How to create a user account, without menus or butons - just desktop w

[AtilaS]

Hello all,

I need to create a user account on a Windows 7 workstation, but with strict rules. Namely, no Start Button (and therefore no Control Panel or All Programs), no Win+R, locked or maybe even removed taskbar, etc... I just want the user to be presented with a clean desktop showing only a few application icons he can run, at that's it.

How do I go about this??

Is there a minimum in terms of Windows 7 edition?

Regards,
Atila

 

[Anak]

Hi AtilaS, welcome to 7F!

You can do it by pressing the F11 Function button, but if your "user" is savvy s/he can change it back by pressing F11 again.

It sounds like you want to to have it happen automatically when logging in and have it locked that way, and I would have to research to see if it could be done.

As far as minimum's you should have an OS that's higher than Home Premium if you need to get into secpol.msc or gpedit.msc to make changes.

I'll keep looking if our members can't find an answer.

 

[gregrocker]

Why do you want to do this?

What would not be restricted enough if you passworded your Admin account and turned on the Guest account or customized a Standard account for others to use? They still wouldn't be able to make any changes and you wouldn't be crippling the OS.

Some customization like this can be done using Group Policy Editor in the higher versions.

 

[AtilaS]

Thanks for your replies, guys!

Yes, some tinkering with gpedit.msc would probably get it done. I looked up ways to set up "kiosk mode" for Windows 7 - and I came across a link that might do the trick. It's pretty simple, basically allowing or disallowing certain apps to run:

How to turn a Windows 7 PC into a Kiosk | Jared Heinrichs

I presume the admin account will be exempt from these restrictions, if I want to switch back? Or do changes made in Local Group Policy Editor affect all local users, not just the user under who's account I'm logged in when making those changes?