Hiding ‘Printers and Faxes' via GPs

[jshepherd]

Does anyone know if you can hide the ‘Printers and Faxes' from the start menu via Group Policies? I know you can hide it manually via the Start Menu properties, but that's not really a suitable option. I searched and searched but cannot find the GP - I can't believe Microsoft have overlooked it. The server OS is 2k3R2.

Thanks, John

 

[Auger282]

if you disable it in the control panel.. its disabled in the start menu as well...

user config/ admin templates/ control panel

I'd use the "hide specified control panel applets" if that doesnt work try "prohibit access to the control panel"

the name of the applet is "printers and faxes"

 

[bcastner]

Method #1: Push a Registry change

Using regedit, navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

If the value ‘Start_ShowPrinters’ does not exist, create it as a DWORD.

Setting it to 0 will hide ‘Printers and Faxes’ from the Start Menu, and setting it to 1 will make it visible.


Method #2: Custom .adm Template

This can be deployed via Group Policy by creating an adm file using the following code.

**IMPORTANT** This will be created as a preference, not a policy. To revoke the settings this template performs, you must specifically ‘disable’ the setting and allow your clients to embrace the settings. This is the only way for clients to purge this registry key. It will not automatically be removed when they fall out of the Scope of Management of the policy.

CLASS MACHINE

CATEGORY StartMenu

POLICY "Hide Printers and Faxes on Start Menu"

KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced"

EXPLAIN "Enabling this setting will hide the Printers and Faxes icon on the Start Menu. Disabling this setting will show the Printers and Faxes on the Start Menu.
Setting this to 'Not Configured' will keep the previous registry setting."

VALUENAME "Start_ShowPrinters"
VALUEON NUMERIC 0
VALUEOFF NUMERIC 1

END POLICY

END CATEGORY

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