Registry patch to disable the CDROM

Prophet · 9 Jun 2010 at 16:02

I need to disable the CD Drive on a clients PC as they keep installing crap.

They have amdministor rights (nothing I can do about that) but they're not clued up enough to hack the registry.

Can someone point me in the right direction of a hack/patch which disables the CD Drive

Windows XP btw.

PhillyDee · 9 Jun 2010 at 16:04

TweakUI can do this for you. Is that any good?

asim18 · 9 Jun 2010 at 16:06

Device Manager maybe?

SiriusB · 9 Jun 2010 at 16:12

Group Policy? You can set it locally if you're not in a domain.

theheyes · 9 Jun 2010 at 16:14

Failing that if you can get to the box open it up and unplug the thing.

edit - also, what about USB sticks? Internet downloads? What is in place to stop these being used as sources?

Mikoyan · 9 Jun 2010 at 16:17

GP can do this.

SiriusB · 9 Jun 2010 at 16:18

theheyes said:
Failing that if you can get to the box open it up and unplug the thing.

edit - also, what about USB sticks? Internet downloads? What is in place to stop these being used as sources?

This is a good point. In fact from experience most of the crap my clients install come via the Interwebs.

Prophet · 9 Jun 2010 at 16:19

Thanks for all the suggestions

I'll have a look at the GP.

The USB has already been disabled via a reg hack and they don't have internet access.

reflux · 9 Jun 2010 at 16:21

I'd unplug it.

Mikoyan · 9 Jun 2010 at 16:30

^ then replug once you need it? waste of time lol

...its a lot easier with group policy..a good link

http://www.wiredbox.net/Forum2/Thread6276_Disable_CD-Rom_with_-adm_file_in_group_policy.aspx

theheyes · 9 Jun 2010 at 16:55

Well, you have a few technical options both crude and otherwise, but at the end of the day misuse of the computer is the problem so raising it with whomever pays your bill might be another thing to consider.