XP Policy Questions..

[Richard Morey]

Hi,

I am about to start a job as the IT person for a company with 35 desktop
computers and 2 servers. One of the two servers is running Windows NT Server
and the second is running Windows 2000 Server. The 35 client computers are
running a mix of Windows OS'es. Over time I would like to install Windows
2003 Server on both servers and Windows XP Pro on all of the desk top
clients.

I am planning to set up a domain and have the user accounts on the client
machines authenticated by the domain controller.

I am also planning to install a standard set of applications on all the
desktops (Office, Acrobat, etc.) and I would like to restrict the ability of
the users to install new applications on their machines. I have just started
to look at the policy settings for Windows XP and I don't see where I can
restrict user rights to prevent them from be able to install software.. Is
there someway to do this?

The second thing I would like to do is set up each machine to run Windows
update in the middle of the night and also run a virus scan and so I would
like the machines left on. I was able to create a test account on my XP
machine that, once I logged in, could not just down the machine, but when I
logged out, and then return to the login screen there was an option to shut
down the machine.. Is there anyway to remove this option from the login
dialog?

Thanks

Rich

[Joolala Mompox]

----- Richard Morey wrote: -----

Hi,

I am about to start a job as the IT person for a company with 35 desktop
computers and 2 servers. One of the two servers is running Windows NT Server
and the second is running Windows 2000 Server. The 35 client computers are
running a mix of Windows OS'es. Over time I would like to install Windows
2003 Server on both servers and Windows XP Pro on all of the desk top
clients.

I am planning to set up a domain and have the user accounts on the client
machines authenticated by the domain controller.

I am also planning to install a standard set of applications on all the
desktops (Office, Acrobat, etc.) and I would like to restrict the ability of
the users to install new applications on their machines. I have just started
to look at the policy settings for Windows XP and I don't see where I can
restrict user rights to prevent them from be able to install software.. Is
there someway to do this?

The second thing I would like to do is set up each machine to run Windows
update in the middle of the night and also run a virus scan and so I would
like the machines left on. I was able to create a test account on my XP
machine that, once I logged in, could not just down the machine, but when I
logged out, and then return to the login screen there was an option to shut
down the machine.. Is there anyway to remove this option from the login
dialog?

Thanks

Rich

Greetings Rich,

The answers/solutions for your inquiry can be found by launching the Group Policy editor (gpedit.msc).

Start --> Run ----> Type gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box > OK. This will launch the Group Policy console.

Dig around in the Administrative Templates branch and set the apporiate settings.

Good luck.

[David]

Greetings Rich,

As far as installation of programs are concerned, limited
users cannot install most of the programs. But, if you set
Group Policy then there is a chance that they can access
it as Group Policy is accessible by all users. So, if the
File System is NTFS then you can block the Group Policy
folder by setting appropriate restrictions.

This might not help a bit though.

regards
David


>-----Original Message-----
>----- Richard Morey wrote: -----
>
> Hi,
>
> I am about to start a job as the IT person for a
company with 35 desktop
> computers and 2 servers. One of the two servers is
running Windows NT Server
> and the second is running Windows 2000 Server. The
35 client computers are
> running a mix of Windows OS'es. Over time I would
like to install Windows
> 2003 Server on both servers and Windows XP Pro on
all of the desk top
> clients.
>
> I am planning to set up a domain and have the user
accounts on the client
> machines authenticated by the domain controller.
>
> I am also planning to install a standard set of
applications on all the
> desktops (Office, Acrobat, etc.) and I would like to
restrict the ability of
> the users to install new applications on their
machines. I have just started
> to look at the policy settings for Windows XP and I
don't see where I can
> restrict user rights to prevent them from be able to
install software.. Is
> there someway to do this?
>
> The second thing I would like to do is set up each
machine to run Windows
> update in the middle of the night and also run a
virus scan and so I would
> like the machines left on. I was able to create a
test account on my XP
> machine that, once I logged in, could not just down
the machine, but when I
> logged out, and then return to the login screen
there was an option to shut
> down the machine.. Is there anyway to remove this
option from the login
> dialog?
>
> Thanks
>
> Rich
>
>Greetings Rich,
>
>The answers/solutions for your inquiry can be found by
launching the Group Policy editor (gpedit.msc).
>
>Start --> Run ----> Type gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box
> OK. This will launch the Group Policy console.
>
>Dig around in the Administrative Templates branch and set
the apporiate settings.
>
>Good luck.
>
>.
>

[Richard Morey]

Thanks! There is a lot of stuff in there that will be useful! :-)

Rich

"Joolala Mompox" > wrote in message
...
> ----- Richard Morey wrote: -----
>
> Hi,
>
> I am about to start a job as the IT person for a company with 35
desktop
> computers and 2 servers. One of the two servers is running Windows NT
Server
> and the second is running Windows 2000 Server. The 35 client
computers are
> running a mix of Windows OS'es. Over time I would like to install
Windows
> 2003 Server on both servers and Windows XP Pro on all of the desk top
> clients.
>
> I am planning to set up a domain and have the user accounts on the
client
> machines authenticated by the domain controller.
>
> I am also planning to install a standard set of applications on all
the
> desktops (Office, Acrobat, etc.) and I would like to restrict the
ability of
> the users to install new applications on their machines. I have just
started
> to look at the policy settings for Windows XP and I don't see where I
can
> restrict user rights to prevent them from be able to install
software.. Is
> there someway to do this?
>
> The second thing I would like to do is set up each machine to run
Windows
> update in the middle of the night and also run a virus scan and so I
would
> like the machines left on. I was able to create a test account on my
XP
> machine that, once I logged in, could not just down the machine, but
when I
> logged out, and then return to the login screen there was an option
to shut
> down the machine.. Is there anyway to remove this option from the
login
> dialog?
>
> Thanks
>
> Rich
>
> Greetings Rich,
>
> The answers/solutions for your inquiry can be found by launching the Group
Policy editor (gpedit.msc).
>
> Start --> Run ----> Type gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box > OK. This will
launch the Group Policy console.
>
> Dig around in the Administrative Templates branch and set the apporiate
settings.
>
> Good luck.
>