Windows 7 to go at work...on manager's demand.

aem · 09 Nov 2009

Today my manager has asked those that have w7 on their machines to remove it. Not sure what the reason for this was but i think it could be due to licencing legitimacy and/or compliance. Our company has yet to have a W7 build and therefore we are not allow to use it as the main (work) OS.

So now i have an issue. I was told to remove W7 and go back to XP, regardless of whether it's dualboot or not.

I have a work laptop as well as a home laptop which i could use for w7, but it's during work that i have all the fun with w7.

So what to do? Hide my w7 boot so that it won't get detected by my work network administrators, if so how exactly do i do this, from boot manager listing to network stealthility.

Fluffy · 09 Nov 2009

If it was me I would tell my boss to stop being a technophobe and allow the new OS :P

aem · 09 Nov 2009

Well i think it's not him, rather the people in the team that just go asking too many questions...questions that he cannot answer and so he made the decision to ban it.

Decca · 09 Nov 2009

This is an easy one.
Remove it.
He is the boss and has his reasons.

Decca

Dwarf · 09 Nov 2009

As the boss/manager/person-in-charge, s/he has the right to dictate what OS can be installed on company systems. Such a person has their reasons for this, in many cases it is not a dislike or aversion to a new OS; rather it is because some programs that they use will only run on an older OS and they do not want the hassle of upgrading them (especially if it costs them money). In some cases, the manufacturer simply refuses to support newer OSes with the existing program, although they do support them with a new version (and at, in some cases, quite a considerable cost).

aem · 09 Nov 2009

Nah, i think the banning is purely due to company security compliance. AND not wanting some to be better off or have "more" than others. I cannot see any harm in dualbooting to my work XP build if need be, but i guess everyone has to be "the same" so let it be.

smarteyeball · 09 Nov 2009

aem said:

Nah, i think the banning is purely due to company security compliance. AND not wanting some to be better off or have "more" than others. I cannot see any harm in dualbooting to my work XP build if need be, but i guess everyone has to be "the same" so let it be.

Whatever the reasoning, it's unfortunate that is has to occur, but you'd be better off doing it. An OS is not worth losing a job over.

As for hiding 7, any IT person with half a brain would find another OS hiding on there.

If they don't have a brain however, you could always have an XP VM minimised that can be fullscreened when anybody passes by - just like the old "Boss Key" from days of old :)

H2SO4 · 09 Nov 2009

aem said:

Nah, i think the banning is purely due to company security compliance. AND not wanting some to be better off or have "more" than others. I cannot see any harm in dualbooting to my work XP build if need be, but i guess everyone has to be "the same" so let it be.

I quite agree with Dwarf and everyone else who advised you to err on the side of caution and comply with the demand. Standardisation means a lot in the corporate environment, both in terms of cost management and attack surface reduction (less diverse software to worry about = less testing and administration).

Having said that, some companies allow specific groups of individuals who can show good cause to manage their own systems, with the caveat that they must meet certain company-wide security standards. For example, developers who frequently test stuff on their machines are generally allowed to do as they please, as long as their systems meet health requirements ("must be patched up to the gills + running company mandated AV"). Whether they'd be willing to put you in the "exception" category probably depends on what you do, and your bosses relationship with the IT department. No harm in asking

scubasteve · 09 Nov 2009

Job. Work. Boss.

Nuff said. :)

jimbo45 · 09 Nov 2009

aem said:

Today my manager has asked those that have w7 on their machines to remove it. Not sure what the reason for this was but i think it could be due to licencing legitimacy and/or compliance. Our company has yet to have a W7 build and therefore we are not allow to use it as the main (work) OS.

So now i have an issue. I was told to remove W7 and go back to XP, regardless of whether it's dualboot or not.

I have a work laptop as well as a home laptop which i could use for w7, but it's during work that i have all the fun with w7.

So what to do? Hide my w7 boot so that it won't get detected by my work network administrators, if so how exactly do i do this, from boot manager listing to network stealthility.

Hi there

run W7 as a VM

We all have problems with NON TECHNICAL managers making TECHNICAL decisions - but just think - at least you are getting paid - with unemployement at a record high - just say nothing.

Cheers
jimbo