[blown503]

Is there any way to fix my computer so that noone can install any program? The kids keep installing junk from the net and I have to reformat all the time.
I just want to fix it where they can still brouse but cant instal this net junk.

[BlueMak]

Can't you have a guest account for them to use? just add a password to your account (admin) and create a guest account for them?

[DudeBoyz]

You could do a fresh install, make a Norton Ghost image of the partition, then restore back from that partition when needed.

I use Ghost 2003 for DOS and do a Local > Partition > To Image to make the image and Local > Partition > From Image to restore it.

Takes under 10 min in most cases.

I use a Win 98 SE boot floppy, then run GHOST.EXE from the D:\GHOST\ folder. Both my C: and D: drives are FAT32, while my other drives on that system are NTFS. This way I can boot to DOS, do any manual text editing or backing up or what not of files from the C: drive, or go over to the D: drive, type CD \GHOST and run the GHOST.EXE program, and I'm good to go.

When done, I just remove the floppy from the drive, reboot to Windows XP and use Nero to burn the ghost images to DVD for backup. I also leave 'em on the D: drive in the GHOST folder so I can do a boot floppy again, go right to D: and restore the image when I want.

Works great.

[kn00tcn]

isnt a guest account a major security risk

what junk are you talking about, & how old are they? they need to be taught how to spot crappy programs

& what about a limited XP user.. ooh & you can deny write access to folders like program files or system32 easily with XPpro (& there's a hack for xp home without doing it in same mode)

[PangingJr]

Originally Posted by blown503

Is there any way to fix my computer so that noone can install any program? The kids keep installing junk from the net and I have to reformat all the time.
I just want to fix it where they can still brouse but cant instal this net junk.

there are number of ways to do what you want, but...

The question is how far do you want to go?
An intaller may (or may not) check for admin permissions.
A long as the installer and installed software doesn't need (full) access to a file or folder or a registry entry that isn't granted the software can install successfully.
In any case - you are able to restrict access permissions to any folder or file you want, but:
There is no meaningful way to stop *any* "installation".
e.g. a "simple user" could run notepad.exe and create an executable file (like eicar.com). He could save
this file in his personal folder (this is an "installation", isn't it?) and could even execute it unless you don't allow him to execute files in his personal folder (but even then he is likely to be able to run this in the temp folder e.g. by unzipping a zip file containing this executable. An unzipper is therefore of course also a good way to "install files). So, you cannot stop both - adding / changing files *and* executing programs unless you stop any useful access or leave your users in a kiosk mode where even saving his own documents would be impossible.

But you could restrict him not to be able to do both in the same place: Not to be able to add / change files in the folders where the needed executables resides (the folders outside of his personal folder(s)) *and* not to be able to execute files inside his personal folder(s) where he adds his
files may be want you want...?

give this below link a go so you can research for yourself...
http://groups.google.com/group/micro...lling+software

below are my personal opinion...

or, you could also try third party software solutions likes Deep Freeze or Anti-Executable (or someting similare to these two).
Deep Freeze protects and preserves baseline computer configurations.
Anti-Executable standardizes any environment by preventing all unauthorized or unwanted programs from being installed.
check them out.

or, create a seperate partitions and operating systems for them and then config multi-boot on the existing computer system...
a more advanced way will be: to use a third party boot manager software with the supporting of password protected on each partitions that holds an operating system.

or, may be it's time to let them have their own computer. allow them to have their own computers, so they can have more time to learn about using computer.

[OldBuzzard]

If you want to go with multiple OS, you might check out either HyperOS 2007, or OneClick here: http://www.hyperossystems.co.uk/

OneClick will give you a maximum of 4 partitions. The C: partition will be pretty large in comparison the D, E & F, since all backups are stored on C:.

You would put a clean system on C:, then clone it to D,E, & F. Then install whatever software you want for YOU on C:, and let the kids use D. If/when they booger up their partition, all you would have to do is 'click and drag' E to D, and in about 3-5 minutes they have a fresh system to booger up again

With HOS each partition acts like it's a seperate computer, so what they do on D won't effect C, E, or F. It's not necessary to make 4 partitions, you could go with 2 or 3. If you use just 2, you would backup (it's done with .rar files and takes about 3-4 minutes for a basic XP Install) D onto C:, and then restore it back to D when necessary.

HOS2007 would do the same thing, but would allow either 11 or 22 partitions, and also allows you to put backups anywhere you would like to store them, as opposed to being locked in to storing them on C: like OneCLick does.

OneCLick is pretty inexpensive for what it does, £19.00 $33.25, while 2007 is either £29.00/$50.75 for the 11 System version, or £39.00/$68.25 for the 22 system one.

From what you are describing, I'd think that the cheaper OneClick would be the way to go.