Disable USB Storage in XP Sp2.0

[ganesh.blogs@gmail.com]

Hi Coach,

I am using Windows Server 2008 R2. Through group Policy I am disabling all USB Storage in Vista and Windows 7 Clients. But XP with Sp2.0 Clients are not updated. The GPO Settings need minimum of Vista OS.

I searched in net, and I follow the steps given in the following URL. http://www.petri.co.il/disable_usb_disks_with_gpo.htm

I download the Download the USB_removable_drives_ADM file (http://forums.trainsignal.com/software/usb_removable_drives_adm.zip) (2kb) and import the .adm file in Server 2008 GPO in computer settings.

After succesfully configuring the GPO Settings, the XP Clients are still failed to update the USB Removal policy defined in 2008 R2 GPO.

Any Suggestion Please.....:o

Thanks Coach

[ali_manzoor]

Same Problem with me

i have also .ADM file import in Domain GPO and disable the USB but XP client still using USB

i am Using Windows Server 2003 R2

[ganesh.blogs@gmail.com]

Hai Ali Manzoor,

Let us wait for the result. Coach or Ed may solve this issue.

[Coach]

Hey guys, I have a potential solution for you. Use Group Policy Preferences instead to disable Write Access to a USB stick. Here's two articles:

http://labnol.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-employers-disable-usb-ports-how.html
This article describes the registry setting in WinXP that you can use to disallow write access.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943729
And here's a microsoft resource that talks about how to use GP preferences with WinXP.

I have no idea if it will work in your environments, but that's all I got, boys. Good hunting.

Your friendly neighborhood instructor,
Coach

[texasit]

You could also try changing the permissions to the everyone group to deny full control on usbstor.inf and usbstor.pnf. Make to create a ou with all the computers you want to have this apply to and link a gpo to this ou.