To prevent users from connecting to USB storage devices, use one or more of the following procedures, as appropriate for

your situation. If a USB storage device is not already installed on the computer If a USB storage device is not already installed on the computer, assign the use r or the group and the local SYSTEM account Deny permissions to the following fi les: %SystemRoot%\Inf\Usbstor.pnf %SystemRoot%\Inf\Usbstor.inf When you do this, users cannot install a USB storage device on the computer. To assign a user or group Deny permissions to the Usbstor.pnf and Usbstor.inf files , follow these steps: Start Windows Explorer, and then locate the %SystemRoot%\Inf folder. Right-click the Usbstor.pnf file, and then click Properties. Click the Security tab. In the Group or user names list, add the user or group that you want to set Deny permissions for. In the Permissions for UserName or GroupName list, click to select the Deny check box next to Full Control. Note Also add the System account to the Deny list. In the Group or user names list, select the SYSTEM account. In the Permissions for UserName or GroupName list, click to select the Deny check box next to Full Control, and then click OK. Right-click the Usbstor.inf file, and then click Properties. Click the Security tab. In the Group or user names list, add the user or group that you want to set Deny permissions for. In the Permissions for UserName or GroupName list, click to select the Deny check box next to Full Control. In the Group or user names list, select the SYSTEM account. In the Permissions for UserName or GroupName list, click to select the Deny check box next to Full Control, and then click OK. If a USB storage device is already installed on the computer If a USB storage device is already installed on the computer, you can change the registry to make sure that the device does not work when the user connects to t he computer. To have us fix this problem for you, go to the Fix it for me section. If you would rather fix this problem yourself, go to the Let me fix it myself sec tion. Fix it for me To fix this problem automatically, click the Fix this problem link. Then, click Run in the File Download dialog box, and follow the steps in this wizard. Fix this problem Microsoft Fix it 50061

Note this wizard may be in English only; however, the automatic fix also works f or other language versions of Windows. Note if you are not on the computer that has the problem, save the Fix it soluti on to a flash drive or a CD and then run it on the computer that has the problem .

Now go to the "Did this fix the problem?" section. Let me fix it myself Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modi fy the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registr y incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For a dded protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restor e the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up an d restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article i n the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 322756 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows If a USB storage device is already installed on the computer, set the Start valu e in the following registry key to 4: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsbStor When you do this, the USB storage device does not work when the user connects th e device to the computer. To set the Start value, follow these steps: Click Start, and then click Run. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK. Locate and then click the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsbStor In the details pane, double-click Start. In the Value data box, type 4, click Hexadecimal (if it is not already selec ted), and then click OK. Exit Registry Editor.