"my computer" and visible icons

[Guest]

Hello, whenever I open "my computer" I see a few different groups with
different icons. Floppy A, Drive D, C, Drive E, Drive F (neworked).
The question is: Is there a way to "hide" some Drives, without diabling them?
I need, if possible, to make some drives "dissapear" so that my users do not
see them, yet at the same time, I want to make sure that a short cut that is
in their desktop, and which is pointing to the "hidden path" is not disable.
CAN IT BE DONE LOCALLY? CAN IT BE DONE IN AD?

TIA.

VP.

 

[Nepatsfan]

Take a look in Local Group Policy, gpedit.msc:

User Configuration/Administrative Templates\Windows
Components\Windows Explorer

You might find these two policies useful:
Hide these specified drives in My Computer
Prevent access to drives from My Computer

I believe the same policies are available in a domain.

Keep in mind that Local Group Policy will be applied to all users
unless you use one of these two methods to exempt the
Administrators group.

Works in XP as well as 2K
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;293655

Local Policy in a workgroup
http://www.theeldergeek.com/gp07.htm

This article details how to hide drives using a registry edit:

http://www.maxpc.co.uk/tutorials/default.asp?pagetypeid=2&articleid=28823&subsectionid=710

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply. I was amazed. It came back so fast...
Your answer does help but not completely. Let me explain.
Following your steps Iwas indeed able to hide most of the drives that I
wanted to hide, but your solution does not work with virtual drives and sadly
(and mainly due to old software) I do need to have a couple of them created.
But maybe you allready know the answer to this question.

Thanks for all your help.

VP

 

[Nepatsfan]

Can you be a little more specific.
What steps did you take?
Did you use Group Policy or the registry fix?
What drives letters are now hidden?
What drives letters can't you hide?
Are these network drives?
Are there any drive letters that must remain visible?