[1709, fcu] Disable Taskview \ Multiple Desktops

[eddyc]

Hello all,

 

Our wonderful students have now discovered that if they press Windows Key, CTRL and D they can get a new desktop.

 

What they are going is using this to launch games, etc on another desktop. Every time a teacher comes past they use Windows Key CTRL and Tab to switch back to their first desktop

 

I have tried to block the D hotkey using https://winaero.com/blog/disable-certain-winkey-shortcuts-in-windows-10/ but it doesn't seem to work.

 

The taskview button is removed from the taskbar via GPO but I really need a way to remove these keyboard shortcuts too.

 

Any pointers would be appreciated.

 

Kind regards, eddyc

[timbo343]

We disabled the windows key on all student machines.. problem solved

[eddyc]

We disabled the windows key on all student machines.. problem solved

 

 

 

How are you achieving that? We've always had Windows hot keys via GPO

 

(User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> File Explorer. In the right-side pane, double-click on the Turn off Windows + X hotkeys - Set to enabled)

 

But it still lets you create a new desktop.

[Arthur]

Any pointers would be appreciated.

Timbo343 might be using the 'Scancode Map' method of disabling the (left) Windows key since that's another common way of doing it. This is a per-machine setting however.

 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,00,5b,e0,00,00,00,00

Edited April 5, 2019 by Arthur

[timbo343]

Yup, that's exactly how we are doing it

 

[eddyc]

Timbo343 might be using the 'Scancode Map' method of disabling the (left) Windows key since that's another common way of doing it. This is a per-machine setting however.

 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,00,5b,e0,00,00,00,00

 

Do you think there would there be a way to change that per user or not?

 

A number of our PCs are shared between staff & students and I think staff would complain in the Windows key was disabled.

 

eddyc

[Arthur]

Do you think there would there be a way to change that per user or not?

Unfortunately not.

[Arthur]

Another way to do it would be to use AutoHotkey to disable the Windows key. If you compile the .ahk to an .exe you could run this on logon just for the students.

 

; Disable Left Windows Key
LWin::Return

[eddyc]

Another way to do it would be to use AutoHotkey to disable the Windows key. If you compile the .ahk to an .exe you could run this on logon just for the students.

 

; Disable Left Windows Key
LWin::Return

 

Thanks for this.

 

Incidentally, they can still create a new desktop (Using CTRL, Windows and D) but cannot get back to the new desktops (using Windows and Tab). Is there a way to disable the whole key sequence using AutoHotKey? My Google and scripting skills are letting me down!

 

Cheers eddyc

[jthompson]

We've had to start looking into this now as well.

 

So far, we've hidden the taskbar icon and overridden the Win+Tab and Win+Ctrl+D shortcuts using AutoHotKey. That all works well enough, but we've spotted that students have been invoking Task View using a shortcut file. The shortcut points to:

C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:::{3080F90E-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257}

That GUID is the CLSID for Task View.

 

Have now restricted LNK files using FSRM, but USB storage is available to end users still. Looking into somehow breaking that CLSID in reg, but no joy thus far. Open to any suggestions.

[eddyc]

We've had to start looking into this now as well.

 

So far, we've hidden the taskbar icon and overridden the Win+Tab and Win+Ctrl+D shortcuts using AutoHotKey. That all works well enough, but we've spotted that students have been invoking Task View using a shortcut file. The shortcut points to:

C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:::{3080F90E-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257}

That GUID is the CLSID for Task View.

 

Have now restricted LNK files using FSRM, but USB storage is available to end users still. Looking into somehow breaking that CLSID in reg, but no joy thus far. Open to any suggestions.

 

Would you be happy to share your code from AutoHotKey please? I couldn't get it work and if I can get this working it would be a good step in the correct direction!

 

Thanks

 

eddyc

[jthompson]

Would you be happy to share your code from AutoHotKey please? I couldn't get it work and if I can get this working it would be a good step in the correct direction!

 

Thanks

 

eddyc

 

This is what we've used. It's run as a user login script. The AHK executable is in the same alongside this script:

 

#NoEnv  			; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
#NoTrayIcon			; Hide the tray icon.
SendMode Input  		; Recommended for new scripts due to its superior speed and reliability.
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%  	; Ensures a consistent starting directory.
#^D:: Return			; Win+Ctrl+D creates a new virtual desktop in Windows. This prevents it.
#Tab:: Return			; Win+Tab opens the virtual desktops switcher. This prevents it.
#^Left:: Return			; Win+Ctrl+Left switches between multiple desktops. This prevents it.
#^Right:: Return		; Win+Ctrl+Right switches between multiple desktops. This prevents it.

[timbo343]

Yup, that's exactly how we are doing it

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]52949[/ATTACH]

 

For @SimonInOz

 

Here is our setting from our Group Policy