[MaxL93]

You have to add keys under:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions

The keys I have right now are all REG_SZ (strings), and in order of "1" through "5", are:

---

1. SWC\VEN_DELL&DEV_AWCC

2. SWC\VID_DELL&PID_AWCC

3. SWC\Alienware_Command_Center

4. SWC\AWCC

5. SWC\VID001&PID0001&AWCCWINUI3APP

---

Nothing short of this prevented "Alienware Command Center" (AWCC.exe) from pushing itself onto my machine because of my Alienware OLED monitor.

I should note it's possible to shoot yourself in the foot there; I had entries 6, 7, and 8 blocking SWC\Generic, SWD\GenericRaw, and SWD\Generic — and that prevented Audio Endpoints from being mounted...

[delta_p_delta_x]

You only need (5) (see the AWCCWINUI3APP thing there?). There is also a group policy equivalent to this:

  Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Device Installation\Device Installation Restrictions
  Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device IDs
  Set to Enabled
  Enable Also apply to matching devices that are already installed
  

Add the following two IDs:

  MONITOR\DELA246
  SWC\VID001&PID0001&AWCCWINUI3APP

IMO this is especially heinous as Dell have registered the AWCC.exe software component as a hardware 'device' within the device tree that needs its own 'driver'. Methinks Microsoft need to tighten the noose on these annoying OEMs.

[prmoustache]

Yuck.

And people say linux is too complicated for normal people because of terminal commands*

*which in reality no user is really forced to use, it just happens to be easier to share and copy/paste a set of commands than hundreds of clicks on a screen.

[r1ch]

Even that isn't sufficient - I've been using this for years and every so often AWCC still manages to get through. The only 100% protection from it is to use Image File Execution Options to match on the installer name to prevent it from ever running.