at our school we have xp pro, and its locked down like crazy, i cant even double click on the clock in the corner and get it 2 pop up, i was just was wondering if there is a way to figure what program they are using to do that, or if im just an extremely limited user
I think most schools just have an admin type lock on everything. Meaning only the technician, or a teacher can access everything. I don't believe there's a certain program they use to do that, could be wrong.
That is correct. I believe the admin can lock just about any fuction/option they want. The computers at my school are set up just about the same way.
Ha, I remember in high school when one of my friends found out a teachers' password. That was fun.
But yes, I'm pretty sure the admin settings are your problem.
It's either the admin settings, or, in the case of my school, the system is running a program called DeepFreeze.
DeepFreeze automatically dumps all changes that have been made to the computer since boot when it is shut down. I'll let the site explain:
"At first glance a system using Deep Freeze looks like any other. The system acts and reacts as you would expect. There is no apparent detriment on performance, or any loss of functionality. In fact, the only way to actually tell that the system is frozen is the existence of an icon in the system tray. The program does use about 10% of the available hard disk space, but in today's market where disk space is cheap this shouldn't be too much of an issue.
The Deep Freeze program loads as part of the standard system boot. During the Deep Freeze initialization phase, indicated by a series of periods, you can enter the Deep Freeze menu and disable it if necessary. This allows configuration changes to be made or programs to be added or removed. Once the changes are made, a reboot makes the changes become part of the frozen setup and the system is once again protected.
The only drawback, and it is a big one, is that any configuration changes, or any files that are saved on the system while it is frozen are lost. This requires a degree of education for the user, and a degree of awareness for the administrator. Users who unwittingly save their work to the C: drive are unlikely to be understanding if you explain the freezing process only after the event.
Restricting changes that people make, and preventing files from being saved are a bonus in terms of reduced administration, but such a level of control would be inappropriate in certain circumstances. Imagine trying to tell the Regional Sales Manager he can't change the Windows wallpaper or install Real Player, because his system is frozen. Under other circumstances, where the issue of control is paramount, a product like Deep Freeze really has its place. Such an environment is the educational sector where a single PC endures a variety of users on a daily basis and where the users are, how should we put it, less than kind towards the systems."
My friend figured out how to get around Deepfreeze or uninstall it or something similar to that. It rocked.
Usually these restrictions are in place for a reason. Stop attempting to abuse your priviledges of the resources at your school.
I didn't ask for information about exploiting anything, did i? No i did not.
Why would you care what they used to restrict you from doing things that you should not be doing in the first place?
There are a lot of power-hungry people who DESTROYED programs that locked down the system in my high school. All these little tricks and whatnot to get around the administrator.
Some moron tried to format the drive while deepfreeze was on... boy what a mess.
But in general, the lockdown shouldn't be that bad. At least you can get work done right?