Blocking Limewire

[Allen Schoessler]

I'm in charge of a computer that is used for projecting the songs for worship services. We're moving towards a passworded system, but right now it needs to be open because sometimes people use it for authentic uses during the week when someone with the password can't be there.

Someone keeps installing Limewire on the computer. This is a processor/network hog which brings a happy collection of spyware with it. This degrades the proformance of the computer. Besides, the software has no business being on a church worship projection computer.

So, aside from passwording, what is a way that I can keep Limewire off of the computer? Spyware scans and uninstalling it every week are taking up a lot of my time. I have used the hosts file to block Limewire's website, but now they are bringing it in on CD. I thought of writing a simple program to close the Limewire setup program if it tries to run, but I can't help but think there is a better way.

Any ideas?

[visualAd]

Originally posted by Allen Schoessler
I'm in charge of a computer that is used for projecting the songs for worship services. We're moving towards a passworded system, but right now it needs to be open because sometimes people use it for authentic uses during the week when someone with the password can't be there.

Someone keeps installing Limewire on the computer. This is a processor/network hog which brings a happy collection of spyware with it. This degrades the proformance of the computer. Besides, the software has no business being on a church worship projection computer.

So, aside from passwording, what is a way that I can keep Limewire off of the computer? Spyware scans and uninstalling it every week are taking up a lot of my time. I have used the hosts file to block Limewire's website, but now they are bringing it in on CD. I thought of writing a simple program to close the Limewire setup program if it tries to run, but I can't help but think there is a better way.

Any ideas?

If you are using Windows 2000 or XP create a new user and make it a restricted user. Then password protect the master account (probably an administrator account) and set the new user as the default logon user.

When whoever it is, who is installing Limeware, attempts to install, it, it will most probably fail miserably and even if he is smart enough to install it in the root profile directory, the damage it can cause would be limited.

Another advantage to this, is the user can only screw up the profile not the computer. So if they do install spyware and adware and make a complete mess of it, just delete the profile directory and Windows will simply create a new one next time the user logs on. You could also keep a copy of the clean profile directory on a CD, and when ever you need to, just delete the current one and replace it with the old one (this will enable you to keep the initial configuration too).

[Allen Schoessler]

That would work, except that the software that controls the projector (on/off/input funcions) gives errors and won't run under a limited account...

[visualAd]

This is often due to the fac that the restricted user does not have write permissions to the directory containing the application. If you look for your projector app in the Program Files directory, you should be able to change its permissions.

[Allen Schoessler]

That would make sense... It's installed under Program Files, which I believe is locked by default. I'll try that...

[visualAd]

Devices (like projectors) also have permissions and sometimes you may need to modify the permissions of the programs registry key under HKLM\ProgramName\

[dglienna]

You could also right-click on the icon, and select RUN AS and enter the administrator's account. You may have to install the app again under the restricted user account if you want to get to the bottom of the issue.

[Allen Schoessler]

I like the Run As idea... I'll try that out and the other this weekend!

Thanks guys,

- Allen