Disabling Access to Network Resources Using System Policies

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

The default user icon in System Policy Editor lets you hide network resources in Network Neighborhood or even completely hide the Network Neighborhood itself (Default User\Shell\Restrictions\Hide Network Neighborhood).

However, users can still browse network resources from Windows Explorer and My Computer using the Map Network Drive icon in addition to the NET VIEW and NET USE commands issued from the command prompt.

WORKAROUND

In My Computer, select the "Hide drives in My Computer" check box under Default User\Shell\Restrictions\Hide Drives. Although the Map Network Drive button continues to show a list of servers, logical network drives are not visible in Windows Explorer, My Computer, or at the MS-DOS prompt.

Attempts to establish new logical drive connections from the command prompt appear to work. A NET USE to a network resource completes with the message "Command completed successfully." Attempts to access the resource, however, fail with an error message: "The device is not ready."

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.