reliability\ShutdownReasonUI = 0 If "Try to disable shutdown event tracker" is unchecked in Brutus Control Panel, it will try to delete the following value in the Windows Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Reliability\ShutdownReasonUI If "Try to lower start menu delay" is checked in Brutus Control Panel, it will try to make the following setting in the Windows Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\MenuShowDelay = "100" If that value already is lower than or equal to 100 or higher than or equal to 1, it will not be changed. If "Try to lower start menu delay" is unchecked in Brutus Control Panel, it will try to make the following setting in the Windows Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\MenuShowDelay = "400" (the default value) The start menu dialog changes values in the following keys in the Windows Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced Which changes are made depends on which version of Windows you are using. Visit http://www.microsoft.com for details about a particular start menu item. Hiding Settings on the start menu will also lock the Taskbar properties. Hiding Network Connections on the two-column start menu in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 will also hide that item on the side menu when you point at Settings on the one-column start menu.