When you're searching for a way to standardize desktop settings, prevent users from modifying the hardware and environment settings, or control or restrict user actions, then you need to use the Windows System Policy Editor. It gives you the capability to create or edit local registry values. The System Policy Editor is a powerful-though relatively undocumented-tool for creating and editing local registry values to standardize desktop settings, prevent users from modifying hardware and environment settings, or control or restrict user actions.
"The System Policy Editor is a rarely used network tool," says Anderson-Redick. "Administrators of Windows 9x or Windows NT4 workstations-especially administrators of shared workstations, like those in public libraries, schools, and hospitals-would find policies very helpful. In these situations, system policies can offer consistent desktops, unavailable Control Panel applets, restricted software packages, and network-wide application settings."
How do you set up different security restrictions for each user? What do you do if you want to set up a policy for a group rather than a single user? How do you configure desktops for roving users so that any computer they use will have the same look? Now that you have your network security, how do you protect your computer if it is unplugged from the network? These are just a few of the questions this essential new guide answers.
Windows System Policy Editor is the only book on the market covering the System Policy Editor (SPE), showing readers how to prevent security problems like file tampering, loss of data as a result of accidental system software changes, or users being locked out of their own computers.
"When I first began to use the System Policy Editor I realized there was a significant lack of detailed information on the topic," explains Anderson-Redick. "Once I became comfortable with the SPE, I decided to create a web page based on my own experience. That web page garnered so much interest, and from such a wide variety of sites, that I realized I wasn't the only administrator who had struggled with the dearth of available information. I especially wanted to help administrators understand not only how to implement the SPE, but also its particular idiosyncrasies. It is these quirks that cause most administrators to give up on what is in fact a very valuable tool."
Online Resources:
- Windows System Policy Editor: Top 10 Tips is available online.
- Chapter 8, Creating a Custom Template, is freely available online.
- The author's web page with more hints and tips.
- More information about the book, including Table of Contents, index, author bio, and samples.
- A cover graphic in jpeg format.
Windows System
Policy Editor
By Stacey Anderson-Redick
1st Edition June 2000
1-56592-649-8, 546 pages, $34.95
order@oreilly.com
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