Need a way 2 prevent unauthorised system change

ethan

ethan

ethan

Soldato
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What used to be a UK
Kids keep messing up the mrs' computer-downloading infected files, changing internet explorer to fire fox and messing up all the files etc. Now I know you can block applications with a firewall but how can you block certain applications prior to them even being installed. Similalrly how could you stop someone diabling IE in favour of Firefox. The problem being the mrs allows her daughter to use the computer and it seems the daughter's boyfriend has an hand in this also ? Thank you
 
i personally would install Windows XP Professional

with Windows XP Professional you can use policy editor. a programme built into windows which can remove anything you desire. Even the ability to right click if you so desire.

this combined with a limited user account with no ability to install software, would be ideal..
 
I presume you have Windows XP Home?

As standard she'll have a logon that she enters a password for, no?

You can create more users (as many as you like), and they can have less rights of access etc. than your missus's account will have.

If you go into Control Panel > User Accounts > Create User

You can enter the name of the new user to be created, and select 'limited user' this should mean they have less access over the PC. (I haven't used home, or limited in XP for a while).

You can also add a password to the account for your missus, to stop the kids logging onto hers and messing things up still.

InvG
 
MrLOL said:
i personally would install Windows XP Professional

with Windows XP Professional you can use policy editor. a programme built into windows which can remove anything you desire. Even the ability to right click if you so desire.

this combined with a limited user account with no ability to install software, would be ideal..
Click to expand...

Not always practical though, especially for most normal home users. - Buying XP Pro and installing it I mean.

But yes, much better security and will stop them breaking the PC on the software side of things. :)

InvG
 
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If its XP Pro you have then its gpedit.msc all the way as mrlol says.

You can deny any privelages you want and although it may take a little time to adjust to it, you will not be dissapointed.
 
user accounts for each of the kids would be the best way as already described.

Set them up as normal users not administrators, then they can run stuff, but not install anything (including spyware).

This is the way anyone who has kids should have their PC's
 
Thanks for the suggestions but I am going to have to be a lot more cunning as the kids are about 19 years old and seem to have taken over the mrs' pc and a lot of the stuff they seem to be downloading is pirated. Dual user appears to be the way to go here but I still need a way to prevent the install of pirated and virus laden malware?
Incidently it was xp pro I was talking about. Thanks
 
MrLOL said:
i personally would install Windows XP Professional

with Windows XP Professional you can use policy editor. a programme built into windows which can remove anything you desire. Even the ability to right click if you so desire.

this combined with a limited user account with no ability to install software, would be ideal..
Click to expand...

except changes made in group policy editor affect all users on the pc - even administrators. :)

however, there is this (works with any xp version)

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/sharedaccess/default.mspx

you can lock down accounts pretty tight with this.
 
ethan said:
Thanks for the suggestions but I am going to have to be a lot more cunning as the kids are about 19 years old and seem to have taken over the mrs' pc and a lot of the stuff they seem to be downloading is pirated. Dual user appears to be the way to go here but I still need a way to prevent the install of pirated and virus laden malware?
Incidently it was xp pro I was talking about. Thanks
Click to expand...

Yup, and locked down user accounts will allow them to just surf the web, and play with word docs etc.

If you password your missus's account with something the kids won't think of you have no worries.

They can then only access their area(s), no installing of messing with the system.

Do this...

Start > Run > control userpasswords2 > Add > Enter username/passwords > Other > Users

That'll lock them down a fair bit, or even use 'Guest' instead of 'Users'.

InvG
 
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or you could not let them on at all until they show some respect for the family PC....

as blocking access etc is just treating the symptoms ;)
 
Here we go again. I liked many of the suggestions posted above but my main dilema is the mrs still allows unrestrictive access to her pc by her daughter. I have opted for the dual logon situation whereby only the mrs can logon to her side pswd protected- the problem being that the daughter has administration privileges also. What I am mainly concerned about at the moment is a way in which to prevent firefox being installed to replace Internet explorer. I wondered whether a program like Internet Guardian or Deep freeze might be useful in this respect? Thank you.
 
Well go behind the missus's back and change the daughter from admin to lowly user.

To be honest, if the kids are messing up the system then don't take any BS from either of them and apply the restrictions.

I don't see what is wrong with having FireFox on the system though?

I can't stand using IE, especially with IE7 now out, and have used FF for the last few years.

InvG
 
It was just that the mrs didn't want Internet explorer 7 changing only having just got used to it-and it was her daughters boyfriend who changed it for whatever reasons he had on a whim even thought he computer does not belong to him.:confused:
 
Ah, that's fair enough.

I can't get use to it...it's too horrible. :p

I'll only try to convert people to FireFox by way of 'it's better use it', I won't ever install it on a system that isn't mine. I reinstalled my missus's laptop and whilst I wanted her to use it I didn't put it on there, she did, which was nice.

I know an easy fix to this...





...break the boyfriend's fingers. :D

InvG
 
just take control of the pc. create shortcuts on each account - firefox on one account, ie7 on the other. remove admin access from everyone except mum. job done? :confused:

also did you look at the link i posted above for windows steady state? it's a nice bit of kit. :)
 
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