Restricting menu options in Win 2K Pro

[AndyB]

I want to be able to restrict the menu options / lock down the menues on my Win 2K Pro PC. This is to make it child resistant when they are surfing the internet.

Is this possible and what do I need to do to enable this?


Andrew.

 

[littleredrooster]

Which bits are you trying to suppress? Most of what you prolly want is available by a bit of registry hacking.

 

[AndyB]

I want to restrict the programmes she uses, disable Windows explorer and stop her from installing / deleting / changing things.

No I'm not a total control freak, just don't want her to mess up my machine, while still allowing supervised internet access. Won't let her have the internet up in her room (yet).

Andrew.

 

[mikeh501]

You can do some of what you want by a combination of changing her user rights (she must log on as herself not you etc) and then using local security policy etc. This is a fairly involved process and is mostly used by corporations who also have access to a windows network (AD) which allows far more control again.

TBH, I think you should give her a user account on the machine and then go through all the start menu and shortcuts to cut down the available options, then perhaps buy an off the shelf program like netnanny of similar. Best advice is to set her up and then see what *you* can do with that login.

Edit: Make sure when you create the user account that she is NOT a member of the administrators group. This will greatly reduce her priveledges.

 

[wut]

Hi - I'm new to this forum and trying to make a contribution here. The Pan is gone and the GS is 4 months away so PCs will have to do.

Here it goes:

Windows XP makes it very simple - simply make children Limited Users and they can do very little damage to the actual PC - just be prepared to log on yourself every time they want to install any new games/other software. The equivalent in 2K is the User Group:
Right Click "My Computer" - Left Click "Manage" - Expand Local Users and Groups - Double Click the Users folder - Double Click the User in question and on the Member of Tab make sure that they are only member of the Users group. This is not quite as restrictive as the XP Limited User but stops the users from installing all sorts of "dangerous/PC destroying" programs.

To limit the "surfing" I have used Norton Internet Security and restricted freedom this way. If you decide to use this product (which is not as good as Netnanny etc for your purposes but has the firewall/antivirus benefits!) be careful as the new version cuts off all sorts of legitimate network/internet access - a lot of fiddling required!

Hope this helps.

Walter