Windows SteadyState?

Has anyone tried out Windows SteadyState? I'm not usually that interested in rushing out to try Microsoft products, but (based on the documentation) this one shows some promise.

Features I like:
Limits programs and program features a user can access.
Saves all changes in a user session to a cache file which can be deleted at intervals you designate (or upon reboot).

The program allows you to create an "allowed" list of websites, so it looks like you'll still need a filter of some kind if you plan to use the internet for anything other than visiting a designated list of websites.

- Stephen

scjayounger wrote:Has anyone tried out Windows SteadyState? I'm not usually that interested in rushing out to try Microsoft products, but (based on the documentation) this one shows some promise.

Features I like:
Limits programs and program features a user can access.
Saves all changes in a user session to a cache file which can be deleted at intervals you designate (or upon reboot).

The program allows you to create an "allowed" list of websites, so it looks like you'll still need a filter of some kind if you plan to use the internet for anything other than visiting a designated list of websites.

- Stephen

Ya know, it sounds like it's for shared computers like at the airport or mall or something like that. The idea of keeping the state of the computer steady no matter who is using the computer.

Perhaps it's useful in the home, but I think you may find Windows Live Family Safety may be more targeted to the home. I've never used it myself, but it has most of those features you are looking for. It's a free download from Microsoft.

Some have played with it for FHC computers. But I haven't heard much more since Deep Freeze was made available. That may still be a good idea for the "FH Workroom" (unofficial FHC) computers.

I'd agree with mkmurray in that it's more targeted to public computers, such as found in a library, etc.

mkmurray wrote:Perhaps it's useful in the home, but I think you may find Windows Live Family Safety may be more targeted to the home.

It definately appears to have been created with the "public computer" in mind, but I was curious about the additional features that seem to go beyond the internet filtering that Live Family Safety offers. From another page on their website:


Parents can take full control of the family computer with Windows SteadyState. A few more examples are:
+ Simplify the interface by removing options from the Start Menu that your child doesn't need.
+ Apply a time limit to your child's computing sessions.
+ Block access to any hard drive, partition, or removable media you don't want your child to access.

- Stephen

it does a little bit of both. The commercial product that would be identical to it is DeepFreeze and Active Directory Group Policy.


SteadyState combines the ability for a administrator (or parent) to install applications to a computer, set backgrounds, and specific sets of software to a computer, and "freeze" - Deepfreeze's terminology - a computer so when the non-administrative user logs in, they can run the applicaiton, but ANY changes not saved in their pre-defined locations are lost with a reboot. It works really well for a kids computer, or a computer in libraries or public locations.

It also allows controls to limit access to areas of the comptuer, or sites, as mentioned. It also protects fairly well against viruses & things like that, because a reboot will wipe any changes made to the computer.

It trains users to also store their files on a flash drive, or network drive, or share somewhere else as well, because when they reboot the machine, the data is gone.


I've been using Steady State on my kids computer for a while, and it works really well. DeepFreeze is a better product, but it's not free.

jjcrandall wrote:it does a little bit of both. The commercial product that would be identical to it is DeepFreeze and Active Directory Group Policy.


SteadyState combines the ability for a administrator (or parent) to install applications to a computer, set backgrounds, and specific sets of software to a computer, and "freeze" - Deepfreeze's terminology - a computer so when the non-administrative user logs in, they can run the applicaiton, but ANY changes not saved in their pre-defined locations are lost with a reboot. It works really well for a kids computer, or a computer in libraries or public locations.

It also allows controls to limit access to areas of the comptuer, or sites, as mentioned. It also protects fairly well against viruses & things like that, because a reboot will wipe any changes made to the computer.

It trains users to also store their files on a flash drive, or network drive, or share somewhere else as well, because when they reboot the machine, the data is gone.


I've been using Steady State on my kids computer for a while, and it works really well. DeepFreeze is a better product, but it's not free.

Great info. Thanks! I didn't realize SteadyState was free. I can think of several immediate needs that I have for that.

Brad O. wrote:Great info. Thanks! I didn't realize SteadyState was free. I can think of several immediate needs that I have for that.

Please note that Steady State will ONLY work on Windows XP and Vista. It is NOT compatible with Windows 7

Aaron Z

Hey Steph,

I know, I'm replying too late to this thread. But just wanted to share my experience. I was using Windows SteadyState. It was an awesome application by Microsoft. But After launching Windows 7 and now Windows 8, Microsoft has phased out this. So I was looking for an alternative which will provide same feature like it and I found Faronics Deep Freeze. It is an awesome software with some great features like central management, easily scheduling of windows update etc. I totally impressed and It will work for Mac system also. As a technology coordinator, I'm recommending it for several times.
http://www.faronics.com/products/deep-f ... nterprise/

Their is A whole list you can try they should close to Windows Steadystate. http://alternativeto.net/software/deep-freeze/
That you should give you many Opinions on ways to help. Good luck and Pray always, In My Opinion I wished all Anti viruses have a idea Like Deep freeze and Steady State. I like Deep Freeze because of How the Company has made it and How they let you put stuff under the Frost, but You must do it a special way and not tell any one who can mess up your computer. How ever one thing that makes make super mad is Deep Freeze dosen't have a free version. I am looking at This one on the list, http://www.returnilvirtualsystem.com/products (Returnil) Their is many others you can try, But few know much about these Products, and I am Even Thinking about sending a few of their sites to People that Test Antivirus and say check these out and I bet they will be amazed, Most of antiviruses are crap and will fail and Fail super Bad.

If possible, I would recommend having a folder that the child is allowed to save to without things being deleted. I loved playing around in Photoshop as a kid, or helping create flyers for things – but you need a place to save documents. I don't see any benefit in keeping a child from changing things around within his user account on the computer.

Deep Freeze allows that, because of the way it works, You can do most any thing you want, when you shut down the computer it brings back all things, you must read up on all the things it can and can not do, I suggest those apps, because of things that could go wrong with computers.