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Thread ID: 94142 2008-10-16 04:13:00 Company Computer - Limiting Staff Access camo (4895) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
712563 2008-10-16 04:13:00 Hi all,

I run a small bar and restaurant, and have a computer which the staff use from time to time.

The only reason they use it is to use ONE PROGRAM ONLY. Is there a way that I can limit their user account to run this program only?

No internet, no start menu....zip. Nada.

Can I:

1. Nominate a program to start automatically as soon as they login

2. Make all other functions null and void except for the "log off user" command in the start menu?

Cheeeerrrs!!
camo (4895)
712564 2008-10-16 04:16:00 What's the operating system? Does each staff member have a different account? stormdragon (6013)
712565 2008-10-16 04:27:00 Kiosk mode maybe?

That was designed for one application, perhaps it can be locked somehow.

Edit: Just Googled - Kiosk mode was for IE rather than a specific program but Wiki has some ideas:
en.wikipedia.org
Jester (13)
712566 2008-10-16 04:57:00 Why don't you look at one of the many "Child PC Limitation" apps? minster (9180)
712567 2008-10-16 05:13:00 If your OS is XP Pro, you should be able to do this through Group Policy? nofam (9009)
712568 2008-10-16 05:35:00 If your OS is XP Pro, you should be able to do this through Group Policy?

Yes-This can all be done with gpedit, but you will need to disable the windows+? hotkeys too, or else your staff will be able to bring up the run command.

To make a program start automatically, just drag any program shortcuts to the start-up folder
Blam (54)
712569 2008-10-16 06:01:00 Try The Program from MS - Its free and called Steady State (www.microsoft.com) - NO fliddling around with reg files especially if you dont know what you are doing -

Just tried it on a windows XP HM install on a workshop PC, and after a very quick read ( less than 30 seconds) created an account that for all intense purposes wouldn't let me do anything apart from run the one program I selected/allowed to run, and shut down/reboot the PC.

What you do is have your main account - Yours/Administrator, password protect it and tell no one, you will have full control in your own account. Download and install Steady state, create a new user Via the program, lets call it "Staff".

BEFORE you go and lock every thing,(run through and select no restrictions) log into the new Staff account, then the program you want to run on start up, create a shortcut to it on the desktop, lets call it "staff work", drag the Staff Work shortcut into the All Programs/ Start up folder. This will cause the program to auto run each time the account is logged into.

Now log back into your own account, run through the settings and lock every thing you want to lock, in other words tick everything - in the programs select all programs to lock, then locate the "Staff Work" program and remove it from the blocked list.

Interesting feature I also found , you can set it to auto shut down the PC after a set time you decide.

Now log back out, log into the Staff Account and the Staff Work will auto open and allow to do what ever its designed to do.
Some features are still visible, but 99% are now gone/hidden--- BUT Heres the good part - ANYTHING that is tried to be opened like a Command prompt you get a message saying locked by Administrator.

I would take a screen shot - :crying :lol: But I couldn't as the function was locked as well as paint to paste it to - which would have been no good as the right click functions were also locked.
wainuitech (129)
712570 2008-10-16 06:17:00 Thanks for the review, Wainui! Sounds like a really good (and free!) addition to XP for some special situations. linw (53)
712571 2008-10-16 07:41:00 Why not make up company computer guidelines get the staff to sight the guidelines. Leave the computer open, trust your staff. If you cant trust your staff give them written warnings and fire them
Your staff will think you are an ok boss.
If my superiors at the bus company locked out our computer I would quit.
prefect (6291)
712572 2008-10-16 08:41:00 One reason business owners want to lock out certain functions is because of the lost time and other costs of staff doing things on the computers they are not meant to when they are meant to be working - I don't know the figures but I do know LOTS of $$$$$$$$ are lost.

Its not till the employees are on the other side of the fence so to speak - as they have to pay the bills and account for time that sometimes its realized.
wainuitech (129)
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