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

[aem]

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]

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

 

[aem]

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]

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

Decca

 

[Dwarf]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Job. Work. Boss.

Nuff said.

 

[jimbo45]

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

 

[pparks1]

We all have problems with NON TECHNICAL managers making TECHNICAL decisions

Well, as the OP said, maybe this decision isn't technical whatsoever...but rather a legal one or a compliance issue.

run W7 as a VM

If your boss told you that you weren't allowed to run Windows 7 on your work machine...then I wouldn't suggest running Windows 7 on your work machine in a VM either.

At the end of the day
1). The machine is the property of your employer and you are provided with the ability to use that machine to perform your job functions. This isn't your machine and you don't really have a say

2). Defying your boss is direct insubordination and could easily lead to job termination. Unless you really hate your job, I cannot imagine running Windows 7 is worth this risk.

 

[aem]

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

Yes i'm thinking of doing W7 VM, however, is there has MS made an ISO for this yet (assuming i'm going to use Virtual PC 2007) otherwise i will need to re-activate my license key in VM?

 

[aem]

At the end of the day

1). The machine is the property of your employer and you are provided with the ability to use that machine to perform your job functions. This isn't your machine and you don't really have a say

2). Defying your boss is direct insubordination and could easily lead to job termination. Unless you really hate your job, I cannot imagine running Windows 7 is worth this risk.

You are correct in saying that this is a work machine and the manager has jurisdiction over it, however i do not feel it's all that much about legality on a major scale. This imposition is so to stop others coming up to him and asking question about why is person X using w7 and can i install w7 etc. And also those who don't know what they are doing could end up with no work machine requiring rebuilds etc.

 

[pparks1]

This imposition is so to stop others coming up to him and asking question about why is person X using w7 and can i install w7 etc.

That's why the installation and decision on when to make it needs to be made by management and handled by the IT department.

And also those who don't know what they are doing could end up with no work machine requiring rebuilds etc.

Again, these employees shouldn't even be considering loading an OS on their own onto the machine. These things need to be left to the IT department to ensure
1). license compliance
2). security compliance
3). standard application installation and configuration
4). adding machine to the domain and ensuring group policy and logon scripts are running.

 

[sygnus21]

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

If you told me that I would tell you you're fired!

As a company I have a right to determine what my company computers have or don't have on them. And that job is left up to my IT department, not workers who are computer enthusiasts. Unauthorized software/hardware compromises security, regardless of what it is…or what we (the employees) think.

Just my two cents.