KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q84709: How to Disable Access to Specific Control Panel Tools

Article: Q84709
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 3.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.1,3.11,95
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kbusage win31 win95
Last Modified: 16-DEC-2000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 
- Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11 
- Microsoft Windows 95 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

This article describes how to disable access to specific tools in Control Panel.
You can use the procedure in this article to cause specific tools not to appear
in Control Panel.

MORE INFORMATION
================

To disable access to a specific tool in Control Panel, follow these steps:

1. Use any text editor (such as Notepad) to open the Control.ini file in the
  Windows folder.

2. Search the file for a [don't load] section. If this section does not exist,
  add it.

3. Add the following line to the [don't load] section for each tool you want to
  disable

  <icon>=no

  where <icon> is the Control Panel tool you want to disable.

  For Windows and Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1 and 3.11, use the name of
  the tool as it appears in Control Panel. For example, to disable the Printers
  tool in Windows for Workgroups 3.11, add the following line to the [don't
  load] section:

  Printers=no

  For Windows 95, use the name of the .cpl file associated with the tool you
  want to disable. The Windows 95 .cpl files are listed in the table below. For
  example, to disable the System tool in Windows 95, add the following line to
  the [don't load] section:

  sysdm.cpl=no

4. Save the Control.ini file and then quit the editor.

5. Restart the computer.

The following table lists the .cpl file associated with each tool in Control
Panel in Windows 95:

  .cpl file      Control Panel tool(s)
  ---------------------------------------------------
  Access.cpl     Accessibility Options
  Appwiz.cpl     Add/Remove Programs
  Desk.cpl       Display
  Intl.cpl       Regional Settings
  Jetadmin.cpl   HP JetAdmin
  Joy.cpl        Joystick
  Main.cpl       Fonts, Keyboard, Mouse, and Printers
  Mlcfg32.cpl    Mail And Fax
  Mmsys.cpl      Multimedia and Sounds
  Modem.cpl      Modems
  Netcpl.cpl     Network
  Password.cpl   Passwords
  Sysdm.cpl      System and Add New Hardware
  Timedate.cpl   Date/Time
  Wgpocpl.cpl    Microsoft Mail Postoffice


Additional query words: 3.10 3.11 restrict hide remove

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbenv kbusage win31 win95 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbWin95search kbWFWSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin310 kbWin311
Version           : WINDOWS:3.1,3.11,95
Issue type        : kbhowto

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.