I want to restrict other local users from accessing my partitions and i want to block the USB option for the user. while having windows 7 it was easy and what we have to do is just edit the Group policy and disable some stuff there but when i installed win 8.1 it seems a bit hard to find the solution.

I  tried using the mmc.exe and tried to include a Local users and group snap-in but it gives me an error and it tells me to use control panel for this purpose.Can someone help me with this matter   

For partitions, you can use bit locker. 

For USB, it can be done via registry. But, if the other user is admin and he/she knows the trick, it can be enabled. 

so the PC that you using as server to block USB and access your partition is Windows 8.1 SL?

If yes, gpedit.msc is only available in Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise editions. You can use any 3rd party software to lock your partition or give password or credential for other user to accessed it

if you have pro or enterprise version for server, you can use Bitlocker to Configure use of passwords on removable data drives and lock your partition

Bitlocker setting

• Edited by britishdhez 1 hour 12 minutes ago

I'm not using the server version just the home edition anyway  i found this two useful links 

http://www.rushinformation.com/windows-find-gpedit-msc-error-windows-78-fixed/

http://www.rushinformation.com/gpedit-msc-snap-in-creation-failed-initialize-error/

and want to know whether any of you have used this links for their use 

@Arnav Sharma thanks for the suggestion and i'm the administrator of that account but i want to do other kind of stuff that i did in win 7 using Gpedit. Is there any other suggestion that you can give ??

so the PC that you using as server to block USB and access your partition is Windows 8.1 SL?

If yes, gpedit.msc is only available in Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise editions. You can use any 3rd party software to lock your partition or give password or credential for other user to accessed it

if you have pro or enterprise version for server, you can use Bitlocker to Configure use of passwords on removable data drives and lock your partition

Bitlocker setting

• Edited by britishdhez Wednesday, May 13, 2015 6:09 AM

so the PC that you using as server to block USB and access your partition is Windows 8.1 SL?

If yes, gpedit.msc is only available in Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise editions. You can use any 3rd party software to lock your partition or give password or credential for other user to accessed it

if you have pro or enterprise version for server, you can use Bitlocker to Configure use of passwords on removable data drives and lock your partition

Bitlocker setting

• Edited by britishdhez Wednesday, May 13, 2015 6:09 AM

so the PC that you using as server to block USB and access your partition is Windows 8.1 SL?

If yes, gpedit.msc is only available in Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise editions. You can use any 3rd party software to lock your partition or give password or credential for other user to accessed it

if you have pro or enterprise version for server, you can use Bitlocker to Configure use of passwords on removable data drives and lock your partition

Bitlocker setting

• Edited by britishdhez Wednesday, May 13, 2015 6:09 AM

so the PC that you using as server to block USB and access your partition is Windows 8.1 SL?

If yes, gpedit.msc is only available in Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise editions. You can use any 3rd party software to lock your partition or give password or credential for other user to accessed it

if you have pro or enterprise version for server, you can use Bitlocker to Configure use of passwords on removable data drives and lock your partition

Bitlocker setting

• Edited by britishdhez Wednesday, May 13, 2015 6:09 AM

so the PC that you using as server to block USB and access your partition is Windows 8.1 SL?

If yes, gpedit.msc is only available in Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise editions. You can use any 3rd party software to lock your partition or give password or credential for other user to accessed it

if you have pro or enterprise version for server, you can use Bitlocker to Configure use of passwords on removable data drives and lock your partition

Bitlocker setting

• Edited by britishdhez Wednesday, May 13, 2015 6:09 AM

Hi RaOne-,

What is the version of the Windows 8.1?What is the group policy have you configured before?

The group policy editor is only available for Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 8.1 Enterprise.It is not recommended to use the third party software to make changes to the system.It may result in unexpected behavior.

Here is a link for reference of the Group policy Editor:
Open the Local Group Policy Editor
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731745.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Usually deploying the group policy will push out several registry keys to the machine.
 If we have configured the group policy to achieve the goal before, we can try to modify the registry keys directly to have a check, please backup the registry keys before we made modifications to them.

Best regards

• Edited by MeipoXuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator 1 hour 15 minutes ago

I'm using windows 8.1 home edition and how can i edit the group policy object without using any third party tools and why microsoft doesnt give any support for these kind of problems

Hi RaOne-,

The Group Policy feature is concentrated on the enterprise deploying.So it is not available for a home edition.
Fortunately we can try to modify the registry keys directly to achieve the same goal as the group policy for the home edition.
What are the group policies you have configured before?

Best r

Hi RaOne-,

What is the version of the Windows 8.1?What is the group policy have you configured before?

The group policy editor is only available for Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 8.1 Enterprise.It is not recommended to use the third party software to make changes to the system.It may result in unexpected behavior.

Here is a link for reference of the Group policy Editor:
Open the Local Group Policy Editor
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731745.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Usually deploying the group policy will push out several registry keys to the machine.
 If we have configured the group policy to achieve the goal before, we can try to modify the registry keys directly to have a check, please backup the registry keys before we made modifications to them.

Best regards

• Edited by MeipoXuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Thursday, May 14, 2015 6:07 AM

Hi RaOne-,

What is the version of the Windows 8.1?What is the group policy have you configured before?

The group policy editor is only available for Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 8.1 Enterprise.It is not recommended to use the third party software to make changes to the system.It may result in unexpected behavior.

Here is a link for reference of the Group policy Editor:
Open the Local Group Policy Editor
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731745.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Usually deploying the group policy will push out several registry keys to the machine.
 If we have configured the group policy to achieve the goal before, we can try to modify the registry keys directly to have a check, please backup the registry keys before we made modifications to them.

Best regards

• Edited by MeipoXuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Thursday, May 14, 2015 6:07 AM

Hi RaOne-,

What is the version of the Windows 8.1?What is the group policy have you configured before?

The group policy editor is only available for Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 8.1 Enterprise.It is not recommended to use the third party software to make changes to the system.It may result in unexpected behavior.

Here is a link for reference of the Group policy Editor:
Open the Local Group Policy Editor
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731745.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Usually deploying the group policy will push out several registry keys to the machine.
 If we have configured the group policy to achieve the goal before, we can try to modify the registry keys directly to have a check, please backup the registry keys before we made modifications to them.

Best regards

• Edited by MeipoXuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Thursday, May 14, 2015 6:07 AM

Hi RaOne-,

What is the version of the Windows 8.1?What is the group policy have you configured before?

The group policy editor is only available for Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 8.1 Enterprise.It is not recommended to use the third party software to make changes to the system.It may result in unexpected behavior.

Here is a link for reference of the Group policy Editor:
Open the Local Group Policy Editor
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731745.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Usually deploying the group policy will push out several registry keys to the machine.
 If we have configured the group policy to achieve the goal before, we can try to modify the registry keys directly to have a check, please backup the registry keys before we made modifications to them.

Best regards

• Edited by MeipoXuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Thursday, May 14, 2015 6:07 AM

Hi RaOne-,

What is the version of the Windows 8.1?What is the group policy have you configured before?

The group policy editor is only available for Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 8.1 Enterprise.It is not recommended to use the third party software to make changes to the system.It may result in unexpected behavior.

Here is a link for reference of the Group policy Editor:
Open the Local Group Policy Editor
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731745.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Usually deploying the group policy will push out several registry keys to the machine.
 If we have configured the group policy to achieve the goal before, we can try to modify the registry keys directly to have a check, please backup the registry keys before we made modifications to them.

Best regards

• Edited by MeipoXuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Thursday, May 14, 2015 6:07 AM

These are the things that i  want to restrict in the non -administrative account
1) Disable traversing through partitions and viewing inside those partitions

2)Restricting him from using usb and other media devices

3) Restricting him from changing the background of the desktop

*Any other security feature/setting that a administrator will take to avoid an normal user from abusing his machine

Hi RaOne,

"while having windows 7 it was easy and what we have to do is just edit the Group policy "

I noticed you have configured the Group Policy in a Windows 7 machine to achieve the goal.
We would appreciate it if you can share us the Group Policies you have configured. It will be very useful to find out the corresponding registry keys.

Best regards