Does anyone use some software that undoes any changes to a local machine's hard drive on reboot?
Preferably freeware (as always!)
For winNT
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Does anyone use some software that undoes any changes to a local machine's hard drive on reboot?
Preferably freeware (as always!)
For winNT
Deepfreeze - but it costs around 5k
You could have a look at the Shared Computer Toolkit - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/s.../overview.mspx
I haven't had a chance to play properly with it yet, but the features are quoted as
Quote:
Defend shared computers from unauthorized changes to the hard disk
Defend
Unauthorized changes to a hard disk can make shared computers less reliable. Windows Disk Protection helps to prevent users, viruses, spyware, or other programs from making permanent changes to the hard disk by clearing changes each time the computer restarts.
Because certain changes, such as critical updates and antivirus signatures, need to be permanently saved, Windows Disk Protection allows you to schedule such changes to occur automatically at whatever time you choose.
I'm after NT, anyone know of any old utilities?
If your disks are formatted with NTFS, then you should have a pretty good level of control over what can be written to. Do you have a problem with a particular application/folder?
Are you running non-Logo apps on NT which require Power User or higher access rights?
Reborn card!
Made by Lenten Technologies in Taiwan, variously known in the past as Teacher Smart Card, PC Cure, Safekey, now Reborn card.
I'm amazed that more people aren't using these devices - we have had no instances of hacked or messed-up workstations (zero, none whatsoever!) in the 7 years we've been using them.
Don't bother with any policy restrictions whatsoever on the workstations, except a BIOS password. Just restart the machine and it reverts to its original state, without any imaging across the network.
They are BRILLIANT!!!
Check out http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?nam...r=asc&start=15 for some of my previous posts on this subject.
I really can't imagine running a school network without them. Details on http://www.bits.uk.com/
RoyG
Gotta lock 'em down to stop users downloading nasty stuff to attack you - from whatever source, and prevent users getting onto your servers and general povvishness.
DeepFreeze works out at about £10 per machine.
Basically we're cheating by installing NT and then running Citrix as its easier than configuring other thin client solutions.
Just wanted something to stop them messing up the setup.
Remove the disks, PXE boot the clients and run citrix apps that way.Quote:
Basically we're cheating by installing NT and then running Citrix as its easier than configuring other thin client solutions.
Thinstation config is only one file ! and a PXE boot rom can easily be copied to HDD if you don't have PXE NIC's
Got to disagree on this. Your server security needs to be 100%, but there's no need at all to worry about the workstations if you have this card installed. Anyway, the little darlings are perfectly capable of bringing nasty stuff in on disc, CD or USB stick - so why worry about them downloading to a workstation?Quote:
Originally Posted by mark
RoyG
@RoyG: Mostly so that they don't trash the PCs which we then spend time fixing. But also because if the machine becomes corrupted slightly you'll get a little problem here or there and this will stop if you use Deepfreeze of course it will also fix the big problems and Viruses will not cause as many problems either and of course if combined with decent RIS or Ghost imaging you'll have cut your workload drastically!
Wes
@Royg two things:
If even if server security is a 100%, if students or other non-repsonsible users have admin access to a client PC they can use it for phishing. I hope you don't login into the machines with server or personal credentials.
They will also have access to other user profiles which maybe not inline with DPA.
At the very least they will be able to play games and such which also goes against the reason why they are in school in the first place.
As a side point to this if you are running a Deepfreeze type piece of software and Ghost/RIS and you make sure that the servers are locked down securely then if the clients have AV and firewalls setup then locking down the PCs is optional. Discuss?
Wes
Erm...was my previous post unclear? /<Teacher voice