lock desktop layout

[firefighting]

Sorry if this has been asked before

W2k3 server; XP workstations.
I want to layout a desktop, lock the icons and distribute to work stations.

At the moment I have folder redirection for desktop for staff and pupils. Is there a GPO setting for this or should I use a vbs script or registry setting on logon?
Any advice appreciated.
regards
ff

[FN-GM]

I touched on this and didnt look into it much, would be nice to stop people re-arranging dekstop icons. I like the common look and for everything to look the same.

[KarlGoddard]

I touched on this and didnt look into it much, would be nice to stop people re-arranging dekstop icons. I like the common look and for everything to look the same.

I think users should be able to rearrange or customise their desktops!

I personally prefer like the recycle bin to be on the bottom right of the desktop for example. Why, because that's what works for me!

I definitely wouldn't restrict pupils from customising their desktops too! As long as they can't delete anything that *needs* to be there or they add inappropriate wallpapers etc, give them the freedom to potentially be more efficient or productive.

Putting one more, pointless IMHO, restriction on ict usage puts one more barrier in a pupils way.

In a Primary environment I could understand keeping a unified desktop - to aid memory / familiarisation, but in a secondary... well not in my secondary at all!

[richard.thomas]

Mandatory profiles should do this for you

[FN-GM]

I think users should be able to rearrange or customise their desktops!

I personally prefer like the recycle bin to be on the bottom right of the desktop for example. Why, because that's what works for me!

I definitely wouldn't restrict pupils from customising their desktops too! As long as they can't delete anything that *needs* to be there or they add inappropriate wallpapers etc, give them the freedom to potentially be more efficient or productive.

Putting one more, pointless IMHO, restriction on ict usage puts one more barrier in a pupils way.

In a Primary environment I could understand keeping a unified desktop - to aid memory / familiarisation, but in a secondary... well not in my secondary at all!

Stopping them from doing this wont effect there education in anyway. All they do is waste time messing round customising things every lesson instead of getting on with work.

[Quackers]

I think users should be able to rearrange or customise their desktops!

I personally prefer like the recycle bin to be on the bottom right of the desktop for example. Why, because that's what works for me!

I definitely wouldn't restrict pupils from customising their desktops too! As long as they can't delete anything that *needs* to be there or they add inappropriate wallpapers etc, give them the freedom to potentially be more efficient or productive.

Putting one more, pointless IMHO, restriction on ict usage puts one more barrier in a pupils way.

In a Primary environment I could understand keeping a unified desktop - to aid memory / familiarisation, but in a secondary... well not in my secondary at all!

Thats the way i started off when we changed to Windows XP in 2003, but 6 months in the head of ICT requested i made it so students could not customise, as it was confusing him when the kids moved the my computer icon to somewhere else than top left.....

[leco]

Mandatory profiles should do this for you

Primary environment here, with mandatory profiles for pupils. However, staff can, and do, customise desktops.

[theeldergeek]

Putting one more, pointless IMHO, restriction on ict usage puts one more barrier in a pupils way

What it does is remove any temptation to fiddle, and thus directs their attention to learning. They are not there to customise desktops!

[jamin100]

Use folder redirection to redirect their desktop and start menu folders to a share on the server. Put all the icons that you want in it and set the folders as read only.

They then wont be able to change / add icons to the desktop

[FN-GM]

They can still move them round the desktop though.

[KarlGoddard]

we've never had a single request to restrict desktop customisation - no issues here at all regarding students spending more time moving icons than working...

then again our SLT do encourage that classroom discipline issues - which 'fiddling' with things is - are dealt with through teacher discipline and not by us.

[Domino]

With a read only share, they can move them around, but it won't save it. It'll soon be boring for them when the realise nothing saves

[firefighting]

I work in a special school with children with many problems so having a fixed desktop and icons grouped up so they can be found easier is a bonus.

I tried setting the desktop layout then exporting the registry setting for Explorer with DWORD NoSaveSettings >> to 1

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\Explorer. Then runing a script at logon. Would this be a good way to go?
ff

[SYNACK]

I work in a special school with children with many problems so having a fixed desktop and icons grouped up so they can be found easier is a bonus.

I tried setting the desktop layout then exporting the registry setting for Explorer with DWORD NoSaveSettings >> to 1

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\Explorer. Then runing a script at logon. Would this be a good way to go?
ff

There is a group policy setting which allows you to enable the same thing, It won't prevent them from moving icons around though it just prevents the changes from being permanent.

The easiest way to do this that I can thing of is hiding the icons all together and using a custom html page with fixed image links to the applications you want and then enforcing this on the users with group policy.

[firefighting]

Sounds a good approach. I will give it a try. No problem with moving icons as long as it starts the same layout. Thanks for the suggestion
ff