restoring desktop on reboot for child user

I am setting up a new windows 10 pc for a handicapped adult who is essentially like a child.
Once set up is finished, there will no longer be internet access to worry about.

I have installed games and apps for her with desktop shortcuts she can use to start her games. And I discovered "desklock.exe" which:
- locks the desktop icons in place (avoids their being dragged to the trashcan or messed up)
- and removes the ability to use the right mouse button.

What I need is a way to:

1. disable the Start button from showing anything other than "Shutdown" and Restart". Maybe Classic shell can do that. I haven't tried it.
2. when the pc is rebooted, to automatically restore the desktop and all settings to how I set them up irrespective of anything having been changed in the meanwhile.
3. a way for me to access everything to fix things when they go wrong.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

You might want to look into some type of software like Reboot Restore Rx or Deep Freeze to satisfy requirement #2. Deep Freeze will cost you money for a single license, but is an incredibly robust piece of software. There is a free trial, however. It's used here at the library where I work. The tech support is fantastic. I've never used Reboot Restore RX, but it's free and sounds like it will provide you with what you are looking for.

Creating something Microsoft terms as "Mandatory Profiles" may also be of interest. Read through the linked documentation and see what you think.

Another option (I'm not sure if it is too complicated to be practical for you) is to run her Windows as a Virtual Machine..

Make a checkpoint and then revert to it after every logoff. @Kari has written a tutorial explaining it well - see here

It is a shame the guest account doesn't really work in windows any more. I don't know why MS removed it as all the pieces (default user profile etc) are still in place and just waiting to be used like they were in the past (and still are in other OS's).

lx07 said:

Make a checkpoint and then revert to it after every logoff. @Kari has written a tutorial explaining it well - see here

Interesting idea. I know about checkpoints/snapshots, but am wondering if there is a way to auto-load the VM and specified checkpoint on log-on to prevent the OP from having to do this manually for the handicapped adult?
@Curious - Will the person using this computer be doing so under supervision or on their own time?

ahelton said:

Interesting idea. I know about checkpoints/snapshots, but am wondering if there is a way to auto-load the VM and specified checkpoint on log-on to prevent the OP from having to do this manually for the handicapped adult?
@Curious - Will the person using this computer be doing so under supervision or on their own time?

Thank you both for your suggestions.
I'm already running Windows XP as a virtual machine on her pc using Oracle's VirtualBox to run some of her ancient games. (They have 16 bit install files so will not install in W10). This vm starts automatically because I put its shortcut in the startup folder. I had enough problems getting that vm to run correctly so I don't want to add to my headaches! Besides not sure I can run 2 vms simultaneously.

This person already runs games on a Windows XP ancient PC on her one without supervision and does so quite well because I've blocked the right mouse button and use an old utility called iconlock.exe. It's great. When she runs into trouble she justs reboots using the power button and everything is back as it was. Iconlock does everything desklock does but in addition modifies the start button so that clicking on it only has "Shutdown" available. Ideal for my purposes. Not sure it will run correctly on W10 but I should give it a try instead of desklock.
As for restoring the desktop to what I set it to, I don't remember how I did that. I think it was some setting that did not permit XP to "save" the desktop arrangement on exit. Since Windows did not save the desktop arrangement changes at the time of reboot the result was that a PC reboot brought back the original desktop (meaning mine) as it was. The trick of the setting that made windows not save changes to the desktop was all it took. But I can't find a setting for that in W10. I think that setting was part of iconlock. I sure hope that wonderful utility works in W10. It would solve all my problems......

I'm not a computer expert, so a lot of this is way over my head. But this person I am helping is a really wonderful and sweet gal and she loves her PC. Unfortunately her old PC is dying and I'm giving her a gift of a new one which comes with W10 and is more complicated for me to setup.

Just goggled iconlock: IconLock Download
I don't think it will run in W10.

I just had a brilliant idea.

I think the Classic Start addon (I think it is called Classic Shell) allows you to control the content of the Start menu and that - along with Desklock which locks the desktop arrangement and disables the right mouse button (if it works correctly) may be all I need. I'll try it tomorrow.

When I need full control to fix things, I just disable Desklock and regain the right mouse button function and I'm good to go!

Keeping my fingers crossed.

Problem solved. In case someone else needs similar controls for a child:

Desklock.exe locks the icon positions on the W10 desktop and disables the right mouse button.
Because the icon arrangement cannot be changed, a reboot always brings up the fixed desktop arrangement.

ClassicShell (Classic Shell - Start menu and other Windows enhancements) allows you to remove all items from the start menu but keep "Shutdown".

Aeroplane mode removes internet access.

Put desklock in Windows startup folder.

When the administrator needs full access to repair or change things:
shift/Start brings up the Windows 10 start menu with all controls.

@Curious - You have to set up a standard account (non admin) for her to use and then make you own admin account password
protected, - that way you will always have a chance to recover the system, even if you can not recover her account
to a workable condition, you will have the possibility to delete her account and create a new one for her!

Her account should not need any password, so she can log in by just click on her name!

This is the best and safest way to do it, but it is of cause up to you -?