Vista - Drive Access - Restrict or Unrestrict

**Brink** · **METHOD ONE:**

How to Restrict or Unrestict Drive Access in Vista

Information

This will show you how to restrict all access (open or save) to all content of a drive or combination of drives that you select for all users on the computer. All drives are set to unrestricted by default in Vista.

NOTE

When a drive is set as restricted, users can only browse through the drives directory in the Navigatoin Pane folder tree in Windows Explorer by clicking on the arrows to expand the folders. They will not be able to open a folder though in Windows Explorer. (See example below)
If you would also like to hide or unhide this drive(s) in Computer and Windows Explorer, then see: How to Hide or Unhide a Drive in Vista

WARNING

This will not prevent users from using 3rd party programs to access restricted local and network drives. It also does not prevent administrators from using Disk Management to view and change restricted drive characteristics.

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Windows Explorer Computer with Navigation Pane
NOTE: Even when the drive is set as restricted, it will still be displayed in Computer. All users will not be able to access it though. They can only view the directory in the Navigation Pane folder tree.

EXAMPLE: Displayed Error Message when a Drive is Restricted
NOTE: This is the error message a user will get when they try to open or save (access) anything to a restricted drive.

METHOD ONE:
Through the Local Group Policy Editor

NOTE

This method is only available for the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. See Method Two below for the Vista Basic and Home Premium editions.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane, click on User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, and Windows Explorer. (See screenshot below)

3. In the right pane, right click on Prevent access to drives from My Computer and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)

4. To Unrestrict All Drives Access -
A) Select (dot) Disabled or Not Configured and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 5C)

B) Go to step 6.

5. To Restrict a Drive or Combination of Drives Access -
A) Select (dot) Enabled. (See screenshot below step 5C)

B) Click on the drop down arrow and select the drive or combination of drives option that you want to set as restricted. (See screenshot below step 5C)
WARNING: Be careful what you select. A restricted drive cannot be accessed by any users on the computer. This could be a problem if you need access to it.

C) Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

6. Close the Local Group Policy Editor window. Your done.

METHOD TWO:
Through the Registry

NOTE

This will work for all Vista versions.

Through a Download:
NOTE: Which ever REG file you choose to use, it will overide all of the others. For more drive letter options, see the Manual section below.
1. To Restrict A and B drives only -
A)

B) Go to step 8.

2. To Restrict C drive only -
A)

B) Go to step 8.

3. To Restrict D drive only -
A)

B) Go to step 8.

4. To Restrict A, B, and C drives only -
A)

B) Go to step 8.

5. To Restrict A, B, C, and D drives only -
A)

B) Go to step 8.

6. To Restrict All drives -
A)

B) Go to step 8.

7. To Unrestrict All drives (Do not restrict drives) -
A)

8. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

9. Right click on the .reg file (on Desktop) and click on Merge.

10. Click on the Run button for Security Warning pop-up.

11. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

12. When done, you can delete the .reg file (on Desktop).

13. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply changes.

The Manual Way:
1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

5. To Restrict a Drive or Combination of Drives Access -
A) In the right pane of Explorer, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value. Type NoViewOnDrive and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

B) Right click on NoViewOnDrive and click on Modify.

C) Type in the drive option below in bold you want to set as restricted and click on OK. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can also dot Decimal and use one of these numbers for the drive with that letter you want to Restrict: A=1, B=2, C=4, D=8, E=16, F=32, G=64, H=128, I=256, J=512, K=1024, L=2048, M=4096, N=8192, O=16384, P=32768, Q=65536, R=131072, S=262144, T=524288, U=1048576, V=2097152, W=4194304, X=8388608, Y=16777216, Z=33554432, All drives=67108863

For Example: I'm using 8 to Restrict D drive only.

Restrict A and B drives only - type 3

Restrict C drive only - type 4

Restrict D drive only - type 8

Restrict A, B, and C drives only - type 7

Restrict A, B, C, and D drives only - type f

Restrict all drives - type 3ffffff

D) The registry will now look like this. (See screenshot below)

E) Go to step 7.

6. To Unrestrict All drives (Do not restrict drives) -
A) In the right pane of Explorer, right click on NoViewOnDrive and click on Delete. (See screenshot above)

B) Click on Yes to confirm delete.

7. Close regedit.

8. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply changes.

That's it,
Shawn

skhoshbinfar · 06-09-2008

i do these for a administrator account it works fine but when changed it to standard user everything is locked automatically (3fffff).
could you please help me?
Tnanks

**Brink** · 06-09-2008

Hi Skhoshbinfar,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

You will only be able to make these changes while logged on to an administrator account or while running regedit with Run as administrator and provide the administrator password in a Standard account.

Do you have access to the drives from the Standard account when you have them set as unrestricted from the administrator account?

Shawn

skhoshbinfar · 06-09-2008

Hi Shawn
thnaks, when i run regedit through administrator account setting just for admin user appears which i st it before not for current standard user, so it remains with 3fffff so no drive could be opened!

**Brink** · 06-09-2008

Skhoshbinfar,

Since you have the Ultimate edition, try using Method One step 6 to unrestrict the drives. If it is already set to Not Configured, then dot Disabled and click Apply and dot Not Configured again and click OK to toggle it to reset the restriction settings.

Shawn

skhoshbinfar · 06-10-2008

Hi,
My main problem is i gonna to set one user to access for example D drive and other dont. also pc has only one admin account. could you tell how to configure registry to do this job?
Tnx

**Brink** · 06-10-2008

Sorry Skhoshbinfar,

You cannot restrict a drive for one user using this method.

However, you can change the permission on the drive to deny permission to a user. Option One in this tutorial will show you how to. It is the same for a drive as a folder. Add the user (step 14) you want to restrict, and check all of the Deny boxes (step 18) instead of Allow.

Folder Permissions

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Starwing · 08-01-2008

How does one change a drive's attribute from read only? I want to transfer some photos from my old computer to the new one and I have a USB cable that connects the two computers to do. But it tells me that the drive in question is read only. Thanks for any help.

**Brink** · 08-01-2008

Hi Starwing,

See if taking ownership of the drive and giving yourself full permission will allow you to. This tutorial will show you how to.

Take Ownership of file

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Loachdriver · 08-02-2008

So if I do this to the partition containing my OS it wont allow any other programs to install there? Which is what I want.
Thanks.

06-09-2008
skhoshbinfar Vista Ultimate x64 3 posts	Re: Drive Access - Restrict or Unrestrict i do these for a administrator account it works fine but when changed it to standard user everything is locked automatically (3fffff). could you please help me? Tnanks
My System Specs

06-09-2008
Brink Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 25,919 posts	Re: Drive Access - Restrict or Unrestrict Hi Skhoshbinfar, Welcome to Vista Forums. You will only be able to make these changes while logged on to an administrator account or while running regedit with Run as administrator and provide the administrator password in a Standard account. Do you have access to the drives from the Standard account when you have them set as unrestricted from the administrator account? Shawn
My System Specs

06-09-2008
skhoshbinfar Vista Ultimate x64 3 posts	Re: Drive Access - Restrict or Unrestrict Hi Shawn thnaks, when i run regedit through administrator account setting just for admin user appears which i st it before not for current standard user, so it remains with 3fffff so no drive could be opened!
My System Specs

06-09-2008
Brink Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 25,919 posts	Re: Drive Access - Restrict or Unrestrict Skhoshbinfar, Since you have the Ultimate edition, try using Method One step 6 to unrestrict the drives. If it is already set to Not Configured, then dot Disabled and click Apply and dot Not Configured again and click OK to toggle it to reset the restriction settings. Shawn
My System Specs

06-10-2008
skhoshbinfar Vista Ultimate x64 3 posts	Re: Drive Access - Restrict or Unrestrict Hi, My main problem is i gonna to set one user to access for example D drive and other dont. also pc has only one admin account. could you tell how to configure registry to do this job? Tnx
My System Specs

08-01-2008
Starwing Vista Home Premium 2 posts	Re: Drive Access - Restrict or Unrestrict How does one change a drive's attribute from read only? I want to transfer some photos from my old computer to the new one and I have a USB cable that connects the two computers to do. But it tells me that the drive in question is read only. Thanks for any help.
My System Specs

08-02-2008
Loachdriver Vista x32 Ultimate SP1 2 posts	Re: Drive Access - Restrict or Unrestrict So if I do this to the partition containing my OS it wont allow any other programs to install there? Which is what I want. Thanks.
My System Specs

Similar Threads
Tutorial	Category
How do I restrict access to or share folders?	Vista General
how to restrict USB access?	Vista General
Restrict access to network for standard users	Vista networking & sharing
Restrict access to unsecured networks	Vista networking & sharing
Help restrict access to folders to non-administrators	Vista General