GPO - Hide C:\drive in my computer explorer view
Hi Experts,
I've got a request to have users C:Drive hidden in explorer, my computer, but still give them the ability to access the C:drive by using the file explorer address bar and typing c:\
Is this achievable, if so can you please advise the exact settings,
I've got a request to have users C:Drive hidden in explorer, my computer, but still give them the ability to access the C:drive by using the file explorer address bar and typing c:\
Is this achievable, if so can you please advise the exact settings,
With Group Policy Objects in Windows, there is a "Hide these specified drives in My Computer" option that lets you hide specific drives. This article describes how to use Local Group Policy to hind the C drive of a Terminal Services.
- To open group policy, run gpedit.msc. Or start the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). On the Console menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in to add Policy Object (GPO) for the local computer.
- Open the following sections: User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, and Windows Explorer.
- Double-click Hide these specified drives in My Computer.
- Check Enabled under Hide these specified drives in My Computer check box.
- Select Restrict C Drive only under Pick one of the following combinations.
- Click OK to save the settings.
- To open group policy, run gpedit.msc. Or start the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). On the Console menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in to add Policy Object (GPO) for the local computer.
- Open the following sections: User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, and Windows Explorer.
- Double-click Hide these specified drives in My Computer.
- Check Enabled under Hide these specified drives in My Computer check box.
- Select Restrict C Drive only under Pick one of the following combinations.
- Click OK to save the settings.
-- First, open Local Group Policy Editor by simply typing “group policy” in the search box from Start menu, and clicking on Edit group policy from the list.
-- Then, go to User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Explorer, and open the setting called Hide these specified drives in My Computer.
-- In the detail setting window, set option to Enable first, and pick drives that you want to hide from the drop down list under the option section.
-- Once you clicked on OK or Apply button, the setting takes effect pretty much right away. Note that by default it only provides you 4 drives to choose. If you have a drive letter that’s beyond D that you want to hide, you can modify the system.adm file to make the extra drive letters to show up in Group Policy.
-- Be careful though when you take these changes because if you don’t do it right you might lock yourself down as well. The Local Group Policy settings affect all local users, including the local administrator. It’s more designed to be used in a network powered by the Active Directory.
-- Then, go to User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Explorer, and open the setting called Hide these specified drives in My Computer.
-- In the detail setting window, set option to Enable first, and pick drives that you want to hide from the drop down list under the option section.
-- Once you clicked on OK or Apply button, the setting takes effect pretty much right away. Note that by default it only provides you 4 drives to choose. If you have a drive letter that’s beyond D that you want to hide, you can modify the system.adm file to make the extra drive letters to show up in Group Policy.
-- Be careful though when you take these changes because if you don’t do it right you might lock yourself down as well. The Local Group Policy settings affect all local users, including the local administrator. It’s more designed to be used in a network powered by the Active Directory.
ASKER
thanks for you replies, however I still can't get this working the way the client is wanting,
the problem when I set the GPO to hide the C:\ drive; it appears to remove access to the drive completely, so there must be another GPO where this needs to be configured.
the problem when I set the GPO to hide the C:\ drive; it appears to remove access to the drive completely, so there must be another GPO where this needs to be configured.
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ASKER
enabling the GPO to make the run command available coupled with some of the suggestion in this thread fixed the issue for me,
PS# the suggestions referenced in this thread I already came across on other articles.
PS# the suggestions referenced in this thread I already came across on other articles.
1.Click on the "Start" button. Go to "Run", type "gpedit.msc" and press enter.
2.Wait for the "Group Policy" window to appear. Click on the "+" button beside User Configuration then click on the "+" button beside "Administrative Templates". Then click the "+" button beside "Windows Components" and then click "Windows Explorer".
3.Search for "Hide these specified drives in My Computer" in the options that appear in the right column of the window. Double click it, enable it and choose the drive(s) you want to hide
4.Search for "Prevent access to drives from My Computer". Double click it and repeat the previous step if you want to stop accessing any drive by "command" (e.g, by typing "C:" in the address bar or "Run").
5.Close the group policy window.
6.Restart your computer for changes to take effect.
7.Only the first hard disk drives can be locked here.