USB Storage Devices

[jwilliams]

I know I am new to GP, but I am really puzzled. I have been able to set
up many GPO to control how the users can use their PCs very
successfully, but am stymied about this one issue. USB Storage use!
I have been trying to shut down USB Storage use for some time with GP,
but to no avail. I have created a No USB GPO with the .adm templates
from several downloads, but whenever I attach it to a OU in the Active
Directory, it does NOT prevent the USB sticks from working! If I go to
the PC and edit the Registry manually, I can shut down its use. Not
what I want to do. Attached are the adm file and GPO that I have
created. Can you simply tell me where my logic is in error? Hopefully,
it is obvious to someone else, but I am going blind.
Thanks for any help,
Jim

***********************************
CLASS MACHINE
CATEGORY !!category
CATEGORY !!categoryname
POLICY !!policynameusb
KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR"
EXPLAIN !!explaintextusb
PART !!labeltextusb DROPDOWNLIST REQUIRED

VALUENAME "Start"
ITEMLIST
NAME !!Disabled VALUE NUMERIC 3 DEFAULT
NAME !!Enabled VALUE NUMERIC 4
END ITEMLIST
END PART
END POLICY
POLICY !!policynamecd
KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom"
EXPLAIN !!explaintextcd
PART !!labeltextcd DROPDOWNLIST REQUIRED

VALUENAME "Start"
ITEMLIST
NAME !!Disabled VALUE NUMERIC 1 DEFAULT
NAME !!Enabled VALUE NUMERIC 4
END ITEMLIST
END PART
END POLICY
POLICY !!policynameflpy
KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Flpydisk"
EXPLAIN !!explaintextflpy
PART !!labeltextflpy DROPDOWNLIST REQUIRED

VALUENAME "Start"
ITEMLIST
NAME !!Disabled VALUE NUMERIC 3 DEFAULT
NAME !!Enabled VALUE NUMERIC 4
END ITEMLIST
END PART
END POLICY
POLICY !!policynamels120
KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Sfloppy"
EXPLAIN !!explaintextls120
PART !!labeltextls120 DROPDOWNLIST REQUIRED

VALUENAME "Start"
ITEMLIST
NAME !!Disabled VALUE NUMERIC 3 DEFAULT
NAME !!Enabled VALUE NUMERIC 4
END ITEMLIST
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY

[strings]
category="Custom Policy Settings"
categoryname="Restrict Drives"
policynameusb="Disable USB Removable Drives"
policynamecd="Disable CD-ROM"
policynameflpy="Disable Floppy"
policynamels120="Disable High Capacity Floppy"
explaintextusb="Disables the USB Removable Drives capability by disabling the usbstor.sys driver. \n\nSelect the ENABLED radiobox, then select STOPPED for the usbstore.sys driver status in the drop-down list. \n\nNote that this will only prevent usage of newly plugged-in USB Removable Drives or Flash Drives, devices that were plugged-in while this option was not configured will continue to function normally. Also, devices that use the same device or hardware ID (for example - 2 identical Flash Disks made by the same manufacturer) will still function if one of them was plugged-in prior to the configuration of this setting. In order to successfully block them you will need to make sure no USB Removable Drive is plugged-in while you set this option. \n\nIn order to re-enable the usage of USB Removable Drives select STARTED for the usbstore.sys driver status in the drop-down list."
explaintextcd="Disables the CD-ROM Drive by disabling the cdrom.sys driver. \n\nSelect the ENABLED radiobox, then select STOPPED for the cdrom.sys driver status in the drop-down list. \n\nIn order to re-enable the usage of USB Removable Drives select STARTED for the cdrom.sys driver status in the drop-down list."
explaintextflpy="Disables the Floppy Drive by disabling the flpydisk.sys driver. \n\nSelect the ENABLED radiobox, then select STOPPED for the flpydisk.sys driver status in the drop-down list. \n\nIn order to re-enable the usage of USB Removable Drives select STARTED for the flpydisk.sys driver status in the drop-down list."
explaintextls120="Disables the High Capacity Floppy Drive by disabling the sfloppy.sys driver. \n\nSelect the ENABLED radiobox, then select STOPPED for the sfloppy.sys driver status in the drop-down list. \n\nIn order to re-enable the usage of USB Removable Drives select STARTED for the sfloppy.sys driver status in the drop-down list."
labeltextusb="usbstore.sys driver status"
labeltextcd="cdrom.sys driver status"
labeltextflpy="flpydisk.sys driver status"
labeltextls120="sfloppy.sys driver status"
Enabled="Stopped"
Disabled="Started"
**********************************

[Robert_IT]

I will assume your machines are capable of having the ADM templates applied. With that said, read this support KB from Microsoft and ensure you have verified you have things setup as suggested.

Recommendations for managing Group Policy administrative template (.adm) files - ADM template article

What your trying to accomplish is not easy to manage, audit, or verify that it has applied successfully. Disabling USBs is one thing, but tracking whose plugging in the devices is quite another.

Even with Windows 7 and newer group policy in Windows 2008 R2 this task is better left to third party tools. Microsoft does not have any interface to easily control and manage this option.