Disable internet

[pandamonk]

I have three user accounts on windows xp. Me, my mum, and the studio. I want to be able to disable the LAN internet, and allow only basic startup on my studio account, but leave the others with internet access and normal startup. Is this possible, and how do you do it?

I can disable access and change startup options(with msconfig)on all accounts, but not just one.

Thanks

 

[ErichS]

I have three user accounts on windows xp. Me, my mum, and the studio. I want to be able to disable the LAN internet, and allow only basic startup on my studio account, but leave the others with internet access and normal startup. Is this possible, and how do you do it?

I can disable access and change startup options(with msconfig)on all accounts, but not just one.

Thanks

One way to do this is using "hardware profiles" . Basically you setup a profile and disable/enable whichever components and load that profile at startup. Below is info copied from Windows Help

"To create a hardware profile
You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings might also prevent you from completing this procedure.

Open System in Control Panel.
On the Hardware tab, click Hardware Profiles.
Under Available hardware profiles, click Profile 1 (Current), and then click Copy.
Type a name for the new hardware profile, and then click OK.
You can customize your new profile by enabling or disabling devices for that profile in Device Manager. For more information about Device Manager, click Related Topics.
Notes

To open System, click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
The profile named Profile 1 (Current) provides a model for you to create new hardware profiles. It will not appear in the list of available hardware profiles shown during startup.
Related Topics"

 

[pandamonk]

Thanks. Ok, I've created three hardware profiles. How do i make each open when you logon to each user? And how do i change the startup setting within each profile?

 

[ErichS]

Thanks. Ok, I've created three hardware profiles. How do i make each open when you logon to each user? And how do i change the startup setting within each profile?

Unfortunately, Windows does not provide a user frendly interface for loading hardware profiles. AFAIK they can only be loaded by restarting windows. You would need to create a profile for each user or purpose (e.g. recording) and in the profile properties check the box that says something like "...include at startup"

When you restart, windows will put up a text menu before the user login screen where you would select the profile to use. Once a profile is selected, the user logs in as normal.

There may be more elegant ways to do what you need but this is the only way I know.

 

[pandamonk]

Unfortunately, Windows does not provide a user frendly interface for loading hardware profiles. AFAIK they can only be loaded by restarting windows. You would need to create a profile for each user or purpose (e.g. recording) and in the profile properties check the box that says something like "...include at startup"

When you restart, windows will put up a text menu before the user login screen where you would select the profile to use. Once a profile is selected, the user logs in as normal.

There may be more elegant ways to do what you need but this is the only way I know.

Thanks. Yeh i noticed that it wasn't so elegant. I'll just have one for family and one for studio. Do i just change the startup options in each profile with include at startup checked?

 

[ErichS]

Thanks. Yeh i noticed that it wasn't so elegant. I'll just have one for family and one for studio. Do i just change the startup options in each profile with include at startup checked?

First create the profile then reboot windows and load it. While the profile is loaded disable devices etc.. then those devices will remain off whenever that profile is loaded

 

[pandamonk]

First create the profile then reboot windows and load it. While the profile is loaded disable devices etc.. then those devices will remain off whenever that profile is loaded

It works for the internet, but the startup options seem the same. I'll keep trying.

Thanks very much for the help though.

Lee

 

[ErichS]

It works for the internet, but the startup options seem the same. I'll keep trying.

Thanks very much for the help though.

Lee

Which startup options are you trying to change?

 

[pandamonk]

Which startup options are you trying to change?

Just what opens on startup. Like MSN, AVG, zonealarm, etc for my normal account, and nothing but the bare-bones on the studio account.

 

[ErichS]

Just what opens on startup. Like MSN, AVG, zonealarm, etc for my normal account, and nothing but the bare-bones on the studio account.

I don't know how to disable those kinds of things for individual users. You may be able to acomplish this using "group policies", but I'm afraid I don't know enough about that to help. I found some info in the following link but it is not too specific so it may require a lot of trial and error.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310791/en-us

 

[pandamonk]

I don't know how to disable those kinds of things for individual users. You may be able to acomplish this using "group policies", but I'm afraid I don't know enough about that to help. I found some info in the following link but it is not too specific so it may require a lot of trial and error.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310791/en-us

Thanks for the link. I've searched a bit about it, and i found a program which claimed to allow it, but i don't know how to do it. I worked out a way though. Each account has its own startup folder, which you can input links to the programs to want to open. You simply disable all programs but the ones you want in the recording account, then input all the ones you want into the folder. It seems quite tedious though, but at least it's a way.

I'll follow your link, and hopefully there will be an easier option.

EDIT: It suggests run/gpedit, which for some reason doesn't work for me.

 

[ErichS]

Thanks for the link. I've searched a bit about it, and i found a program which claimed to allow it, but i don't know how to do it. I worked out a way though. Each account has its own startup folder, which you can input links to the programs to want to open. You simply disable all programs but the ones you want in the recording account, then input all the ones you want into the folder. It seems quite tedious though, but at least it's a way.

I'll follow your link, and hopefully there will be an easier option.

EDIT: It suggests run/gpedit, which for some reason doesn't work for me.

Your way isnt too bad for a small number of users. There probably is a utility for this though, I just don't know what it is.

For the gpedit be sure to include the ".msc" extension in the run command ...i.e. gpedit.msc

 

[pandamonk]

Your way isnt too bad for a small number of users. There probably is a utility for this though, I just don't know what it is.

For the gpedit be sure to include the ".msc" extension in the run command ...i.e. gpedit.msc

Yeah, i tried it. That's what i got(below). I've started my way, and it's ok. I'll just do it for my account and copy my settings to my mums. I don't want too much running on mine either, so it ashouldn't take too long.

Thanks again

 

[pandamonk]

Just noticed that the program i downloaded, autoruns, shows the startup folder for each user, so you can change the startup with it. It doesn't make it much faster though. That's it all changed now, and I'll check to see if it's working.

 

[ErichS]

Just noticed that the program i downloaded, autoruns, shows the startup folder for each user, so you can change the startup with it. It doesn't make it much faster though. That's it all changed now, and I'll check to see if it's working.

Glad you got it working. Thanks for the rep!