disabling safemode on XP?

[AzNKiD]

hey guys, my workplace has a couple of computers that is running a software to control the comp. they do not have much access and just click on icons to start certian programs that is permitted. now, i found out some guys have found out that u can shutdown computer and push f8 to load in safemode to aviod all the locks.

my question is, can i disable them from entering boot menu by pushin F8 on startup? i heard u can do this with tweakui, but i dont want to totally get rid of it just incase i need to goto safemode and repair it later on. how about putting password protection on it? or even hiding it if possible. anyone have some suggestion to prevent them from gettin into computer on safemode, but not lock me out of it incase XP fux0r up?

win XP home
intel mobo
1.6 northwood.

 

[bsobel]

Set a password on the admin account (this should have already been done). This will force safe mode to prompt for the pw.
Bill

 

[AzNKiD]

thx for reply. the admin account is password protected. the problem is that the guest account is letting them in without password. they dont even have to goto safe mode to get around the software lock. i just found out if u goto ENABLE VGA mode, the software wont run and allow users desktop access. i know, the software sucks, nothing i can do about that now. the only fix is if i protect the F8 bootmenu at startup. any suggestion for a fix? i dont mind disabling the bootmenu, but i just want a backup to get it back on if something goes wrong without needing to get windows back up. perhaps some kinda dos edit to a file to stop bootmenu? i got ntfs bootdisk, so i can go back in to re-enable bootmenu if needed.

 

[bsobel]

Are they normally running as the guest account? If not you can disable that. As for the VGA issue, that would seem to be a problem with whatever account they are supposed to use (right?), or just under safemode?

I guess what I was thinking is it would be fairly easy to right an app that would check if your in safe mode (and/or in lo res mode) and logoff the current user unless your the admin account. Put this into the run key and they wouldn't get logged on before just getting logged back off.

Bill

 

[AzNKiD]

opps, its not guest account. okay, the software creates its own account and when it logs in, it takes over the windows shell and locks everything down. i just realize the program runs under safemode as well, but whats getting the software fux0r is the res. for some reason, when the res is at anything below 800x600, it prompts that it wont function correctly and ask if user wants to exit. if user exits, it goes to desktop normally when software is running, they do not have option to change res, but from the special f8 bootmenu, they can goto enable vga which forces 640x480. looks like only fix is stopping them from getting to bootmenu.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: AzNKiD
opps, its not guest account. okay, the software creates its own account and when it logs in, it takes over the windows shell and locks everything down. i just realize the program runs under safemode as well, but whats getting the software fux0r is the res. for some reason, when the res is at anything below 800x600, it prompts that it wont function correctly and ask if user wants to exit. if user exits, it goes to desktop normally when software is running, they do not have option to change res, but from the special f8 bootmenu, they can goto enable vga which forces 640x480. looks like only fix is stopping them from getting to bootmenu.

Gotcha. Stumped tho, not sure how to modify that menu to do what you want (still looking tho!). Only other thought was the logoff at low resolution, put you'd need to throw something together to do that.
Bill

 

[PhoenixOfWater]

hmm... you could alway remove the F8 key from the Keyboard.. (J/K)
there should be a way to add a password to the bootmenu
or turn off all user and only have admin be able to login...
just some ideas to work with....

Sorry that i'm really no help....