The first thing that comes to mind is disabling Windows Installer for non-managed apps via GPO, considering you are already doing something similar as you had mentioned that may be the most viable solution.
 
Otherwise, I'm not sure if its possible or how difficult it would be to implement but you could restrict the use of certain file extensions in the user folder tree which would prevent users from running executables for instance.
 
Just two ideas... I'm sure there will be more


From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Edwin
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2004 8:06 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [ActiveDir] Fileserver and Self-Executing Programs

Within our domain, roaming profiles are used. The roaming profiles are limited to 10MB by means of a GPO.  The user is also given a networked drive (K:\) that gives them an additional 40MB which gives them a grand total of 50MB of usable space when on their workstations.  The 50MB limit is then enforced by Disk Quotas.  The roaming profile data and the networked drive are both on the same machine.

 

The user logging into their workstation is not able to install applications unless first approved.  What I have noticed however is that users within the domain are still managing to run unauthorized pieces of software.  They are doing this by copying the files K:\  The application that they want to use is a self executing program that does not need to write data to the registry or modify the system in any way.

 

In one case, I noticed that a user is using FireFox.  I installed the software with under the same user privileges and was able to do so but with a warning that the application may not install correctly without Admin rights. The application did install to the K:\ and worked correctly when was opened.  The good thing about this was that anything that was written to the registry was access denied.

 

So here is the question.  How can I prevent users from installing these type of applications to the K:\?  When they do this, they are using resources on the remote machine that shouldn’t be.  I could care less that they are using more drive space since it will only affect them and their ability to write more files to the remote machine or will prevent them from logging off of their desktop until the space is cleared.

 

I don’t have a problem putting fear into those who are doing this, but I would rather just cut them off and keep my mouth shut if a solution is available.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks everyone for your replies,

Edwin

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