Setting up XP with no networking or internet

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dennis Q. Wilson
  • Start date Start date
D

Dennis Q. Wilson

I need to install Windows XP on several computers in such a way that
even if they were connected by Cat 5 cables to the rest of the network
(which they're not), they wouldn't actually be *on* the network, nor
able to go out on the internet. I need to set them up so this applies
to the administrator accounts on these machines as well as the
restrricted ones.

Is there any simple way to do this, and if so, how?

Thanks to anyone who can help.

(And before anyone justifiably flames me to pieces, please understand
that I'm not an IT guy really -- I'm just the poor sap in our company
who seems to have the most PC experience, sad as it is.)
 
Hi Dennis, hey I am not an expert either, but have you heard of Group Policy?
I take it you have a server? That you have centralized management of your
company's computers on a server? With Group Policy you can do a lot of
things, from control very minute settings on different workstations, to
installing software, to doing maintainance on an individual remote computer.
The things you can do with Group Policy is really huge in control of a
network enviroment. You can lock down certain features like the tools in IE,
stop users from downloading active X controls, or software of any type, to
setting up the desktops of iindividual users as the company sees fit and stop
access to the internet. There are so many ways to configure a network
envioroment via Group Policy I could not list them all here. You access Group
Policy by opening up gpedit.msc at a command prompt or the run box. Go in and
look at all the settings. Go to the knowlege base articles and put in Group
Policy and you will find a lot of links. Also, the Microsoft technet area on
the Microsoft website has a lot of detailed information regarding Group
Policy. What you need to do probably is best done via a server using Group
Policy. You can install the OS through Group Policy and then use Group Policy
to tighten down the hatches so to speak. Good luck and I hope you get more
answers from the experts here with actual links to provide you.
 
That works only if the computers are in fact domain joined. If they're standalone, then group policy won't help -- anyone who can log in as a local administrator can undo it all.

Dennis, as I see it, your only choice is to physically cripple the computer. Go to your neighborhood hardware store and buy a tube of epoxy. Fill the Ethernet port with it. Also, put the computer inside another cage that denies physical access to the machine so that people can't install additional network cards.

______________________________________________________
Steve Riley
(e-mail address removed)
http://blogs.technet.com/steriley
http://www.protectyourwindowsnetwork.com


Hi Dennis, hey I am not an expert either, but have you heard of Group Policy?
I take it you have a server? That you have centralized management of your
company's computers on a server? With Group Policy you can do a lot of
things, from control very minute settings on different workstations, to
installing software, to doing maintainance on an individual remote computer.
The things you can do with Group Policy is really huge in control of a
network enviroment. You can lock down certain features like the tools in IE,
stop users from downloading active X controls, or software of any type, to
setting up the desktops of iindividual users as the company sees fit and stop
access to the internet. There are so many ways to configure a network
envioroment via Group Policy I could not list them all here. You access Group
Policy by opening up gpedit.msc at a command prompt or the run box. Go in and
look at all the settings. Go to the knowlege base articles and put in Group
Policy and you will find a lot of links. Also, the Microsoft technet area on
the Microsoft website has a lot of detailed information regarding Group
Policy. What you need to do probably is best done via a server using Group
Policy. You can install the OS through Group Policy and then use Group Policy
to tighten down the hatches so to speak. Good luck and I hope you get more
answers from the experts here with actual links to provide you.
 
Dennis, I agree with Steve, it may sound extreame, but Steve is not being
sarcastic here, rather offering a real solution to your problem. By disabling
the ethernet port and installing some type of container around the computer,
you would create a situation in which these computers are unable to connect
to the internet, and stop anybody with the experiance from adding other
network cards. If you do not have a Domain enviroment, but rather the stand
alone work stations, this IS a positive solution. I hope you get your needs
met for your business office(s). Have a great day,

Seree
 
Heh, thanks, Seree. You're right, I'm being serious here. Sarcasm rarely works in newsgroups or email; besides, if I were trying to be funny, I would have made it clear.

So, Dennis, this should help you begin your quest: http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q="computer+cage"

______________________________________________________
Steve Riley
(e-mail address removed)
http://blogs.technet.com/steriley
http://www.protectyourwindowsnetwork.com


Dennis, I agree with Steve, it may sound extreame, but Steve is not being
sarcastic here, rather offering a real solution to your problem. By disabling
the ethernet port and installing some type of container around the computer,
you would create a situation in which these computers are unable to connect
to the internet, and stop anybody with the experiance from adding other
network cards. If you do not have a Domain enviroment, but rather the stand
alone work stations, this IS a positive solution. I hope you get your needs
met for your business office(s). Have a great day,

Seree
 
Thanks Steve for understanding I was only trying to help. You may not have
come across it, but in other groups and once or twice here, a few members
have been sarcastic and even rude to other members. In one situation, two
different individuals were trying to assist me actually got into a verbal
scuffle over who was correct and who was not. While I appreciated all the
help, I felt a bit like a bone between two dogs! ;-) So, I only intended to
add a voice to what you had to say to Dennis. I hope I did not offend you in
any way, I certainly did not intend too. I am far from an experianced user,
and appreciate all the efforts those who are, like you, who give so much time
and effort to assist those like me who are not. Thanks for your time here in
this forum,

Seree
 
Seree, don't worry...you didn't offend at all!

Yeah, I've seen the way people get overly religious in Usenet and on various forums. I've never understood that...

--
Steve Riley
(e-mail address removed)
http://blogs.technet.com/steriley
http://www.protectyourwindowsnetwork.com


Thanks Steve for understanding I was only trying to help. You may not have
come across it, but in other groups and once or twice here, a few members
have been sarcastic and even rude to other members. In one situation, two
different individuals were trying to assist me actually got into a verbal
scuffle over who was correct and who was not. While I appreciated all the
help, I felt a bit like a bone between two dogs! ;-) So, I only intended to
add a voice to what you had to say to Dennis. I hope I did not offend you in
any way, I certainly did not intend too. I am far from an experianced user,
and appreciate all the efforts those who are, like you, who give so much time
and effort to assist those like me who are not. Thanks for your time here in
this forum,

Seree
 
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