Windows XP User Permission Levels? Limited User?

[wjsulliv]

I would like to severly limit users abilities to mess up my system (the pc is going in a grade school class room). When I went to add a user, I was only given the options of Admin and Limited users? So I set up the student as a Limited User.

How Limited is that? Will that block them from installing programs?

How do I set it up so they can't do things like change the display settings and screen saver?


Thanks

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: wjsulliv
How Limited is that? Will that block them from installing programs?

Yes, it will block program installation and most other system-level operations - windows update, changing network settings, etc.

How do I set it up so they can't do things like change the display settings and screen saver?

You would need a domain and group policy to do this well. Turning off "Simple File Sharing" in Folder Options will give more control over specific files, but there are many tasks (like the ones you mentioned) that aren't covered by file controls.

 

[PowerEngineer]

"Limited" really is quite limited, but maybe not in some of the ways you'd like it to be. "limited" users are prevented from installing programs, but each user is allowed to have his/her own display and desktop settings. You should also consider what kinds of programs you will want these "limited" users to run. There are many older programs that perform functions that are prohibited for "limited" users. You may want to try out the programs on a "limited" account early on just to be sure...

 

[wjsulliv]

Any suggestions for a program that would lock out the ability to change the display settings and icons, etc.

 

[Amorphus]

ask a local sysadmin, say, at a local library. now those comps are really locked down....