Volatile User

[QSDMichael]

Hi All

What is your experience, if any, using the Volatile user option in a school lab setting? I use Deep Freeze (not enterprise edition) to control user changes but if I need to make a change to a local machine I have to unfreeze every machine, make the change, and re-freeze. It looks like the volitle user option would take care of this for me.

Thanks for you help

 

[marvhuffaker]

Never used deep freeze... does it prevent you from pushing out Group Policies or other settings while it is enabled? How would Volitile user help with this? Volitile user just removes the user profile that the DLU created on login. It's not going to change settings. It will cause a new profile to be created from the 'default' profile each time someone logs in.. but I can't see how that would help.

Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[QSDMichael]

It will cause a new profile to be created from the 'default' profile each time someone logs in.. but I can't see how that would help. "

so any changes that a user makes will be "erased" on logout screen savers, backgrounds, etc ?

That's a great help, when a student shows off his computer skills and changes the default settgings I want to make sure it's deleted on logout so the machine if fresh the next time they login. DF basically does the same thing but it's a second application for me to get through, if it's all netware that makes my life eaiser.

Thanks Marv that explaination makes more sense than my research.

 

[Provogeek]

Even with Volitile user enabled, your students should not have the ability to change anything like backgrounds and screen savers.

When using this, you should also setup lock downs in the Group Policy to lock down the machine so the students can only do when you want them to do. A few schools I have consulted for, and one I am currently doing a ZfD deployment in use this type of setup for their lap and library systems. User get no Windows desktop, they get a zen desktop and they only get the apps I say they can have, only the drives I say they can have, and can only make the changes I say they can make.

Explore the Group Policies, many wonderfull things can be done in there.

However, in my expereince, students do not mess around with the OS very much when there are lock downs in place. To frustraiting to try and find the door that wasn't locked (your own fault if they do find it). They mess around more with the hardware, be sure you password protect the BIOS and lock down USB & other input devices.

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Brent Schmidt Certified nut case
Senior Network Engineer
Keep IT Simple

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