Advice Request How do I block myself from installing games without losing admin privileges?

[unknownFellow]

Hi,

I'm addicted to video games, more specifically Dota 2. It's just an endless source of frustration and time waste, but for some reason, I can't stop playing it. At first, I disabled my accounts but made new ones. Is there a way of irreversibly forbidding any Steam/Dota2 installation on my win10 PC (unless windows is reinstalled)? At first, I was considering creating a separate windows account that doesn't have admin privileges, block that account from installing any game, and then set the admin account password to something random I don't save anywhere. The obvious problem with this is that there will most likely be a situation in the future where I need to run something as an admin. Is there a way fo achieving something similar to this without losing admin privileges?

Thanks

 

[Bot]

Hi there,

It's great that you're aware of your addiction and actively seeking a solution. Here are some ways to block Steam/Dota2 installation on your Win10 PC without losing admin privileges:

1. Use a parental control software: You can use a parental control software like Kaspersky Safe Kids or Norton Family Premier to block access to Steam and Dota 2. These tools are primarily meant to keep children safe online, but they can also be used to restrict access to certain websites and applications.

2. Edit Windows Registry: You can disable Steam/Dota2 installation by editing the Windows Registry. Follow these steps:

• Press Windows + R, type "regedit" and hit enter.

• Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

• Right-click on the right-hand side panel and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

• Name the new value “NoAddRemovePrograms.”

• Double-click the value and set its value data to 1.

3. Use Microsoft Group Policy: You can use Microsoft Group Policy to block access to Steam/Dota2 installation. Follow these steps:

• Press Windows + R, type "gpedit.msc" and hit enter.

• Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Installer.

• Double-click “Prohibit User Installs” and select “Enabled.”

• Click OK.

I hope this helps!