Following is a list of some interesting restrictions, which can be made in Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008 and 7. Like you can restrict Display properties, taskbar properties, folder options, etc. All tricks are based on Registry editing. So Ill tell the key name and the value, that you have to create for the restriction. If the key is not present, then simply create it.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Editing your Registry can make your system unstable. back up registry before doing so or create a system restore so that you can revert back when something goes wrong. use the following tweaks at your own risk.
NOTE: If you want to remove the restriction, then simply delete the DWORD value or set its value to 0
1.) Restrict Display Properties:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesSystem
create DWORD value NoDispCPL and set its value to 1
2.) Restrict Taskbar Properties:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoSetTaskbar and set its value to 1
3.) Restrict Folder Options:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoFolderOptions and set its value to 1
4.) Restrict Locking/Unlocking the taskbar:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value LockTaskbar and set its value to 1
5.) Restrict Active Desktop:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoActiveDesktop and set its value to 1
6.) Restrict adding/deleting items from Toolbars:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoToolbarCustomize and set its value to 1
7.) Restrict adding/deleting toolbars:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoBandCustomize and set its value to 1
8.) Restrict right-click in Start Menu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoChangeStartMenu and set its value to 1
9.) Restrict Desktop Cleanup Wizard:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoDesktopCleanupWizard and set its value to 1
10.) Restrict notification at low disk space:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoLowDiskSpaceChecks and set its value to 1
11.) Restrict Taskbar Context Menu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoTrayContextMenu and set its value to 1
12.) Restrict Programs to run:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorerDisallowRun
create String value with any name, like 1 and set its value to the programs EXE file.
e.g., If you want to restrict msconfig, then create a String value 1 and set its value to msconfig.exe. If you want to restrict more programs, then simply create more String values with names 2, 3 and so on and set their values to the programs exe.
13.) Restrict Registry Editor:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesSystem
create DWORD value DisableRegistryTools and set its value to 1
14.) Restrict Task Manager:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesSystem
create DWORD value DisableTaskMgr and set its value to 1
15.) Restrict Writing to USB Drives:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrent Control SetControlStorageDevicePolicies
Create DWORD value WriteProtect and set its value to 1
16.) Restrict New option in context menu:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryBackgroundshellexCon textMenu HandlersNew
And delete the value of Default, e.g., empty it.
17.) Restrict Send To in context menu:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTAllFilesystemObjectsshellexCon textMenu HandlersSend To
And delete the value of Default, e.g., empty it.
18.) Restrict Balloon Tips:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionExplorerAdvanced
Create DWORD value EnableBalloonTips and set its value to 0
19.) Restrict Users to enable New XP StartMenu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
Create DWORD value NoSimpleStartMenu and set its value to 1
20.) Restrict Command Prompt:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWind owsSystem
Create DWORD value DisableCMD and set its value to 2
21.) Restrict Drives in My Computer:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
In right-side pane, create a new DWORD value NoViewOnDrive and change its value as following:
3 : To Restrict A and B drives only.
4 : To Restrict C drive only.
7 : To Restrict A, B, and C drives only.
8 : To Restrict D drive only.
F : To Restrict A, B, C, and D drives only.
03FFFFFF : To Restrict all drives.
And if you want more specific restrictions, like you want to restrict a combination of other drives, then you can use decimal no. instead of hexadecimal no. Following is a list for all drives decimal no.:
A: 1
B: 2
C: 4
D: 8
E: 16
F: 32
G: 64
H: 128
I: 256
J: 512
K: 1024
L: 2048
M: 4096
N: 8192
O: 16384
P: 32768
Q: 65536
R: 131072
S: 262144
T: 524288
U: 1048576
V: 2097152
W: 4194304
X: 8388608
Y: 16777216
Z: 33554432
ALL: 67108863
So if you want to disable a combination of drives, just sum their numbers and give the same value to NoViewOnDrive. e.g., for restricting C, D, E and F drives, give the value: 4+8+16+32 = 60
NOTE: You can also hide the drives using NoDrives DWORD value. The location and its value remain same as the above trick.
22.) Restrict RUN in New XP StartMenu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
Create DWORD value NoRun and set its value to 1
23.) Restrict Control Panel:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
Create DWORD value NoControlPanel and set its value to 1
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Editing your Registry can make your system unstable. back up registry before doing so or create a system restore so that you can revert back when something goes wrong. use the following tweaks at your own risk.
NOTE: If you want to remove the restriction, then simply delete the DWORD value or set its value to 0
1.) Restrict Display Properties:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesSystem
create DWORD value NoDispCPL and set its value to 1
2.) Restrict Taskbar Properties:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoSetTaskbar and set its value to 1
3.) Restrict Folder Options:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoFolderOptions and set its value to 1
4.) Restrict Locking/Unlocking the taskbar:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value LockTaskbar and set its value to 1
5.) Restrict Active Desktop:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoActiveDesktop and set its value to 1
6.) Restrict adding/deleting items from Toolbars:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoToolbarCustomize and set its value to 1
7.) Restrict adding/deleting toolbars:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoBandCustomize and set its value to 1
8.) Restrict right-click in Start Menu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoChangeStartMenu and set its value to 1
9.) Restrict Desktop Cleanup Wizard:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoDesktopCleanupWizard and set its value to 1
10.) Restrict notification at low disk space:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoLowDiskSpaceChecks and set its value to 1
11.) Restrict Taskbar Context Menu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
create DWORD value NoTrayContextMenu and set its value to 1
12.) Restrict Programs to run:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorerDisallowRun
create String value with any name, like 1 and set its value to the programs EXE file.
e.g., If you want to restrict msconfig, then create a String value 1 and set its value to msconfig.exe. If you want to restrict more programs, then simply create more String values with names 2, 3 and so on and set their values to the programs exe.
13.) Restrict Registry Editor:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesSystem
create DWORD value DisableRegistryTools and set its value to 1
14.) Restrict Task Manager:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesSystem
create DWORD value DisableTaskMgr and set its value to 1
15.) Restrict Writing to USB Drives:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrent Control SetControlStorageDevicePolicies
Create DWORD value WriteProtect and set its value to 1
16.) Restrict New option in context menu:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryBackgroundshellexCon textMenu HandlersNew
And delete the value of Default, e.g., empty it.
17.) Restrict Send To in context menu:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTAllFilesystemObjectsshellexCon textMenu HandlersSend To
And delete the value of Default, e.g., empty it.
18.) Restrict Balloon Tips:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionExplorerAdvanced
Create DWORD value EnableBalloonTips and set its value to 0
19.) Restrict Users to enable New XP StartMenu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
Create DWORD value NoSimpleStartMenu and set its value to 1
20.) Restrict Command Prompt:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWind owsSystem
Create DWORD value DisableCMD and set its value to 2
21.) Restrict Drives in My Computer:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
In right-side pane, create a new DWORD value NoViewOnDrive and change its value as following:
3 : To Restrict A and B drives only.
4 : To Restrict C drive only.
7 : To Restrict A, B, and C drives only.
8 : To Restrict D drive only.
F : To Restrict A, B, C, and D drives only.
03FFFFFF : To Restrict all drives.
And if you want more specific restrictions, like you want to restrict a combination of other drives, then you can use decimal no. instead of hexadecimal no. Following is a list for all drives decimal no.:
A: 1
B: 2
C: 4
D: 8
E: 16
F: 32
G: 64
H: 128
I: 256
J: 512
K: 1024
L: 2048
M: 4096
N: 8192
O: 16384
P: 32768
Q: 65536
R: 131072
S: 262144
T: 524288
U: 1048576
V: 2097152
W: 4194304
X: 8388608
Y: 16777216
Z: 33554432
ALL: 67108863
So if you want to disable a combination of drives, just sum their numbers and give the same value to NoViewOnDrive. e.g., for restricting C, D, E and F drives, give the value: 4+8+16+32 = 60
NOTE: You can also hide the drives using NoDrives DWORD value. The location and its value remain same as the above trick.
22.) Restrict RUN in New XP StartMenu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
Create DWORD value NoRun and set its value to 1
23.) Restrict Control Panel:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre nt VersionPoliciesExplorer
Create DWORD value NoControlPanel and set its value to 1
Note: always make a back up copy . .
