Just over a year: hide My Computer

[TMGB]

Eureka !! (I'll keep my clothes on) It has been barley over a year and I
have now found the answer I was seeking (totally by accident), others
might want this information also.  Far below is the registry editing
that will disable My Computer and more specifically disable individual
right click options to My Computer and the Start Button.  Once the My
Computer registry edit is done as shown below, double clicking on My
Computer doesn't do anything.  If you go to
http://www.halcyon.com/cerelli/registry_tips.htm you may notice that the
procedure has been slightly edited here because of actual registry
paths.  So there is a way - Without - the use of third party software,
to disable My Computer.   Otherwise you would have had to hide all
desktop icons to take My Computer off of the desktop. Even TWEAK cannot
hide and disable just the My Computer icon. There are several other
registry items at that URL that may be helpful to some of you,
restrictions you can set without running poledit, etc.  There are other
good helpful pages at that site also.

Thomas


Original Question:
Without having to purchase third party software, does anyone know how to
disable, lock, hide, or otherwise prevent access to My Computer from
the Desktop in Windows 95?


Below is the original post and the helpful responses from the WEB4LIB
Archives (thanks to all):

April 1998

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/archive/9804/0092.html
     WIN 95: Security: how can I hide My Computer from the desktop
      - TMGB - Apr 8, 1998     

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/archive/9804/0153.html
     Re: WIN 95: Security: how can I hide My Computer from the desktop
      - Ken Becker - Apr 14, 1998     

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/archive/9804/0155.html
     Re:WIN 95: Security: how can I hide My Computer.
      - Susan Acampora - Apr 15, 1998     

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/archive/9804/0160.html
     How can I hide My Computer from the desktop
      - Linda Woods Hyman - Apr 15, 1998     

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/archive/9804/0161.html
     Re:WIN 95: Security: how can I hide My Computer.
      - Kyle Harriss - Apr 15, 1998     

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/archive/9804/0162.html
     Re:WIN 95: Security: how can I hide My Computer.
      - Marsha Weeks - Apr 15, 1998     

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/archive/9804/0167.html
     RE: WIN 95: Security: how can I hide My Computer.
      - Vladislav S. Davidzon - Apr 15, 1998     






--------------------------------------------------------------

Found at : http://www.halcyon.com/cerelli/registry_tips.htm

Disabling the Right-Click on the Start Button

Added 6/29/96

Normally, when you right button click on the Start button, it allows you
to open your programs folder, the Explorer and run Find.
In situations where you don't want to allow users to be able to do this
in order to secure your computer.

  1.Start Regedit 
  2.Open to HKey_Classes_Root \ Directory 
  3.Expand this section 
  4.Under Shell is Find 
  5.Delete Find 
  6.Move down a little in the Registry to Folder 
  7.Expand the Shell section and remove Explore and Open 

Now when you right click on the Start button, nothing should happen.
You can delete only those items that you need.
Note: - On Microsoft keyboards, this also disables the Window-E (for
Explorer) and Window-F (for Find) keys.
See the section on Installation to see how to do this automatically
during an install.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disabling My Computer

Added 6/29/96

In areas where you are trying to restrict what users can do on the
computer, it might be beneficial to disable the ability to click on My
Computer and have access to the drives, control panel etc.
To disable this:

  1.Start Regedit 
  2.Search for 20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D 
  3.This should bring you to the HKey_Classes_Root \ CLSID section 
  4.Delete the entire section. 

Now when you click on My Computer, nothing will happen.
You might want to export this section to a registry file before deleting
it just in case you want to enable it again..

See the section on Installation to see how to do this automatically
during an install.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas McMillan Grant Bennett           Appalachian State University
Computer Consultant II                  University Library
bennettt at am.appstate.edu               
http://www.library.appstate.edu/admin/
Voice:  828 262 6587			FAX:    828 262 3001

Windows 95 is a 32-bit extension to a 16-bit patch for an 8-bit
operating system that was originally coded for a 4-bit microprocessor.
 - Chris Dunphy     Boot Magazine