How To Restrict Users From Playing Video Games (WXP-Pro)

[tippu]

is it possible to restrict users from playing video games through windows registry (win xp professional)? can someone help me about it?

I know the way to restrict specific applications through registry(using DisallowRun key), but for it I have to give the application's exe file name. But how can I restrict a user from playing all video games?, of course I cannot give exe file names of all video games?

can someone help me please?

[tom_keefer]

I think you will find this approach easier: <a target="_blank" href=http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308418>How to set, view, change, or remove file and folder permissions in Windows XP</a>

<font color=purple>Tom</font color=purple>


ya'aa'tey

XP Pro SP2 - Intel D925XCV - P4 2.8 GHz, 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache, HTT, socket 775 - WD 36GB Raptor - 1GB Crucial DDR2 PC2-4200 - Plextor 716A - Chaintech NVIDIA GeForce 6600GT -Samsung 19" LCD -

[tippu]

tom_keefer thanks for your reply. I know how to set permissions on files and folders.
The question is from a company which requires to restrict its employees from playing any games on the computers during the office hours. Some solutions are to restrict the installation of any program, or to set permissions on files or folders, but as for the work requirement company cannot do it, so the only way left is to restrict games in some way from registry (like company has restricted some other specific applications through DisallowRun key in registry, but as I wrote before, for it exe file name of the application is required. Which is not possible in case of restricting all games)

Anyhow thanks for your reply.

[tom_keefer]

tippu ...

Perhaps some other forum member might have a solution for you. FWIW, I had two employees that, after repeated warnings, continued to play games during working hours (playing during lunch breaks was OK). I fired both of them. Believe me, the message was heard loud and clear.

<font color=purple>Tom</font color=purple>


ya'aa'tey

XP Pro SP2 - Intel D925XCV - P4 2.8 GHz, 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache, HTT, socket 775 - WD 36GB Raptor - 1GB Crucial DDR2 PC2-4200 - Plextor 716A - Chaintech NVIDIA GeForce 6600GT -Samsung 19" LCD -

[monkey_1]

You could restrict ALL the applications (*.exe) except the ones you need for your work using <a target="_blank" href=http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/113/>this tweak</a>

<font color=orange>Mono</font color=orange>

[BertImmenschuh]

What I did in the Win95/98 days was delete the .exe file for the built-in games and created a batch file that displayed a message: You are not permitted to play this game on this computer. Then I used a small program to convert that .bat file to a .com file and renamed it to .exe, one for each of the games' .exe file such as sol.exe, freecell.exe, etc. Worked good until WinME and WinXP with their System Restore came about.

<font color=blue>Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.</font color=blue> <font color=green>Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.</font color=green>

[motoflop]

From windows point of view games are like any other applications. There is no way to determine automatically if user is play a game or using a "legal" application. Someone must define which applications are games and which are not.

If I really wanted to prevent someone using games, I would create a special application for this. Basically it would be virus or spyware scanner engine with information about all known games. So you are facing same problems than fighting against viruses and spyware.

Maybe only working way is to hire guards or install security cameras, but then laws could restrict that or workers simply quit working on company.

You can of course make playing harder, but you cannot prevent it totally.