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by s2rock

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I have users who log into a w2k terminal server. They all log onto their own sessions and have their personalized desktop and profiles. I would like to know how to prevent users from changing the display properties(background and screen savers). I know this has to do with setting up system policies. If possible I would like to avoid using the system policy editor. I never liked this tool in NT 4.0. What is the best way for me to lock down my users so the cannot change the display settings?

7 replies

by krisu

I don't know if this works with W2K, but it should. Create a tempory use and log on to the server with that user, make the settings the way you want it to be and log-off. Rename the user.dat file in the temporary users settings folder to user.man. Now the user can't change any settings. You should be able overwrite the real users user.dat with this file and it will prevent the users from changing any settings. Try it on a test user first.

Krisu

by s2rock

This is a good answer but it did not work. I created a test user on my PDC, then I logged into the W2K TS which is a member server in the domain. Then I logged into the TS as admin and tried to find the file user. bat which I did not find. I did find the file Ntuser.bat in the documents&settings folder. There were actually 2 files, one had no file assosiation and the other looked like a txt file. I only changed the extention on the one with no association. I logged off as administrator then logged in as the test user. I tried to change the screen saver settings and it let me. I loged off and logged in again to see if the settings I changed would stick and the did. I do not want users to log in and run screen savers or edit their settings.

by terminator

Just go to active directory user and computers, highlight your domain, right click and go to properties and then select group policy, edit, go to user configuration, admin templates, control panel, display and change the settings

Good luck

by s2rock

The W2K TS is in a member server in a NT 4.0 environment so I don't think I can configure AD. The TS is basically being used as a workstation. Multiple users log in to the TS from their local desktops then run the apps on TS through their session. When they log into the TS each user gets a default desktop. AD is not running on the TS.

by krisu

I remembered the the filename wrong. The file you should rename is ntuser.dat and it should be renamed to ntuser.man. You can also try what termiNaTor suggested.

Krisu

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