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Hello everyone. I need help locking the wallpaper and screensaver settings. I have hidden the Display Properties, but my students can still change the wallpaper using MSPaint. I have no idea how to even lock the screensaver. If anyone could help me, I would be forever grateful! Thank you!
Your students must be pretty PC savvy - are they little or fully grown kids - the difference matters in how we storm up a solution.
i_XpUser
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They are High School students. Some of them know their way around a PC a little and are teaching the other students how to change their wallpapers. I need to lock this problem before it gets any worse than it already is.
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artomis, Go to the link below and under the letter "W" scroll down to "Wallpaper - Desktop - Disable Changing" and click on "Disable" to download a reg file.
For the Screensaver at the same link under the letter "S" scroll down to "Screen Savers" you'll also find a link to download a vbs file.
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_...
For the reg file save the REG File to your hard disk. Double click it and answer yes to the import prompt.
For the vbs file save it to your hard drive (you may want to right click and use Save Target As). Double
click the vbs file. You will be prompted when the script is done."NOTE: If your anti-virus software warns you of a "malicious" script, this is normal if you have "Script Safe" or similar technology enabled. These scripts are not malicious, but they do make changes to the System Registry."
Tufenuf
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Tufenuf nailed it for you the very easy way :-)
I hope that will take care of the situation but if the students still could figure out how to get around it, you may want to invest in DeepFreeze software. What it does is preserve the exact desktop you set upon reboot.
i_XpUser
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XpUser,
This sounds like the perfect problem they made the Shared Computer Toolkit for doesn't it?
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Yes it sure does and more importantly it's free as long as you pass WGA Validation check. Partially Quoted from this page:
Without restrictions, users can change the desktop appearance, reconfigure system settings, and introduce spyware, viruses, and other harmful programs. Repairing damaged shared computers costs significant time and effort.
So what's M$ solution? Get M$ Shared Computer Toolkit.
i_XpUser
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On 2nd thought M$ toolkit may not help because they are freebies. Freebies are easily defeated by the most PC savvy kids today. So DeepFreeze may be the only viable option.
By PC savvy kids I meant they love to hack computers because it's a challenge and not a boring school ritual.
With DeepFreeze installed in place, you won't worry about anything they do because when they return tomorrow and boot the PC they will feel defeated to find no traces of whatever they have previously worked up. Cool isn't it?
BTW it cost about $25 a copy but you may qualify for educational discounts.
i_XpUser
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Thank you all very much! I have purchased the DeepFreeze program. I have done the reg editing that was on the kellys-korner website and it seems to work perfectly. I thank you all for you help. You've saved me a whole lot of trouble...
~Artomis
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XpUser,
The Shared Computer Toolkit does that too. What ever happens on the computer is temporary, when you restart it returns to the state it was in when it was configured. Or at least that's what they say.
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You're welcome, Artomis. Glad I could help.
domass,
I've never doubted you nor am I doubting you. It's just that I haven't seen the toolkit running anywhere I go to work. Deepfreeze is the only one that I know and have seen at many of the internet cafes & educational institutions. Whatever I see working well is what I recommend.
If our grandkids ever move in to live with us, I will get one myself. I don't want them to get the impression that we are overprotective of our digital toys & too fussy too. LOL
i_XpUser
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