Group Policy

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Guest

I want to setup windows xp professional sp2 to prevent users from being able
to install any applications other than windows updates. They still should be
able to use their flash drives, but not install any programs on the computer.
This includes programs that use windows installer and those that don't use
windows installer.
 
in message
I want to setup windows xp professional sp2 to prevent users from
being able
to install any applications other than windows updates. They still
should be
able to use their flash drives, but not install any programs on the
computer.
This includes programs that use windows installer and those that
don't use
windows installer.
Click to expand...


Not using a Windows installer can include simply copying files. There
are lots of programs that run stand-alone, don't need to be registered
in the registry to specify paths to their DLLs or which methods to
call from them for a particular function, and are simply installed by
unzipping or copying files. SysInternals has lots of those. Nirsoft,
too. There are lots of programs, especially utilities, that don't
require a setup or install of them, just to copy them. So how are you
going to prevent users from copying files? If so, you've ruined their
ability to use their host since they won't be able to create any files
there.

If you want to regulate what users install on the company's hosts,
establish software policies and usage policies along with using some
big brother monitoring software to check that everything they have
installed on the company's host match up to an authorized list (or
simply logs what they have installed to then have the ability to audit
their configuration).
 
First off unless you make the users limited regular users any attempt can be
futile. Windows Updates can be automated so that user does not need to be an
administrator and you can use Software Restriction Policies to manage what
users can or can not install and run on their computers. Software
Restriction Policies can also apply to local administrators except when
booted into Safe Mode.

Steve

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457006.aspx --- Software
Restriction Policies
 
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