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How can I
configure USB Disks to be Read-Only in
Windows XP SP2?
Since USB Disks-on-key
and other external USB storage devices
have appeared, the fact that users can
transfer sensitive data from their
corporate computers to their portable
USB devices has caused great security
concerns. Some 3rd-party software exists
that can effectively block all USB
storage devices throughout the corporate
network, but sometimes a simpler
approach is needed.
This tip only works with
Service Pack 2 installed in Windows XP
Pro.
To prevent
users from being able to write to USB
disks follow these steps:
-
Open
Registry Editor.
-
In
Registry Editor, navigate to the
following registry key:
Note: This key
might not exist. In that case simply
create it as a new key under the
parent key.
-
Create
the following value (DWORD):
WriteProtect
and give it a value
of 1.
Note: As
always, before making changes to
your registry you should always make
sure you have a valid backup. In
cases where you're supposed to
delete or modify keys or values from
the registry it is possible to first
export that key or value(s) to a
.REG file before performing the
changes.
-
Close
Registry Editor.
Done! |
