Korean Job Discussion Forums

[The Floating World]

I got my school's pc lab computers pretty fast and clean with ccleaner and it's uninstal programme, updated to ie8 and a few other tricks. Wiped all the v3, and all other crappy Korean bloatware, cleaned up the startup etc.

Problem is each time a class uses it they end up downloading all the games they use with all the ads, pop ups and bloatware etc that come with it.

How can I make it so the pc will either

A. Not let them download ANY SOFTWARE

or

B. Like the pc rooms, the computer will be wiped of all new programmes / software after it is closed down.

Cheers

[Skippy]

Well many options from

1) Install something like peerblock and add some Korean game sites to the IP list. OR learn to manually edit the HOSTS files and add the sites you think the kids are using.

2) Lock it down. Change some of the IE8 permission so it will not allow components to be installed. Consider also password protecting some areas. Consider making another account like STUDENT but reduce permissions.

3) Look into creating a clean image and then reinstall said periodically.

4) Variation of above - learn about and use Windows restore points.

5) Sandbox. I do not know if that would work. I should test that out with something like sandboxie.

[ttompatz]

Boot from a file server and they get a clean version every time they boot up.

Installs are local and are killed when they shutdown.

.

[Swampfox10mm]

We had the identical problem in our English lounge at our university, and I solved it very simply.

All you need to do is set up two accounts --

1. An administrator account, which I called "Teachers" and put a password on.
2. An account called "Student" which I do not allow administrator priveledges, by choosing "Standard User." No password.

So when your computer starts, they must click "Student" to use it. If they try to install anything, then they must provide the administrator password to do so. You can even leave a message for them to contact you for permission to add it (or so you can come decide what to do with it). Malware cannot install, either.

If you have Windows 7, you can do this by going to Control Panel, then User Accounts. Very simple to do. Here is a link how-to:

http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/create-a-new-user-account-in-windows-7/

It's helpful if you install everything you need under the Administrator account first. XP and Vista also do this much the same.

We have had NO problems with malware or viruses since I made this change. I can't tell you how nice it is to run Malwarebytes and have it come back with nothing found after two weeks of student use. It also keeps all of that Daum cleaner crap (memory hog) and NateOn malware/spyware garbage away.

There is no need for a wipe down program, really. I use CCleaner once and a while to clean the cache, but that's it, because NOTHING gets installed without permission! As you probably know, CCleaner has an option at install to add itself to your recycle bin options. I just add that and then when I need to clean, right-click on the Recycle Bin and choose "Run CCLeaner" on every computer in the room... happens very fast!

It's priceless. Especially seeing the look of disgust on the students faces as they try to install whatever crap-infested Korean software garbage and games, but fail. The payoff is that the computers keep working, and they acutally get USED by people doing REAL WORK.

A word of warning -- DO NOT give the password to anyone you do not trust. I haven't found a Korean teacher yet that I couldn't trust to keep it secret. *laugh*

[cj1976]

I did something a bit more complicated but it worked. I partitioned the hard drive and installed an English version of Win 7 that I password protected and left the other partition with Korean XP. That way the students were free to do whatever they wanted and I could boot into my own lovely, malware free system.

[kangaroodave]

some interesting solutions here.

personally, i run kiosk software. it's simple to use and locks down a computer. you can limit downloads, installation, desktop wallpaper, which programs will run and what can be "saved".

another idea is to set up the system so that every reboot reverts the system back to its "default" state (which you create). most pc bangs use that kind of system and it works pretty well.

[nobbyken]

I watched 3rd grade high school kids as they interrupted and bypassed the accounts start-up page on an English room PC. It was difficult to catch what they did, them fingers were going pretty quick.
Very slickly done leaving no evidence; I guess their parents have set up accounts on the computers at home and they learn how to use the pc account free.

[Swampfox10mm]

[akcrono]