submitted by gt7697c:

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Notes

•The tweaks mentioned only apply to Win 2k Pro and XP Pro. You must be logged in as the admin of the system in order to make these changes.•Before you lock down IE make any branding changes first.

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Prevent Homepage and Branding
Start up Group Policy Editor and go to User Configuration\administrative templates\Windows Component\Internet Explorer and enable the following Disable settings:

•Disable Search Customization (I was at a web site that changed my search page, now nothing can change it until I allow the change.)•Disable External Branding of Internet Explorer (Very important to have it enabled.)•Disable importing \ exporting of Favorites (Very important to have it enabled.)•Disable changing Advanced page settings•Disable changing home page settings (Very important to have it enabled.)•Disable changing Temporary Internet files settings•Disable changing color settings•Disable changing link color settings•Disable changing font settings.

You also may want to Lock your Toolbar in IE from being changed as well as well as buttons. Go to User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Internet Explorer\Toolbars and enable the Disable Setting for these two items:•Disable customizing browser toolbar buttons
•Disable customizing browser toolbars

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Brand IE
Start the Group Policy Editor and then go to User Configuration\Windows Settings\Internet Explorer Maintenance

Highlight Browser User Interface and on the right you are presented with everything you need to customize IE including (but not limited to) Browser Title, Animated Bitmaps, Custom Logo and Browser Toolbar Buttons. You also get the ability to add as many toolbar buttons as you need. If you select URLS then Important Urls you can set your Homepage URL, Search URL, and Support Page URL permanently.