SutherlandAndrew

Wow, this is an old post! Brings back memories. Glad you found it useful! Andrew

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...9.mspx?mfr=true

"Treesize" is also a good directory size tool - it adds to the context menu too, so you can see a heirichal (sorry - spelling ) view of that directory and everything under it. Colour codes the larger sizes, etc... and is free with no nag screens

I have found this information very valuable from time to time, especially when you (as a system admin) are logged into a PC as one of your restricted users, and have to do something as them. (ie. edit the registry, install a program - something that relies on the HKCU etc) As you probably know, group policies are set by changing keys and values in the registry. Machine specific GPs are in the HKLM and user specific GPs are in the HKCU. I've attached an excel document from Microsoft, detailing what reg key reflects what GP, with a description. (very handy) As well, I custom wrote an INF file to temperarily remove group policy effects. Copy the below text to a txt file, and save it as <whatever>.inf Because it is an INF file and not a REG file, when you right-click and choose Install, it will bypass any "disallow registry editing tools" policy, (whereas a .reg file will not) and also immediately refresh the explorer after its done. (so you dont even have to log off and back on). **note, you WILL need admin access wherever you run this INF. These are the most common GP's that I find I come across. Such items like getting back your MANAGE context menu item, your RUN command, access to all the CPLs (control panel items), access to the registry, access to the CMD prompt, access to the MMCs.....etc -------------copy here--------------- [Version] Signature= "$Windows NT$" [DefaultInstall] DelReg=DelValues [DelValues] HKCU, "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\RestrictCpl" HKCU, "software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\policies\system","DisableRegistryTools" HKCU, "Software\Policies\Microsoft\MMC","RestrictAuthorMode" HKCU, "Software\Policies\Microsoft\MMC","RestrictToPermittedSnapins" HKCU, "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System","DisableCMD" HKCU, "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel" HKCU, "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","NoRun" HKCU, "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","NoWindowsUpdate" HKCU, "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","ConfirmFileDelete" HKCU, "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","NoSMConfigurePrograms" HKCU, "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","NoWebServices" HKCU, "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","NoManageMyComputerVerb" HKCU, "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer","RestrictCpl" HKCU, "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Advanced","Hidden" ---------end copy here---------- **** note, once you log off and back on, the group policy will refresh itself and any of these changes are lost. To make them permanent, all you have to do is: edit the registry, right click the key that contains the value(s) above, right-click and go to "Permissions", and remove ALL user/groups from there EXCEPT your own account. That way, when GP attempts to write the values back in next time, it won't have permission to and will just skip them. Neat huh? I hope this post is valuable to someone - I know it would have been for me. That's my first contribution to the site -if this is the wrong forum location, can someone pls move it for me. thanks! Andrew

Hi all, after lurking on here some time getting info, I thought I would contribute some (heopfully) valuable content, so I registered. Andrew