Disable Start Button

Hi all. I am trying to lock down computers for certain users for
security reasons. Is there a way that i can disable to start button at
logon without having to then reboot the computer. Everything I have
found says that it only works after I have logged in, then off and
then logged back in again. I would like to disable the start button
using VBS.

Any help in this matter would be highly appreciated.

Thank you

mr_unreliable
Fri Jul 20 12:43:37 CDT 2007

hi Christopher,

I don't know any ready method of doing this in "pure" script.

However, if you are willing to delve into the nether-world
of calling system api's from script, it is easy.

Here is what you do. Use the FindWindow api to get the handle
of the "Shell_TrayWnd" class (no caption) window. Then use
FindWindowEx to get the handle of the (first) child window,
with class name "Button" (and no caption). Then you call the
ShowWindow api with the "SW_HIDE" constant to hide the
(start) button.

Note that there is another api to lock the keyboard (and mouse),
because even without the start button, your users could get
something going from desktop shortcuts.

cheers, jw
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christopher_board@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> Hi all. I am trying to lock down computers for certain users for
> security reasons. Is there a way that i can disable to start button at
> logon without having to then reboot the computer. Everything I have
> found says that it only works after I have logged in, then off and
> then logged back in again. I would like to disable the start button
> using VBS.
>
> Any help in this matter would be highly appreciated.
>
> Thank you
>