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How to block or Disable USB Flash drives in Windows XP

This Post talks answers the below queries.

1. How to block USB Mass storage – Flash memory drives , USB Flash Memory devices in Windows XP based PCs?

2. How to remove ability to install new USB Mass Storage devices ?

3. How to disable autorun feature of USB drives ?

Next post answers

3. How to enable Blocked USB mass storage devices or flash memory devices in corporate networks?

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Typically USB Mass storage devices like USB Flash drives or Pen Drives or similar devices (Sandisk,Transcend ,U3 Micro cruzer, Kingston ) and Portable Hard disk drives like Seagate,Western Digital etc or any USB mass storage device can be blocked in Windows XP PCs by editing registry and removing some driver files/making the files protected.

Step 1 : If the device is not installed already and you need to block any new installations
The access to following files can be restricted.

%SystemRoot%\Inf\Usbstor.pnf
%SystemRoot%\Inf\Usbstor.inf

Where %SystemRoot% is C:\Windows\System32\ Folder if windows is installed in C. Replace the drive letter based on installation.
Hence you should look for these files under


C:\Windows\System32\Inf\Usbstor.inf

This file has driver information about USB Mass storage devices. If this file is made restricted or deleted, users cant install new Flash drives or any USB hard drives. [This will not affect other USB devices like Mouse, keyboard etc]. When we say restricted make the file accessible only to administrators, if you are talking about kiosk, internet center PC just delete the Usbstor.inf file so no one can install it.

2. If your USB mass storage device is already installed then change the below registry entry value to 4. Its default value is 3 which is USB Mass storage devices enabled condition.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsbStor

When you do this, the USB storage device does not work when the user connects the device to the computer.
To set the Start value, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate and then click the following registry key:
4. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsbStor
5. In the details pane, double-click Start.
6. In the Value data box, type  4, click Hexadecimal (if it is not already selected), and then
7. click OK.
8. Exit Registry Editor.

Your USB Mass storage devices will not be detected if this value is changed. This will NOT affect Mouse,Keyboard or any other USB hardware.

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Best Web browser ? – Google Chrome Review

My first impression of Google Chrome was not so good.The first time when I downloaded and started using it, felt very uncomfortable without the Google Toolbar. I got so used to using Google toolbar and my first thought was this browser is not for me at least for time being. So after a few hours I was back to Firefox and IE 7.

Google Chrome - Best browser ?
Google Chrome - Best browser ?

Few days went on and heard somewhere Chrome works better with google’s products like GMail and Youtube. So again I went back to Chrome and started using with Gmail and to my surprise, Gmail was very fast in Chrome and I decided to try it for a few more days.The other main factor which was refreshingly good was how fast the browser itself opens and in this Google Chrome seemed to beat Firefox and IE by a quite a margin. But this could be because the current version
of Chrome doesnt allow support addons or extensions and does not have a separate toolbar like Firefox or IE. Maybe this might or might not change in future versions.

Now coming back to Missing toolbar issue, after a few hours with Chrome, I started using the address bar of Chrome to search, jus like the way we type site addresses. Type any word and enter and your search results are there for you. Still Im missing the suggest(and Autofill) feature which is present in google toolbar, which will bring related
keywords and help you in searching.

 Google chrome Browsing history view

One more notable feature is the ‘ Browsing history view ‘ when you open Chrome, It brings up to nine most visited website thumbnails, and most of the time I use these thumbnails to navigate these websites. This is definitely a very useful addition. The incognito tab option, which is basically private browsing which would allow any tracking files(cookies) to be stored in your computer or wouldnt leave any browsing history / Search history in your computer. Chrome also maintains browsing history in a calendar fashion with thumbnails and allows to search the browsing history. The browsing history can be deleted by day or completely.

Though Chrome doesnt have many new features now it has replaced Firefox in my laptop as the primary browser, I still use IE for what I used it for even before I got Google chrome. Nowadays I mostly dont use Firefox, this could be because firefox isnt faster or lighter anyomore and Chrome offers what I need. I believe Chrome will definitely eat into Firefox’s market.

On the negative side FTP downloads doesnt work in Chrome and even some other sites which use Flash also work differently in Chrome. Hopefully this will change with the newer versions of Chrome, afterall Chrome is a newbie in Browser market. If you go sheer speed of Browsing and JavaScript rendering Google Chrome seems to be the best browser in market.

Download chrome – http://www.google.com/chrome

Download Chrome Beta (New version with more features) – http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/chrome/beta/

Google Chrome Blog – http://chrome.blogspot.com/

Google Chrome’s Features – http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/features.html

[PS: I recently downloaded IE 8 and quite impressed with it, Not like Chrome but still will come out with its review soon]

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Whats a PIP in TCS ? – Performance Improvement plan

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TCS is trying desperately to damage the name it had with associates few years back. Now the HR has totally different role in this organisation, how to reduce cost at any cost.

Earlier TCS had PIP – Process Improvement process which were suggestions given by employees to improve company in any area. But now after the TCS numbers started going down, the company has come up with one more way of firing employees – PIP (Performance Improvement Plan). Though TCS claims this process is for improving and motivating employee the truth is this is one more tool in blackmailing employees into submission and firing them when they need to reduce the employee count of highly paid staff.

A PIP is sent to the supervisor of the employee who has a lower score in annual performance evaluation and bar for lower score has been increased recently which will cover almost 20% of employees. Since TCS has curve fitting model for giving performance rating ,15-20% of its 1,20,000 employees will get band D or Rating 2.  Now they have introduced PIP to send out this employees out. The funny part is this whole performance evaluation never reflects actual performance of individual rather it  depends on various factors as I had mentioned in my previous post here.

Now what happens if your supervisor gets a PIP for you ? . Either he can save you by giving you a rating(this is PIP rating) of  2.5 or above (for 5) or he can give you a lesser feedback and get you fired. As if the PL’s and PM’s in TCS doesnt have enough say in your salary now one more way he can make you a slave.

So how does this process work and what is the criteria for receieving a PIP (ie ur supervisor getting one for you).  Refer the below table for verifying the criteria for PIP this year (and past year)

TCS PIP chart for 2008 -2009

According to this chart released by TCS HR anyone at C3B level and above will be fired if they get continous 2 rating or Band D as I ahd earlier mentioned in the previous post. For employees Below AST ir ITA or ASE, they will be fired if they get a Band E or Rating 1  twice. In all other scenarios they will get a PIP and your PL / PM has to save you.

So do pass the word to other TCSers and also cautions the others interested in TCS about the same.