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Distributing Custom Modifications to 4000 Windows Boxen?
kenp2002 asks: "I recently tried to disable my Sleep Key on a Dell GX150. I found several ways to do this manually, but now I have to find a way to script a solution to do this on over 4000 machines! I tried keyboard re-mapping both through tools (which didn't see any ACPI keys) and through Microsoft's documentation (the old HKLM\Keyboard Layout change). Does anyone know of a solution on how to either remap or disable the Sleep key through a script or a really good internet resource where I can find information on issues like this? Keyboard filter drivers are not an option unless it can auto-install itself."
"I am on several Linux mailing lists but have never found a good NT mailing list where I can ask such questions from other admins.
I am stumped and Appdeploy wasn't much help, either.
I must prevent users from putting the machine into suspend and amazingly Microsoft will prevent a user, through administrative policy, from turning the machine off, but not suspending it! Any suggestions would greatly reduce my stress level and earn my eternal gratitude. "
Software to 4000+ boxes... easy, just install Outlook, a few choice lines of script.. well, it works for a load of viruses anyway! ;-)
Just pry off that key... worked well enough for me, at least.
What i would try:
.reg file. Simply drop a token file out somewhere and run an if loop to prevent it from having to do it each and every time. If you're not in a domain, hire cheap help...
1: Use a pro duct called "Advanced Registry Tracer" [search for it, you'll find it] to see the registry change made when you modify it from the Power options > Advanced control panel applet (granted you're using 2000 or XP). On a side note, ART is a kickass tool. There are many handy little uses for it.
2: If you are in a domain, simply assign a startup script. Execute a batchfile which updates the registry via a
Are these boxes running NT with Dell "enhancements" or is this really 2000 or XP? NT didn't support power management so any that's in there is from Dell.
If these are 2000/XP boxes, do you have WMI enabled? If so you could connect to each box through a script and change the appropriate registry setting. You can also use WMI if you have explicitly installed it on NT. If you have 4000 Windows boxes you should definitely already be using WMI.
Do you have a common company-wide home page set for these users? Do they use IE4 or higher? If yes to both, you could put an ActiveX control on that home page and have it make the changes you need. Since your company home page is on the network behind the firewall it will be in the "local intranet" security zone and the user won't be queried when the ActiveX is installed.