CAB Lock v1.0

[Guest chucky.egg]

I needed some simple way to stop people installing applications to their new toys and failed to find anything that suited me, so I knocked this together.

It may (or may not) be of some use to somebody.

Please note: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. NO WARRANTIES etc etc

Bear in mind that it is intended to stop the uneducated user, not to stop anyone technically competent or determined.

What's in it?

The attached ZIP file contains a single CAB installation file that will install the following files to your device:

1. Tweak_AppLock.cab "locks" the device so that CAB files can not be run

2. Tweak_AppUnlock.cab "unlocks" the device, allowing CAB files to be run

3. Readme.txt

4. Shortcuts to AppLock and AppUnlock

What it does:

When you run the Tweak_AppLock.CAB file the registry setting that controls the CAB file type association is changed. Instead of pointing to the installer it now points to an HTML Page that says "Installation disabled".

When you run the Tweak_AppUnlock.CAB file the registry setting for the CAB file type association is changed back to its default state ("wceload.exe %1").

How to use it:

Once "Locked" you can no longer just click on the Unlock CAB file to re-enable installations (because it's a CAB file and you just disabled CAB files!), so instead you run the shortcut to Unlock and it calls the full path to WCELoad.exe

To "Lock" the device run \Lock.lnk (silent installation of AppLock.cab)

To "Unlock" run \Unlock.lnk (silent installation of AppUnlock.cab)

The easiest way I've found is to press-and-hold the DPad button and tap-and-hold the battery meter, then release both and you should get a menu which includes the "Run" option (this works on a Wizard).

What it doesn't do:

This stuff won't stop:

1. Installations via the PC and ActiveSync

2. The installer (wceload.exe) being used "manually"

3. Anyone determined or knowledgeable

Basically all it stops is people downloading and/or clicking on a CAB file and that application being installed.

I can't promise to support it, but if you have any problems or questions let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks to GPCarreon [MVP] for his help with the registry syntax

Tweak_Application_Lock_Unlock.zip