[Reviive CIC]

Hello

I haven't got a clue whether this is the best place for this or not but hey lets go.

I work in a shop and I am in-charge of displaying the computers for sale.

Currently they are just sat there on the desk doing nothing and I would like to display something on the screen like a powerpoint presentation or something similar. The problem I have got is that the computers on display are the ones for sale. Currently they have Windows XP Pro on. The other thing too is I do not want anything left on the hard drive on the sale computers, also I will need to have something on there to stop customers playing with the computers.

Just a quick summary for what I want =).

Show a presentation on display computer, with security to stop customers playing but with nothing left on the hard drive.

If anyone has any ideas then they would be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards

Joe @ Reviive

[Ztruker]

Something like a live Slacko Puppy Linux CD that you boot and run from? People could play to their hearts content but teh CD is read only and if the drive is already wiped then not a lot they can do.

[Reviive CIC]

Thanks for your reply.
Thing about a live cd is that it will be a pain to load up on a load of computers every morning.
Also the HDD will have XP installed at time of sale so therefore if someone knows what they are doing they will be able screw with the OS.

I don't suppose you know what the likes of Tesco and PCWorld do, because they have more or less exactly the same thing on all of their display computers.

[Alzeimer]

Why don't you create on each computer a user account with the no administrative privilege so they cannot do or change anything on the computer but just surf and look, and then at the moment of sale you delete that account and create a regular one for them to use.



Hope that helps

[Reviive CIC]

Thats a good idea.

is there anyway I could run a presentation on the screen, but as soon as they try and do anything it just asks for a password?

The only problem with the making another account, is that I work part time and the sales team of the shop dont have a clue and/or will not want to play around deleting accounts on the computer

[Alzeimer]

Deoending on which version you have to where to go to see those option:

Powerpoint 2003: Passwords can be added by choosing Tools > Options from the menu. Choose the Security tab at the top of the dialog box.


Powerpoint 2007:Password protection is applied differently in PowerPoint 2007 than in earlier versions, but it is just as easy. It is simply a matter of knowing where to look.

1- Click the Office button in the top left corner of the screen
2- Choose Save As.
3- In the bottom left corner of the Save As dialog box, click on the Tools button.
4- Choose General Options ....

There are two password options available for you to add to your presentation.

1- Password to Open
This is a security feature that will encrypt your presentation and allow you to control who has access to the file.

2- Password to Modify
Sometimes you can allow others to see the presentation, but do not want any alterations made. By adding a password to this box, no one can make any changes to the presentation, without first entering the password.

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I am sorry to hear that your sale team is so inefficient but to add or remove an account takes a couple of minutes only, same for removing the password to the administrator account after the sale is done.

[Reviive CIC]

Didnt think they would have to do anythign regarding the password, but obviously you saying it obviously means i will, i just forgot haha.
Yes it's a shame about the sales staff but ahwell not a lot a can do, i think its just going to be a pain in the [bleep] to do anythin with the computers, i might just find 1 computer not for sale and then connect multiple monitors to it to make it look like its coming from the computer for sale.

[Macboatmaster]

Not wishing in any way to appear unhelpful but

Quote

I work in a shop and I am in-charge of displaying the computers for sale.

and they have

Quote

Currently they have Windows XP Pro on

the thought does cross my mind, that this shop is presumably not in the business of selling computers, as its main line, as if it was, I think they would not be sold with XP as the O/S, at least not if they were NEW computers.

and if they are second hand, but wiped and simply XP and its attendant software reinstalled, then unless the shop is VERY LARGE, can not just one simply be set up, with whatever you wish and used for demo purposes and to make it look more attracitve, then simply sitting there - shut down.

If all that is on the computer can easily be reinstalled, it really does not seem to matter a great deal, what the unreliable staff do, and in the case of the customers, if it was running on the guest account, there chance of "playing with it" at least to cause mayhem is not very likely, as I see it.

[Reviive CIC]

Hello

The computers are donated and then speced up and refurb'd then sold on. It isn't a computer shop it's various things, but obviously computers too.

I think i've come up with a solution.

Put together a separate computer, and hide it, but attach a multi vga splitter and to just show the presentation on the screens without the actual computers being on.

[Macboatmaster]

Good idea