Category: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows 2000 only

Prevents users from removing Web content from their Active Desktop. In Active Desktop you can add items to the desktop but close them so they are not displayed. If you enable this setting items added to the desktop cannot be closed; they always appear on the desktop. This setting removes the check boxes from items on the Web tab in Display in Control Panel. Note: This setting does not prevent users from deleting items from their Active Desktop.

Prevents users from adding Web content to their Active Desktop. This setting removes the “New” button from Web tab in Display in Control Panel. As a result users cannot add Web pages or pictures from the Internet or an intranet to the desktop. This setting does not remove existing Web content from their Active Desktop or prevent users from removing existing Web content. Also see the “Disable all items” setting.

Adds and deletes specified Web content items. You can use the “Add” box in this setting to add particular Web-based items or shortcuts to users’ desktops. Users can close or delete the items (if settings allow) but the items are added again each time the setting is refreshed. You can also use this setting to delete particular Web-based items from users’ desktops. Users can add the item again (if settings allow) but the item is deleted each time the setting is refreshed. Note: Removing an item from the “Add” list for this setting is not the same as deleting it. Items that are removed from the “Add” list are not removed from the desktop. They are simply not added again. Note: For this setting to take affect you must log off and log on to the system.

Prevents the user from enabling or disabling Active Desktop or changing the Active Desktop configuration. This is a comprehensive setting that locks down the configuration you establish by using other policies in this folder. This setting removes the Web tab from Display in Control Panel. As a result users cannot enable or disable Active Desktop. If Active Desktop is already enabled users cannot add remove or edit Web content or disable lock or synchronize Active Desktop components.

Disables Active Desktop and prevents users from enabling it. This setting prevents users from trying to enable or disable Active Desktop while a policy controls it. If you disable this setting or do not configure it Active Desktop is disabled by default but users can enable it. Note: If both the “Enable Active Desktop” setting and the “Disable Active Desktop” setting are enabled the “Disable Active Desktop” setting is ignored. If the “Turn on Classic Shell” setting (in User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Explorer) is enabled Active Desktop is disabled and both these policies are ignored.

Enables Active Desktop and prevents users from disabling it. This setting prevents users from trying to enable or disable Active Desktop while a policy controls it. If you disable this setting or do not configure it Active Desktop is disabled by default but users can enable it. Note: If both the “Enable Active Desktop” setting and the “Disable Active Desktop” setting are enabled the “Disable Active Desktop” setting is ignored. If the “Turn on Classic Shell” setting ( in User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Explorer) is enabled Active Desktop is disabled and both of these policies are ignored.

Permits only bitmap images for wallpaper. This setting limits the desktop background (“wallpaper”) to bitmap (. bmp) files. If users select files with other image formats such as JPEG GIF PNG or HTML through the Browse button on the Desktop tab the wallpaper does not load. Files that are autoconverted to a . bmp format such as JPEG GIF and PNG can be set as Wallpaper by right-clicking the image and selecting “Set as Wallpaper”. Also see the “Desktop Wallpaper” and the “Prevent changing wallpaper” (in User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Control Panel -> Display) settings.

Prevents users from changing the size of the font in the windows and buttons displayed on their screens. If this setting is enabled the “Font size” drop-down list on the Appearance tab in Display Properties is disabled. If you disable or do not configure this setting a user may change the font size using the “Font size” drop-down list on the Appearance tab.

Removes the Settings tab from Display in Control Panel. This setting prevents users from using Control Panel to add configure or change the display settings on the computer.

Prevents users from using Add or Remove Programs. This setting removes Add or Remove Programs from Control Panel and removes the Add or Remove Programs item from menus. Add or Remove Programs lets users install uninstall repair add and remove features and components of Windows 2000 Professional and a wide variety of Windows programs. Programs published or assigned to the user appear in Add or Remove Programs. If you disable this setting or do not configure it Add or Remove Programs is available to all users. When enabled this setting takes precedence over the other settings in this folder. This setting does not prevent users from using other tools and methods to install or uninstall programs.