Restricting background updates etc

[Nobody Important]

Hello MyBroadband World!

I have just purchased a 3G USB dongle from MTN for my sister to use when she is away from home (and uncapped wifi) and I would like to to know how to limit bandwidth use by apps in the background.

Is there an app that can whitelist only certain apps (e.g. Chrome) and allow no other app to use the connection?

I have tried ZoneAlarm (installation flops every time), heard bad news about Comodo, and TinyWall was giving issues even when disabled.

Ideally everything should be allowed (perhaps the app can be manually disabled) when she is at home using wifi; then when she hits the road and is using the dongle she could enable the app that will then block all network access except for chrome.

Any advice?

 

[Rickster]

Can the PC be formatted at all?

 

[Nobody Important]

Can the PC be formatted at all?

It could if I really had to, but I would prefer not to. Why? Is there some setting that can only be enabled during initial Windows setup?

 

[saor]

All apps and Windows updates have the option to disable automatic updating. You would just need to manually update any apps. What apps might she have installed that would burn through data?

 

[Rickster]

It could if I really had to, but I would prefer not to. Why? Is there some setting that can only be enabled during initial Windows setup?

Well if you start from scratch there will be no junk programs that can update in the background, if you start fresh all you would have to do is windows updates on your home internet and thats it.

 

[Nobody Important]

Aha! I get you. But, I actually am fine with background updates on all apps, keeps everything current. Totally okay when using wifi.

I'm just hoping somebody knows of a firewall app that can be enabled when I want (for example when she knows she is going to use the dongle) and that works on a whitelist basis.