Netbooks - Within school

[flashsnaps]

Planning to purchase Netbooks for our school, they come with XP home which wont go on a Domain.

Is it possible to download components to enable them to be joined to the Domain using the existing home xp.

 

What do you guys do with yours?? Linux isn't an option unfortunately.

[Michael]

All is not lost with XP Home. You can map network drives, configure printers and configure wallpapers etc using scripts, but you won't be able to lock down Control Panel for example.

 

Your only option (realistically) is to upgrade machines to XP Professional.

[LeMarchand]

I've just set up a load with SteadyState that allows you to place various restrictions on the machines, if it's that sort of thing you need from joining them to the domain.

[Daleus]

We attempted it. Awful.

 

Pain in the coxics to manage.

 

In the end I used nircmd (invisible cmd) to download contents of a network 'control' folder and execute "control.vbs" which then runs any associated files or commands or anything. They do this at every boot.

 

So as long as it is something I can change with .vbs or .bat I can do it when they restart their machines.

 

Crude - but McGyver would be proud...infact no he wouldn't - it's awful.

[pooley]

We upgraded ours to XP Pro - Was easier in long run. Allowed us to buy the cheaper linux versions

[FN-GM]

XP Pro here as well.

 

Another option could be to use them as thin clients to access a terminal server. Or you can just use them to access you VLE or sharepoint site and access network resources that way.

[Little-Miss]

Same problem here fishsnaps. Im thinking about maybe creating an image that you can use if the kids mess with the settings.

[Tony_Mc]

XP pro here as well, more and more being bought into the school.

[Little-Miss]

Think Pooley has a point too, maybe next time i buy the Linux ones and put Pro on

[Domino]

We found keeping linux was a better tool to beat into people that they were to be used for light usage - internet access, open office etc.

 

It was far easier to tell people there was no way for them to use cubase on it then have them moan about it.

 

Plus increased VLE usage by having them save their work there...