How can i make a windows98 computer dummy proof?

[chiwawa626]

I have a computer that people are going to use, and i dont want people to fvck with it, i need it so they can only run internet explorer and thats it. How would i do that? I need to block out most of the stuff so they dont get into c: and change stuff...nblah blah....get it?

 

[rgwalt]

Some sort of security program maybe?

Ryan

 

[Willoughbyva]

How about picking up an old copy of NT4 or windows 2000 so that you can set up an account for the public users. That would be the best/easiest way. I have heard of some people using pole edit or something, but it was not a very good solution.


Will

EDIT: as far as that goes just use Linux you can get a flash plugin for netscape and customize the users desktop like you want. Seems the cheapest idea.

 

[Geekbabe]

<< How about picking up an old copy of NT4 or windows 2000 so that you can set up an account for the public users. That would be the best/easiest way. I have heard of some people using pole edit or something, but it was not a very good solution.


Will

EDIT: as far as that goes just use Linux you can get a flash plugin for netscape and customize the users desktop like you want. Seems the cheapest idea. >>




yeah, I thinkeditor would let you brute force the logon screen so that it auto logs on and removes the option for users to log on as another user but I'd agree that NT4 or Win2k would be an easier way to go

 

[EagleKeeper]

Any Win9x/ME system is not secure and even a dummy user can bypass the security on purpose or accident.

You need an NT based box if stand-alone or run the 9x box through a NT server to get to the outside world.

If you go with an 9x box, manually delete anything (apps) that you do not want the user to have access to.

 

[Electric Amish]

Unplug it.

amish

 

[mrCide]

isn't that some sort of oxymoron?

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

FreeBSD + VMWare. The users don't even need to know they're not using Windows.

 

[wyvrn]

I have seen freeware programs that allowed you to lock down a Win9x box, sorry but don't remember the name. You can do a search on google or go to download.com and come up with a few. A few of them are really good.

 

[BooneRebel]

Simply put, you can't. You can set policies on the system to limit it's usefulness, set the shell to IE, etc. But as it's already been said, if you truly want to lock the box down in Windows, load NT or 2000.

If you don't care about Windows or are funds-limited, you can pick up a freebie Linux variant, but if you haven't worked with it before the learning curve for NT/2000 from 98 is a lot easier than a 'nux system.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

If you want to make it impossible to mess with F8 and stuff like that it can be quite hard. But messing around in Windows can be stopped by using Novell's ZenWorks.

 

Unplug it.

 

[dirtboy]

<< Unplug it. >>

 

[csiro]

Upgrade to XP.

 

[Phoenix15]

The first person you see trying to screw with anything just sneek up behind them and kick 'em in the neck. It will work best if there are several users present. This is the best security feature I've found to date. It works on all operating systems and will work behind a firewall or a proxy.



Not recommended for buisness use though.

 

[azazyel]

I know this doesn't really apply but I love this quote.

Murphy's Tech Law#48
"Build a system that even a fool can use and only a fool will want to use it."

 

[AzAbyss]

<< isn't that some sort of oxymoron? >>



I think you're on to something!

-Az

 

[Thegonagle]

If it's an older computer that won't run 2000 effectively, I agree with everyone else, NT4 would be the way to go.

 

[Nemesis77]

Format c:

 

[Descartes]

What you're looking for is called a kiosk program, I believe. You can essentially lock the desktop and only allow certain programs to be run, etc. Internet Explorer also has a kiosk mode (-k argument) that won't let you access the desktop or anything until you close IE.