There's got to be a program..

[RhinoZ]

Hi Ya Folks,
Is there a program to lock the keyboard or specifically to lock out a combination of keys or key?

I have this piece of equipment at work that uses a PC as an interface and every once in a while the PC will freeze running the test program. It's no big deal in resetting the PC but you have to put the test equipment on STANDBY first then reboot the PC. But no matter how many times I tell the boneheads that I work with that this is the way it has to be done, ( and I even have a big sign on the PC ) they always do a CTRL-ALT-DEL or Q to reboot or quit the program. Then they have to call me to get it up and running as I'm the only person that really knows how to startup back up again and it takes about 45mins each time, but anyone can reset the PC if they follow the instructions.
So please tell me that there is a program.
Please.
R.

[mmp121]

Try this first

I don't know how your BIOS is set up, so what I suggest here might not work, but most newer PC's have a BIOS where you can set a password so that with out it, your PC will not boot past the BIOS POST window.

And no I'm not talking about the password to get INTO the BIOS.

Also why don't you use an OS like NT/2K/XP on the machine so that with out a Password they can't do anything?

[RhinoZ]

Thanks mmp121,
I can't upgrade the OS as it is the only OS supported by the machine and the program. I don't think there is a BIOS option but I'll check anyways.


Also the OS is Win 95B

[Pace]

You could rip out the keys manually

[WyWyWyWy]

Thats what libraries do: glue the delete key.

[RichL]

Originally posted by WyWyWyWy
Thats what libraries do: glue the delete key.

I'd go for contact adhesive on the surface of the CTRL, ALT and DEL keys

[arbymo]

check out MS kernel toys, it has a keyboard key-remapping application with it, i never used it myself .. and i'm not sure if it's gonna solve your problem.

[TnT]

In VB you could write a simple program that disables certain keys when the program is focused. So I'm sure there has to be something similiar written in a different language that can run in the background. Also there is a little program out there called WinKeyKiller (or maybe winkeykill) that disables the windows key. Sorry, not really helping to give you a solution, but more of saying that the solution is possible.

[VJ]

I think the ctrl-alt-del combination is the only one that cannot be locked out. Microsoft opted for this for security reasons (this is also why you can set W2K to force you to press ctrl-alt-del prior to log on: it prevents fake logon screens)...

But I think it ought to be possible to prevent a user from shutting/rebooting the computer (somewhere in the priveleges).


Jörg

[cjolley]

Originally posted by VJ
But I think it ought to be possible to prevent a user from shutting/rebooting the computer (somewhere in the priveleges).
Jörg

They would just get frustrated & pull the plug.
Users are MORONS.
chuck

PS You don't catch me in this mood very often- enjoy

[VJ]

Originally posted by cjolley
They would just get frustrated & pull the plug.
Users are MORONS.

It could have been a configuration in which the user has no access to the pc itself... But you are right, as soon as they have access to the box, it wouldn't help....

(looks like you have dealt with you share of users )


Jörg

[cjolley]

Originally posted by VJ
(looks like you have dealt with you share of users )
Jörg

Just over 1,000,000 of them
chuck

[RhinoZ]

Thanks for everything guys...
I stuck a piece of plastic under the delete key to render it useless, and a while back I disconnected the reset and power up button on the PC... so you guess it ...today they unplugged the PC on me. You have to admit they are smarter than me.
But I remember a while back that Gateway used to sell a keyboard called ANY-KEY. It allowed you to remap the keys for macros and stuff. Do you think I can remap the keys somehow? It doesn't matter now since there is no way I can stop them from unplugging the PC.
Thanks for the help folks.
Have a great one.
R.

[MultimediaMan]

Sounds like you need to think about a Thin Client.