Turn off new hardware notifications in XP?

[Claymonkey]

We have a client that is getting a upgraded version of her kiosk software. The software is Director based and overlays the full screen. Previously users put images into it from a floppy from a Mavica camera (yes I know). Now it's going to be a digicam connecting via usb. For the hospital supplied camera this will be fine. If the user uses their own camera it's going to pop up the new hardware windows and give people a way to get to the start menu and thus the desktop.

So the big question. Gurm and I are doing a lot of research on this and so far have gotten zip. Is there a way to turn off the detecting new hardware, installing new hardware notification bubbles and have it all happen in the background?

Thanks!

[KeiFront]

Disabling Balloon tips:

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/ArticleID/23764/23764.html

Edit: found some better info altough WinXP embedded: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms940877.aspx

I got no idea how to disable hardware detection.

[Gurm]

See the thing is, we don't want to disable hardware detection. We want to do it SILENTLY. Install the drivers if you have 'em, and if not just do NOTHING. No popups, no wizards, no NOTHING.

From everything I've read, it just can't be done. There doesn't seem to be any way in normal XP to suppress the found new hardware wizard's windows.

[Nowhere]

So...disabling plug & play service while your digicams are connected doesn't do a trick, I guess...

[The PIT]

You can do it via a wmi script. Sadly firefox bombed out before I could copy the link and I haven't been able to find it again.

I'm sure your googling skills are better than mine though.

[Gurm]

I saw a script that kills the windows. That's great, except the task bar blinks up momentarily, and remains on top of the active window, allowing the users to 'get into' the system. Oops!

[Chucky Cheese]

...hey, how about "sizing" the task bar so that when it is up, it's just barely noticible and then lock it...and put it on the top where people aren't used to....just until a better solution comes along!

cc

[Nowhere]

Or...killing/disabling explorer and loading your app at startup time?

[MultimediaMan]

I'm with Nowhere: There is no reason for explorer to be running on a locked-down desktop. Simply disable explorer on startup. We do this with quite a few images where I work.