GPA - GP Answers - Group Policy

With the release of Windows XP SP1, the file association Web service was introduced. When a user attempts to open a file that does not have an application associated with the file type, you see the following message:

At this point, a user can select an application which resides on their local system, or use the default selection, which is to let Windows attempt to locate the appropriate program online. Instead of letting your users choose either of those two options, we are going to show you how to completely disable this Web service.

Editing the Registry

Using regedit, navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE|SOFTWARE|Microsoft|Windows|CurrentVersion|Policies|System

Create a new DWORD called NoInternetOpenWith, and set its value to 1, as shown below.

Creating the Custom .adm Template

This can be deployed via Group Policy by creating an adm file using the following code.
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CLASS MACHINE

CATEGORY WindowsExplorer

POLICY "Disable File Association Web Service"

KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system"

EXPLAIN "Enabling this setting will stop Windows from offering users the option of using a web service to find a program to open a file that does not already have a program associated with it."

VALUENAME "NoInternetOpenWith"
VALUEON NUMERIC 1
VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0

END POLICY

END CATEGORY

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This tip is based on WARNING: XP's File Association Web Service May Be Dangerous to Your Organization's Health by Ed Roth, Windows IT Pro Magazine, November 2004, InstantDoc #44116

Additional information can be found on the Microsoft Technet site here.