prohibit new software installs while allowing updates & patches

I'm planning on purchasing several laptops for our firm with Vista Business
installed. There is no network and all laptops will work in stand-alone
mode. Is there a way I can use the built in Administrator account to
prohibit the users from installing any new software while at the same time
allowing upgrades and/or patches to software that is already installed?
Thanks for any thoughts, input, etc. [also posted in Administration
Accounts and Passwords, sorry for the double/cross post, was not sure where
this belonged]

 

"Don" <Don@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> I'm planning on purchasing several laptops for our firm with Vista
> Business
> installed. There is no network and all laptops will work in stand-alone
> mode. Is there a way I can use the built in Administrator account to
> prohibit the users from installing any new software while at the same time
> allowing upgrades and/or patches to software that is already installed?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

By default Vista does exactly that for you. Just make sure the employees are
given Standard User accounts only. Vistas new UAC feature only allows
Administrator accounts to install software.

Windows updates are not affected by the account type, just set the machines
to download and install updates automatically, and they will run silently in
the background. There should be similar settings in your third party
software, but you will have to check that out with the mfgr.

Charlie42