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Preventing users installing software

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by graemeduncan

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I am running a W98 environment and would like to prevent users from installing software on the desktop.

Is there any way I can do this.

9 replies

by stillatit

You can do this if you insist, but it requires locking out lots of things. The Microsoft TweakUI program is the tool to use.

1. Remove the "Add/Remove Programs" applet on the control panel.

2. Prevent CD's from auto-starting.

3. Prevent theuser from accessing a DOS window or the Run command from the Start Menu.

4. Prevent the user from editing the registry, lest the user undo your restrictions.

A determined user can still probably get around you, but this will stop most people.

Since Win98 has no file security, the user could always create a new shortcut (or modify an existing one) to run setup.exe off of a CD, and there is not much you can really do about it. On NT and W2K you can restrict his write access to the system directory, which will effectively prevent installations.

I suggest that if you are in a business or school environment, handling this kind of thing as a policy issue rather than a technical issue may work better.

Good luck.

by nettek

Check out the following (there should be no spaces in this link):
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win98/tips/protuser.asp

by bohicam1

Go to
www.deepfreezeusa.com
This software will still allow users to download stuff but as soon as they reboot, it is gone. It also works great if a user deletes important files (data, system)as soon as the user reboots, the deleted files are restored. I have used it myself to prevent users from installing chat programs and games....eventually they tire of downloading something only to have it disappear on them when they login the next morning. It is password protected so you, as admin, can disable it to install software they really do need.
Good luck!

Mike

by sparky4

While you're in TweakUI, prevent it from displaying the cdrom drive in My COmputer. This, and the other steps will, unfortunately, prevent any legitiamte use of the cdrom drive. However, if you don't do this step, users would still be able to simplyopen the cdrom in my computer and run the setup program. another option would be to password protect the BIOS and disable the cdrom drive in the BIOS.

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