OT: computer admin experts

[louisvillekid]

my sister has asked me how you can keep a user account on a computer from being able to download files and or programs, basically just allow them to open a browser and surf the internet.
She says her BF, father of her kid , whatever she calls him this week, keeps downloading music and movies and installing programs on her computer and everytime she deletes them he puts them back on.
She said she has made herself the admin of the computer and created a user name for him, but she says she can't figure out how to block him from doing those things.
She runs windows xp, not the pro one.

I've spent the last hour looking through the so-called help and hints thing on my computer trying to figure it out for her, but it makes no sense to me. I don't know i've just never messed with making PW's and creating users accounts for other people.

anyone who could help and put it in laymen terms i would appreciate it.

 

[Betallsports]

As the administrator of the computer, she sets the Guidelines as to what Each user can do.

Also, Try this........

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd346863.aspx

 

[louisvillekid]

thanks, but that link is basically what all the stuff says in the tutorials on windows in the help and hints stuff.

I can't figure it out, damn windows says do this do that , but everything it says is not an option.

Says something about making the users part of a group to control access better, but i can't figure out how to put a user in a group.
Damn thing says go to open user accounts in control panel, go to users tab, under that users for this computer, click account name, then properties, select group membership tab, click group you want, then OK.

what? i have NO options like that in the control panel. i can see the admin and the guest and one i made up, but there is NO option for properties or group membership, only whether i want to add a PW or not or delete the user, basically very minimal options.

 

[wolfie_cr]

go into control panel/user accounts/ click on the account that is for the 'significant/annoying one' and set it to 'limited'

this will minimize the problems but you also have to totally remove any program that is already installed and could be used to download stuff

REALISTICALLY though........and from 10 years of experience in the IT field...let me tell you upfront that the only way to deal with an annoying user who tries to bypass whatever restrictions you set.........is to tell "one more of this ......and you are fired"

 

[louisvillekid]

yeah i figured that much out, about the limited thing, put it still doesn't have/show how to keep an account/user from being able to DL stuff.

I wish my sister could just 'fire" her so-called boyfriend.

 

[wolfie_cr]

he will still be able to download shit but he will be extremely restrained into installing anything

example

how do you download music? you have several choices

a) a software like the one allofmp3.com uses
b) a torrent
c) stuff like rapidshare

if you dont have the software for a & b, then he wont be able to

rapidshare stuff that is a whole different animal

you could however start blocking those sites using specific ways BUT it becomes an scalation war..........there will always be new sites that offer the same service

I can tell you how to block ALL navigation.......but probably your sister wants him to be able to browse normally sites like news etc

this is the thing, you guys in the States have really ugly monsters getting ready to whip your ass (RIAA or the MPAA) at the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars if you download anything illegally...........

it gets really ugly at that point


random googling took me to this

"


Home >> Support >> Tweaki > Prevent Downloading


How do I prevent users from downloading files from the Internet?

An easy solution exists, provided that the system uses Internet Explorer as its only browser. You can prevent other browsers from being installed or running on the system by implementing the feature within Tweaki entitled, "Run only allowed Windows applications". Open Internet Explorer and select Tools | Internet Options. Then select the Security tab. Highlight the Internet icon. Then select the Custom Level button. Scroll down until you find the option for Downloads. Select the choice labeled "Disable". Close all the dialogs and exit Explorer. Now load Tweaki. Select the Security | Internet Explorer tab. Under "Internet Explorer Security Zones" place a check in the box next to "Internet". Close Tweaki --your all done! The ability to download via Internet Explorer (HTTP) is now disabled.
"

 

[barman]

Your sister doesn't need a Computer Tutorial, she needs a class in raising her self-esteem so she can stand up to DickWad and let him know who is in charge of her personal possessions.

 

[louisvillekid]

thanks wolfie, i been playing around on mine and i did figure out a bunch of stuff in/through the IE browser, but me myself i have firefox and IE and Safari on mine. I did notice and figure out some things using the IE and using the tools and options. I set up a random user account on mine and then was disabling all kinds of stuff and i even was trying to type in specific sites to block and basically just messing around. So then i logged of as the admin and switched to my dummy account and opened IE and it would only load the home page , i couldn't even click links on that page without it telling me i needed a PW.
So basically i'm on the right track, i just have to figure some more out, but now it appears it doesn't even matter.
I've fucked with this on and off today and night, and you mentioned about the recording industry, i just read an article on yahoo earlier about some woman getting a couple million judgment against her for 24 songs, like 80 grand a song, so i just called my sister to tell her about it and to get the programs off the computer and she says she just went to walmart and bought a laptop and fuck it he can do what he wants with her old computer. I'm like you got to be shittin me, you been bitching about the dude and now after me trying to figure out a way to help , you just go and buy a laptop, wtf?
I told her she still needs to keep him from DL all those movies.

and yes barman, she does, but that is a whole other issue, my sister wants to try and portray this family image for the sake of my niece, regardless of how worthless this guy is.

 

[kidman232]

who cares if hes downloading music or movies