Solved Removing program taskbar context menus

[bboes13]

Also it looks as if you can only choose modern apps. I'd say that's a poorly designed feature in my opinion.

 

[Cliff S]

About hiding drives I'm not sure. I accidently hid Program Files in windows 7 and every thing in start menu and all my desktop shortcuts were gone. I had to pull out my system image and repair disk and reimage(thank god I use an SSD).

 

[Cliff S]

You can also use Family Safety to whitelist access to program. See this.

 

[bboes13]

I restriced access to the C: drive..but I left the D: open so I can run things from my USB, but how do I disable program installions from the desktop, and from the USB drive (I'll use either windows restore or backup the off version of the registry key just in case I need a program on my USB drive). I found a way online added the registry keys and everything but it isn't working. :/

 

[Cliff S]

To back up registry keys there's a tool from Tweaking.com called Registry Backup that backs up the complete registry and can restore it too.
Have you taken a look at that Family Safety option? I've never used it myself, but it looks a lot safer (and easier) than messing around with the registry. I only go to the registry to find left-overs of uninstalled programs I want to reinstall.

 

[bboes13]

All of my problems are solved except one last thing, blocking installations from USB drives!…

 

[Cliff S]

Am I correct in assuming that only you (or the Admin) has total access to this PC? then go to auto play in the control panel and set it up like this:
View attachment 55930 For a good tool try this USB blocker tool.

 

[bboes13]

I have auto play set to do nothing already, one of the first things I changed. You are correct in your assumption. Using a blocker like that would well, except if I then needed access to make changes I could not, I use portable software to tweak and change some things. That's why the registry editor is the best way to go for me because I have one way back there even though it's annoying. People said it creates an icon for you and you can open it and unblock it, so that would be wonderful and work great I could open the program and unblock my USB drive, but it'd need to be password protected.

 

[bboes13]

So just password protecting the port itself would actually be a fairly perfect solution. The lady I'm working for is second ranking in the county so us two will know the password and no one else, and she may even tell me not to tell it to her. So password protecting the port, now that could be a really awesome solution! Haha
By the way I appreciate all your help, I know I can kinda ramble on... Hahah

 

[Cliff S]

A way to tie down that account is to create another account ( name it your Job Title for example) make it an Admin account with a good password to use for any updates or changes, then change this account that's for daily use to a standard account (call it Incident Reports), then when you have to make any changes you can simply give your password. I have my windows 7 laptop set up this way(just like Linux systems are from default) so absolutely no changes can be made from me or from software(or malware) without my explicit permission.

 

[bboes13]

I have found in the registry where to turn on and off the USB drive!
Since I have one way into the registry this will work well...and obviously I'll test my solutions to make sure they work...actually in about 8 hours they'll be tested in the work environment under my supervision.
So to turn off USB drives[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961)]: hkey_local_machine\system\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR[/COLOR][COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961)]Change start value from 3 to 4, then vice versa. I know there is a security gap leaving regedit unblocked, but the hoops to even get to it are well sufficient enough. Although a password on the port itself is a great idea Microsoft... Hahah
I was honestly trying to avoid creating two user accounts. [/COLOR]

 

[Cliff S]

OK glad you got it sorted out. Let me know how it works in in a work environment. Put your most curious("What happens when I click this?") person on the keyboard to really test it.

 

[bboes13]

Yeah I'll have someone clicking and keyboard smashing everything. Am I the only one who things the modern screen can become a huge security gap? I have it disabled on startup (takes a few seconds but if you're using it you get booted off). I also find it funny that if I save a file from Adobe reader it tells me it's blocked, press okay then it lets me save it on the desktop so I can use it. Which works great if you need to reboot if the printer is acting screwy that you can save your file still. I was moce
enough to let them reboot and shutdown using my unblocked desktop shortcuts. Thanks for all your help guys!

 

[Cliff S]

Am I the only one who things the modern screen can become a huge security gap?

For home use personally I find it easier than the start menu to find things, but for professional use I have to say they should have a switch to totally block it. If one uses the built in Desktop toolbar on the taskbar it's enough.

 

[bboes13]

I love the charm bar, the start menu, the app page, all of it. The search function on the start page works amazingly well...but in a business environment I agree that there needs to be a disable switch, there's a ton you're able to access and not remove from the apps screen.

 

[Cliff S]

Maybe in 10 they'll make that change if they don't want government agencies like here in Germany and other EU states to go GNU/Linux. At the company where I was working the last 5 years they're still using XP(it's only hooked up to intranet) for SAP in the warehouse.