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I would like to disable USB mass storage for a group of users during specific hours of the day (lets say, 9AM to 5PM). I know that with Windows Server 2008, there is a group policy that will disable USB storage at:

\User Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\System\Removable Storage Access

But, is there a way I can make this policy time dependent?

Perhaps It would be useful to mention that the client machines are running a mixture of Windows XP and 7.

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Simple answer... no. Even if you automated the manipulation of the GPO, you couldn't guarantee what time the clients would refresh their policy.

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  • Could I force a policy refresh using Task Scheduler on the client machines? I was also thinking about using Task Scheduler server-side to enable/disable the group policy. Do you see any issues with this idea?
    – gmanjake
    Jun 10, 2013 at 2:54
  • Thinking about this more, the setting that needs adjusting is in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, i.e.: in the Computer part of the GPO. This will need a system restart to take effect. Doing a brief Google, it might be easier to have a client-side script that does a "sc config usbstore start= disabled" and "sc config usbstor stop". Just an idea.
    – Simon Catlin
    Jun 11, 2013 at 21:35
  • Scratch that. Just re-read your original Q, and the setting you're manipulating is HKCU. A scripted GPUPDATE could therefore work. How many clients are going to hit your DCs though at the same time?
    – Simon Catlin
    Jun 11, 2013 at 21:41
  • Around 20 users would be the maximum.
    – gmanjake
    Jun 12, 2013 at 1:40
  • No real impact then.
    – Simon Catlin
    Jun 12, 2013 at 19:29

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