Removing unauthorised components from Vista

Hello,

We are starting to introduce Vista machines into our existing company
network of XP machines.

My company rules are that only authorised productivity software may be used
on our PCs - ie the OS, Microsoft Office 2003, and a couple of specific
company applications.

How can I remove all the accessories in Vista - in particular Windows Mail
and Windows Calendar (which could conceivably be misused in parallel with
Office 2003). But I also need to remove Sidebar, Media Player, and Gallery
as these are not considered as productivity applications. In Windows XP, it
was easy to remove Windows components using Control Panel, but this option
seems to have disappeared on Vista.

Ideally I would like to make the whole user experience on the new machines
the same as XP so there is seamless integration into the existing pool and
no productivity downtime. Is there an option to make Vista like XP? We
wanted to buy XP machines to avoid needless complications like the above
query, but unfortunately XP machines were no longer available at a
competitive price.

on 30-1-2008, Paul Goodyear supposed :
> Hello,
>
> We are starting to introduce Vista machines into our existing company
> network of XP machines.
>
> My company rules are that only authorised productivity software may
> be used on our PCs - ie the OS, Microsoft Office 2003, and a couple
> of specific company applications.
>
> How can I remove all the accessories in Vista - in particular Windows
> Mail and Windows Calendar (which could conceivably be misused in
> parallel with Office 2003). But I also need to remove Sidebar, Media
> Player, and Gallery as these are not considered as productivity
> applications. In Windows XP, it was easy to remove Windows components
> using Control Panel, but this option seems to have disappeared on
> Vista.

Why don't you set up restriction policies in the Local Group Policy
editor? (Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings >
Software Restrictions)

> Ideally I would like to make the whole user experience on the new
> machines the same as XP so there is seamless integration into the
> existing pool and no productivity downtime. Is there an option to
> make Vista like XP? We wanted to buy XP machines to avoid needless
> complications like the above query, but unfortunately XP machines
> were no longer available at a competitive price.

I dare say that if users can find their way in XP, they'll find their
way in Vista. You can set the theme to Windows Classic if you like the
Windows 2000 look... ;-)

--
Mamamegs.
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Problemen met Windows Vista? www.vistabits.nl

Windows Vista Problems? www.vistabits.info

Thank you for your reply - unfortunately my management insist that
peripheral components are entirely removed and that we just have OS and
productivity software on the machines. This is a strict company policy to
remove employee distractions from the machines, and is also company has a
strict "lean" ethos. Management don't want a bloated OS!

We have bought Vista Business edition - surely it is possible to strip out
time-wasting applications such as media-player from the Business edition?

It is a shame there is no XP "feel alike" option - I know employees are
going waste their own and my own time fiddling around getting to know the OS
for no benefit except to satisfy their curiousity.

you might want to investigate Microsoft's downgrade license options. I
believe a Vista license allows for an authorized downgrade to XP. If that is
the case you can make a Disk Image of a clean XP install, that is set -up
per your company requirements, and downgrade all the Vista PC's you just
purchased to XP.




"Paul Goodyear" <> wrote in message
news:7FC59D78-4E78-4F73-AA81-...
> Thank you for your reply - unfortunately my management insist that
> peripheral components are entirely removed and that we just have OS and
> productivity software on the machines. This is a strict company policy to
> remove employee distractions from the machines, and is also company has a
> strict "lean" ethos. Management don't want a bloated OS!
>
> We have bought Vista Business edition - surely it is possible to strip out
> time-wasting applications such as media-player from the Business edition?
>
> It is a shame there is no XP "feel alike" option - I know employees are
> going waste their own and my own time fiddling around getting to know the
> OS for no benefit except to satisfy their curiousity.

"Paul Goodyear" <> wrote in message
news:7FC59D78-4E78-4F73-AA81-...
> Thank you for your reply - unfortunately my management insist that
> peripheral components are entirely removed and that we just have OS and
> productivity software on the machines. This is a strict company policy to
> remove employee distractions from the machines, and is also company has a
> strict "lean" ethos. Management don't want a bloated OS!
>
> We have bought Vista Business edition - surely it is possible to strip out
> time-wasting applications such as media-player from the Business edition?
>
> It is a shame there is no XP "feel alike" option - I know employees are
> going waste their own and my own time fiddling around getting to know the
> OS for no benefit except to satisfy their curiousity.

Perhaps if you reduce their bread & water rations............

>

> Perhaps if you reduce their bread & water rations............

Very well run company thank you, employees paid very well because they work
hard and don't waste time! We just want a fast, lean OS plus productivity
software.

"KDE" <> wrote in message
news:uP%...
> you might want to investigate Microsoft's downgrade license options. I
> believe a Vista license allows for an authorized downgrade to XP. If that
> is the case you can make a Disk Image of a clean XP install, that is
> set -up per your company requirements, and downgrade all the Vista PC's
> you just purchased to XP.
>
Thanks, I will look into that option.

Meanwhile I will try to make a case for Vista to the powers that decide
these things. So far I haven't been able to find anything to recommend about
Vista on a corporate network - it is very slow to boot, has very intrusive
"security", comes with lots of unwanted permanently bundled applications,
and is not backwards compatible with some very useful and expensive software
(eg Adobe Professional 6.0 which is perfectly good software on XP). The
fancy graphics are just not wanted in a corporate environment either.

Paul Goodyear wrote:

>
> "KDE" <> wrote in message
> news:uP%...
>> you might want to investigate Microsoft's downgrade license options. I
>> believe a Vista license allows for an authorized downgrade to XP. If that
>> is the case you can make a Disk Image of a clean XP install, that is
>> set -up per your company requirements, and downgrade all the Vista PC's
>> you just purchased to XP.
>>
> Thanks, I will look into that option.
>
> Meanwhile I will try to make a case for Vista to the powers that decide
> these things. So far I haven't been able to find anything to recommend
> about Vista on a corporate network - it is very slow to boot, has very
> intrusive "security", comes with lots of unwanted permanently bundled
> applications, and is not backwards compatible with some very useful and
> expensive software (eg Adobe Professional 6.0 which is perfectly good
> software on XP). The fancy graphics are just not wanted in a corporate
> environment either.

Do what *SMART* companies are doing in the face of the Vista release. Go
with an Open Source solution. Check out Ubuntu. Save the company many many
thousands of dollars, gain stability, security and productivity for the
company and get out from under the Microsoft juggernaut.

http://www.ubuntu.com

Cheers.

--
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Frank's Corporate Headquarters: Business Sign on his Bedroom Door ...
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Frank - seek help immediately! Visit ...
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NoStop wrote:

SPAMMER!!!

This ng is not for sale!
Frank

Frank wrote:
> NoStop wrote:
>
> SPAMMER!!!
>
> This ng is not for sale!
> Frank

What makes you think that *anyone* thinks this news group is for sale?
I, for one, will continue to spread the good news about Ubuntu here for
the benefit of those who are fed up with Vista and all its intrusive
crap and there's NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT except, of course, continue
to make a fool out of yourself with your lies, insults, profanity and
bluster.

Alias

http://www.ubuntu.com/
http://www.microscum.com/