Use AppLocker to lock down programs

If you have a child using your PC, or you simply want to put tighter controls on a computer that’s being used by multiple folks, locking down certain applications may be a smart idea. This ensures that no one is going to tinker with settings on those programs or use any apps that you don’t want them to. If you happen to be running Windows 7 Ultimate, a service within this version of the OS, AppLocker, lets you specify exactly which applications a user is allowed to run. (You can create these guidelines, but not enforce them on that PC, in Windows 7 Professional.)

To access AppLocker, click the Start menu, type the text Gpedit.msc in the search field, and hit Enter. In the Local Group Policy Editor window that pops up, double-click on Computer Configuration and navigate to Windows Settings > Security Settings > Application Control Policies. Unfold the Application Control Policies menu (click the little triangle to its left) and select AppLocker.

Here, you can create new Executable Rules, Windows Installer Rules, and Script Rules. In the left-hand column, right-click on the category that you wish to make changes to, and click Create New Rule. A wizard will lead you through the process of creating the new rule.

For the purposes of our example, if you want to deny a user access to Firefox, right-click on Executable Rules, then select Create New Rule:

Go to the second screen, and under Action, click Deny, then select the user you are targeting. In the next screen, you must determine whether it is a file, folder, or program you are going to control access to. Since we are targeting Firefox, choose Publisher, since it is an application. Navigate through your Program Files to the Mozilla Firefox folder, and inside that folder, choose firefox.exe. Click OK, go to the next screen to name the rule, if desired, and then Create, and you’re done.

Customize your Windows 7 logon screen image

Are you already tired of looking at that same boring blue screen when you log on to your PC in Windows 7? You can easily turn your logon screen into a picture of your cat or favorite vacation spot by using a free application, Windows 7 Logon Screen Rotator 2.0, that will let you change your background image.

Download the application. To add an image to your list of possible logon-screen background photos, right-click on the Images tab and select Add Image. Then, navigate to the image and click Open. To set an image as your logon background, just right-click on the image and select Change To This Image. You'll get a confirmation that the change was made:

You’re not limited to just one image; you can tell the program how often you would like it to rotate among images (every logon, every day, or every time you lock the computer). Add entire folders of images by clicking on the Folders tab and following the above directions.

You can also get selective by right-clicking on the image or folder of images and selecting Remove Image, or empty your list altogether by selecting Remove All Images. And if you ultimately decide that the old blue Windows screen was more your speed, you can easily bring it back by clicking Revert back to default Windows logon screen under the Settings tab.