Disabling-Enabling USB Mass Storage Device

You can disable/enable any USB-compatible external mass storage devices in order to ensure confidentiality or for other reasons.

Other topics about Using Windows

Windows 7/10

Local Group Policy Editor

Group Policy Editor is a part of Windows operating system that allows you to control your machine. One of its feature is the ability to turn ON and OFF access to USB storage.

Group Policy Editor is a Microsoft Management Console snap-in that provides a single user interface through which all the Computer Configuration and User Configuration settings of Local Group Policy objects can be managed.

Administrators can use Computer Configuration to set policies that are applied to computer, regardless of who logs on to the computers. Computer Configuration typically contains sub-items for software settings, Windows settings, and administrative templates.

Administrators can use User Configuration to set policies that apply to users, regardless of which computer they log on to. User Configuration typically contains sub-items for software settings, Windows settings, and administrative templates.

 

To launch the Local Group Policy Editor:

  1. Click on the Start menu.

  2. In the Search programs and files entry, type GPEDIT.MSC.

  3. The below screen appears, with as per below

Enabling & Disabling USB Storage

  1. In the left field, open Computer Configuration  > Administrator Templates > System > Removable Storage Access.

  1. Table below shows the possible settings for the USB storage access:

Setting Option

Enable USB Storage (Default)

Read Only Storage

Disable USB Storage

Removable Disk: Deny execute access

Not configured

Not configured

Enable

Removable Disk: Deny read access

Not configured

Not configured

Enable

Removable Disk: Deny write access

Not configured

Enable

Enable

  1. Double click on the desired setting option and the below dialog appears. As you select the desired option between Not Configured, Enabled and Disabled, the Help column at the bottom right corner displays the details of the option.

  1. Select the desired option and click Apply > OK or just OK.

  2. For example if your setting selection is Removable Disk: Deny read access and:

Windows XP

To disable a USB Mass Storage Device

  1. Press Save/Recall key.

  2. Press Explorer....and navigate to D:\Agilent\Service.

  3. Double-click DisableUsbStorage.exe

  4. Click OK in the SUCCEEDED message window that appears. If any USB mass storage device is connected to the E5071C under this condition, the Hardware Wizard will start, but the USB mass storage device will not work.

To enable a USB Mass Storage Device

  1. Press Save/Recall key.

  2. Press Explorer....

  3. Double-click EnableUsbStorage.exe from D:\Agilent\Service.

  4. Click OK in the SUCCEEDED message window that appears.

To disable write access to USB Mass Storage Device

  1. Press Save/Recall key.

  2. Press Explorer....

  3. Double-click ReadOnlyUsbStorage.exe from D:\Agilent\Service.

  4. Click OK in the SUCCEEDED message window that appears.