Is there a way to put a password on the Start Button in XP-PRO?

ivnj

ivnj,
This site may help with your question, I'm going there myself shortly to look. I've found alot of useful info here:

www.theeldergeek.com

It's a WinXP site with alot of good stuff.

chris

The only thing I can think of is creating additional users and customizing their start menu to not contain unwanted programs.

So far Killstart2k is the best I've found. Just kill and deny access to the CP and everything all together. Only problem is I don't see an Unkill so if U need it U have to reboot.

ivnj

But the flaw with Killstart2k was that the Windows key still worked to bring up the Start Menu. So I found a few Registry tweaks to remove the Common Groups, Control Panel, Run, and Search commands.

CommonGroups Tweak

Control Panel Tweak

Run Tweak

Search Tweak

ivnj

In

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout

set "Scancode Map" to the binary value

00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,00,00,5b,e0,00,00,5c,e0,00,00,00,00

If you want to set it via a Registry script, the entry is

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,00,00,5b,e0,00,00,5c,e0,\
00,00,00,00

This should disable the Windows key.

All someone would need to do to bypass that is to make a shortcut to "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\"

Or try pressing Ctrl + Esc after applying TomGL2's registry mod. Does the start menu still appear?

If someone really wants to get in, there is little you can do to stop them.

Good Point JW, didn't know about the Ctrl + Esc thing.

But regardless if I've disabled the Common Groups, Control Panel, Run, and Search for just that User then I'm OK right?

I mean Right Clicking on the Desktop and Properties doesn't work anymore so no way to get in. Not enough priviliges.

And if I convert it to a Limited Use Account no one can change the registry.

And the Control Panel is gone for that User so the only way to change it to Admin is in the Control Panel right? But since it's gone another User will have to do that. And without that Users Password U're stucj right?

Plus Run and Search have no workarounds right?

ivnj

There is a workaround for Run - shortcuts.

Simply go into My Documents the Floppy Drive or anywhere you can create a file. Then in explorer, click File > New > Shortcut. Simply type what program to run and a shortcut will be made.

Also, when on the desktop, press the F1 key. Make your way into the index and browse through it, Windows Help provides easy shortcuts to many things in Windows. Including portions of the control panel.

By making Windows more convenient, Microsoft has also made Windows much harder to secure...

But the Control Panel is completely disabled. So even the Help does not open the components. It says Page Cannot Be Displayed. So that's taken care of.

But F1 does nothing on my Desktop. Perhaps U're confusing HOME with PRO.

And as for the Run access to the C Drive has been denied so browsing for shortcuts won't open the C Drive. Nothing gets displayed.

So I'm good to go.

ivnj

This site has a forum to leave messages if you can't find what you want
http://www.tweakxp.com/tweakxp/default.asp
Also has links to more sites dealing with XP tips