How can i Disable the CD Drive from opening?

[eastlondon]

We have got 80 new DELL optiplex GX520 PCs But they have the Laptop CD Drives. Our last set of PC with the same drive didnt last very long & we would like to stop the kids from opening the drive without unpluging them from the mother board, as we (technicians) would like to use the drives for Imaging etc...

 

Does anyone know of a way of doing this in windows?

we are using Server 2003 & XP clients

 

Thanks

[indie]

I believe you can do it with AutoHotKey which is free and Open Source.

 

Follow the instructions here.

[bossman]

Even if there was it would not stop them as a simple paper clip unfolded can open the drive and it would not take long for them (if they didn't already know ) to work out. Bad move I don't order workstations with drives in them anymore they all come with blanking plates in except for the teachers. do yourself a favour and ditch them quick as they are nothing but a proverbial pain.Why create work for yourself seems a little OTT to me.

 

an old dilbert quote "I did NOTHING today and still got paid" springs to mind here. Busy enough doing teachers work!!!

[Guest]

Agree with bossman - if you need access to a CDROM then get a USB one for your use.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DELL-24-x-CD-ROM-FOR-OPTIPLEX-GX-50-S-F-F-DESKTOP_W0QQitemZ8829594150QQihZ005QQcategoryZ3754QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

80 X 29.00 = £2320.00

[eastlondon]

I just had a look @ the AutoHotkey & it looks abit long, is there an easy way to disable it in windows?

 

Thanks

[NetworkGeezer]

Also have a look at this URL

 

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Lockdown/CDRom-Lock.shtml

 

and if you have access to a visual basic compiler

 

http://vbnet.mvps.org/index.html?code/disk/deviolock.htm

[eastlondon]

Cheers NetworkGeezer the CDRom-Lock work a treat.

must buy NG a drink (i'll add that to the help desk)

[mac_shinobi]

Cant you get blanking plates as per above ( I know my dell laptop - although it is old has blanking plates on it ie one for the spare modular bay ) and then just keep the 38 drives ( cd or dvd ) so that you can install things later on as needed and possibly even sell some if you want, unless you wanted to keep one drive for each machine.

 

Even if you do use windows to lock the drive as per above using the IO Device Control as per the vb example, you can still use a paper clip to open it.

[NetworkGeezer]

I suppose the software version is to stop the opputinists.

I doubt many kids knew about the paper clip unless they read EduGeek

 

I agree with others who say a hardware solution is best. These days you should really install software via RIS(or other PXE variant for *nix) for the OS, AD group policies, rexec or manaully from shares.

[mac_shinobi]

true but personally I never like to tempt fate , I mean we just got internet filtering software from talmos and as soon as that kicked in the kids kept doing things to get around it ie using other short cuts in work space explorer to get online.

 

So just because its locked by software doesnt mean to say they will never figure out that the hole on the cd / dvd drive does or is for and I'm sure once one of them figures it out, it will spread like wild fire ( figuritivly speaking ).

 

P.S I don't want no chicken !!!

[eastlondon]

Can i run the CDRom-Lock as a service in XP?

As It only works if u have log in, & i think it only works if you have log in as an Administrator

 

My boss wanted CD on them just in case we needed to Image them as in the past we have had a lot of HDs go & we cant Image them without an OS on them (or CD)

 

Thanks

[NetworkGeezer]

Yes. That is a major drawback.

 

What system do you have for imaging? I think the more recent versions of Symatec Ghost and Acronis Trueimage can run form Windows PE, which itself can run from RIS (i.e. PXE based). i.e. No CD required.

 

As check the BIOS to see if it is possible to boot from USB flash drive or USB CD-ROM. If so then you then you can disable the internal CD drive and just use a removable unit. You can get enclosure to convert one into the other.

[Espada]

With regards to the paper clip technique of opening the drive, You could revert to the school techies best friend and put a drop of super glue in the hole. They could still open it by pressing the button however before Windows gets under way.

 

Best thing to do, leave the CD roms as they are. Block access to them using policies or tweak-UI. Make sure they do not boot from cd and lock the BIOS. You could also use nLite to build a custom CD with autorun disabled.

[Ric_]

You could just unplug them (although the paperclip thing will still work). This may be a little low-tech for you?

[ChrisC]

Now, I might be speaking ballsac, but in the bios in power options or something, can't you set the power to peripherals, can you disable the power to cd, unless you need it, boot up in bios and turn it back on.....

 

Thinking about it, it's late, I'm tired, and probably talking crap :? :? .

 

Chris