Crap-proofing A Computer

[JeffO93]

Hey guys, I was thinking about pitching a 'package' to some residential clients.....

Must have the latest version and all patches for Internet Explorer, if that's the browser they use.
In IE, there is no substitue for being familiar with the security and privacy settings pages. If a user complains about popups but is unwilling to constantly adjust the sliderbar on security or privacy (cookies), then they aren't willing to be totally "crap-proofed".

In Advanced IE settings, an extremely annoying and nasty default is to "Automatically check for IE updtes", and to "Reuse windows for launching shortcuts". Each hijacks pages you want left alone.
Always set Temporary Int Files to empty when IE closes.

If you want to get real crafty, and not steal copy-written material, you can analyze how various products work, extract the registry keys you want changed and write a package that will:
Delete Windows temp files
Delete IE temp files
and set numerous settings all over the place
And the package could take as little as 30 seconds to run.
There are even long lists of spamware you can block by adding their websites to the blocked or restricted websites list in hte registry.
Running chkdsk /r on all partitions is really helpful, too.

[kato2274]

Kato,

I am wondering if you could explain briefly how you do this, and what programs you use?

I usually use partition magic to make the partitions, but fdisk will do it just as well. I use pqmagic because I can format the partitions in the program too (and quickly)
the image disk . . . well . . . it's nothing more than symantec ghost at the command line coupled with some creative dos scripting.

I've got the disk to it's near final stages now. I have it looking at the ramdrive letter to determine the ghost drive letter. since the image file is always on the last fat32 partition, I know I can go one letter back from the ramdrive to find where the image file is. this is consistent no matter what the OS is or how many non fat32 partitions there are.

I can pm you with an example of it when it's all finished.

[CodeDragon]

I usually use partition magic to make the partitions, but fdisk will do it just as well. I use pqmagic because I can format the partitions in the program too (and quickly)
the image disk . . . well . . . it's nothing more than symantec ghost at the command line coupled with some creative dos scripting.

I've got the disk to it's near final stages now. I have it looking at the ramdrive letter to determine the ghost drive letter. since the image file is always on the last fat32 partition, I know I can go one letter back from the ramdrive to find where the image file is. this is consistent no matter what the OS is or how many non fat32 partitions there are.

I can pm you with an example of it when it's all finished.

I use something very similar to this, although for larger business clients with lots of machines of a similar spec, I tend to image from a directory share or Ghost Multicast server (depending on available bandwidth, of course, though MCast Server is a blessing when you're doing an officeful of machines).

[riddellcomp]

I usually use partition magic to make the partitions, but fdisk will do it just as well. I use pqmagic because I can format the partitions in the program too (and quickly)
the image disk . . . well . . . it's nothing more than symantec ghost at the command line coupled with some creative dos scripting.

I've got the disk to it's near final stages now. I have it looking at the ramdrive letter to determine the ghost drive letter. since the image file is always on the last fat32 partition, I know I can go one letter back from the ramdrive to find where the image file is. this is consistent no matter what the OS is or how many non fat32 partitions there are.

I can pm you with an example of it when it's all finished.

if you could send me an example that would be great. I do have partition magic.