How can I prevent a user from accessing the C drive?

[ud0103]

Hi,

I'm using Windows Vista Home Basic and I've created a temporary account for my cousins. But I don't want them to be able to manually open C Drive (Windows Drive) and fiddle with all that stuff but still allowing that user account and all the programs running in there to have complete access to the drive...

I've tried the registry changes (hiding the drive) which I found on google and spent hours in the permissions section of the C Drive... Although, It worked out a bit but not the way I wanted... Because changing the permissions denied the permissions to the programs also...

What should I do now? Any ideas?

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I don't want to go for Guest account as it is loaded with restrictions and infact, at first I tried that only...

 

[tkin]

The total C drive? If they use a non-administartor account they can't change important files on C drive(better yet give guest account to them), but the total C drive?

 

[Hrishi]

I know a method to disable/hide it for all the users on the computer.
its done via "gpedit.msc" administrative templates.

Let me know if you want this.

Btw , you can try this but I think its applicable only to Window Server Based Systems.
Technet

 

[Desmond]

Right click on C:, go to properties > security tab > Permissions > Click edit

Select the user for whom you want to deny access and check the Deny checkbox for the Full Control setting. Apply, ok, apply, ok.

 

[Hrishi]

And if you will deny the read/write permission for the user group , they will not be able to access the programs too (considering they are stored in the drive).

 

[Desmond]

And if you will deny the read/write permission for the user group , they will not be able to access the programs too (considering they are stored in the drive).

Sorry, my bad. I thought he wanted them to not read it at all.

 

[ud0103]

The total C drive? If they use a non-administartor account they can't change important files on C drive(better yet give guest account to them), but the total C drive?

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I don't want to go for Guest account as it is loaded with restrictions and infact, at first I tried that only...

I know a method to disable/hide it for all the users on the computer.
its done via "gpedit.msc" administrative templates.

Let me know if you want this.

Btw , you can try this but I think its applicable only to Window Server Based Systems.
Technet

BTW would it hide the drive for me as well? I'm saying this because when I tried hiding the drive earlier by making changes to the registry, I ended up making it invisible to my admin account as well...

 

[Hrishi]

^yes , unfortunately it will hide for you too. But you can access it indirectly , I think so.