Hi, at my office, I control 3 computers, all of them running Windows XP Pro. I try my best in keeping people who use these computers from changing the PC settings, but it seems like someone is still bypassing my restrictions. I do not see any odd programs installed and most programs cannot be installed without administrator rights. In addition, I am most positive that the people who use these computers are not hackers and do not know my password. However, the latest thing is that one of the PC's desktop background has been changed. Based on the knowledge that I know about bypassing, I could not crack it. So it seems like my restrictions are working, but I cannot believe this has happened without using any software or knowing my password. Is this possible? I am not looking for a how to, I just want to know if it is even worth setting up restrictions.
I'm not the best person to say what you can do, but there is something you haven't mentioned, you say about Admin rights, ALL accounts in xp (any version) have Admin rights by default, as such there are no restrictions as to what the user can do on the pc, so I don't know how you have tried to lock those systems down, but if they have not been limited by 3rd party software, or had non Admin accounts (specified in the new account as such), then there is nothing they can't do as far as I know.
There are 2 options you have that I can think of, as I just said there is 3rd party software, but it will not be free, but it will certainly stop them doing anything to the system's, but the best chance you have to minimise what they can do, is to create Limited User accounts, I can't say exactly what can\can't be done in these accounts, best advice there is set one up for testing, and have a play and see what you can do in it, if you can do something then they will be able to as well, newer operating systems have greater control over this I think, but I've never really gone into it, so can only go on what I have seen others say, but these are your only options that I know of, others may know of other possible's, but at least this gets you started, hope it helps a bit.
I'm not the best person to say what you can do, but there is something you haven't mentioned, you say about Admin rights
My bad. It is always hard for me to remember everything I need to specify in my post. On that note, yes I have 1 account as administrator with password and another with limited rights and no password. Also, while searching the internet yesterday, apparently it can be done through Internet Explorer. DAMB Microsoft
