As a standard user - stay off my desktop....

netguysc · 28 Oct 2009

As a standard user on windows 7, How do you keep icons / programs from being installed on my desktop that other standard users install under their standard user account?

I know the other standard users are getting admin privileges in order to software, I just want to keep their icons / programs out of my account / desktop when they install software....

The only way I know of doing this is to dual boot, but there has just got to be a better way.

Any idea how to do this?

Thanks for you time

ba5ik · 28 Oct 2009

There is a point in most software installs when it asks if you want to install for all users or just the current user. Sounds like everyone is just clicking through and not bothering to read through the prompts....

Brink · 28 Oct 2009

Hello Netguysc,

There are two desktop folders that Windows 7 uses. Some programs will give you a option to where you want it's shortcut placed, or what users can use the program during it's installation.

The hidden C:\Users\Public\Public Desktop folder that contains the shortcuts that are on all users desktops. You can remove the shortcuts that you do not want everyone to have from here, but it can only be done from an administrator account.

and

The C:\Users\(user-name)\Desktop folder that only contains the shortcuts for that specific user account name.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Barman58 · 28 Oct 2009

talk to whoever is administering the system and ask them to see if they can protect the public desktop by changing NTFS permissions

netguysc · 04 Jul 2012

Here I am July 2012 and am re- searching for a solution to this.

My home computer has 5 standard user accounts and one administrator account. I am so tired of the other users program icons showing up on my desktop. I don't want to use these programs and do not want their icons on my desktop.

Is there anyway I can log in as an administrator and change a setting or registry entry, so that every program installed by any standard user, automatically is NOT shared with all users?

Brink · 04 Jul 2012

Hello Netguysc,

As far as I know, unless the program has an option during it's installation to either install it for "This user only" or "For all users" OR to uncheck a "create a shortcut on desktop" option, it will place the shortcut on all users' desktop by default. Even then, the one installing the program must still do it.

Have you already tried what Nigel posted above to change the permissions of the hidden C:\Users\Public\Public Desktop folder to only have Read set (checked) under "Allow" for the standard users?

Permissions - Allow or Deny Users and Groups

UsernameIssues · 05 Jul 2012

netguysc said:

...I know the other standard users are getting admin privileges in order to software,...

And as admin, they can write to the desktop that all users share.

If I log on as a standard user and I check the NTFS settings for the public desktop, I see the default setting is already set to READ... no other permissions are checked by default. [But there might be something to this that I'm not understanding or doing right - since Brink suggested this setting.]

As a standard user - stay off my desktop....-std-user.jpg

I suggest that you set the account that you use to DENY read for that public desktop folder. [I've tested this and it does what you want.]

As a standard user - stay off my desktop....-you.jpg

It sounds like the account that you normally use is a standard account. If you log into your normal account & you use the admin account/password to install a program, that installation process might place a shortcut/icon on in the public desktop folder. You will not be able to see that shortcut/icon because you denied yourself that privilege. If you want that shortcut on your desktop, you might have to manually place it there (perhaps by copying it from the Start Menu). It all depends on the options that the installation process offers you and/or the options that you select during an install.