Sounds like something you would use a Group-Policy for.

Or, maybe this:

https://www.actualsolution.com/volume-lock/

or

https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/sound_volume_view.html

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Curious what software are you running. In addition to high-end/networked Omron, TEC, and Sharp dedicated machines ... we installed a lot of Digital-Dining back in the 90's.

Yeah, but I can't run a group policy in this situation. I will check out links.

read kiosk mode?

but home version has no such thing,  but still not disclosed by you.

i'd never run home version. (it's really just crippleware)

if running PIZZA sell app (P.O.S) only, seems kiosk mode is it. no?

no OS stated at all, w7 ?

this is a 100% Microsoft question, 100% WINDOWS, FOR sure, only question, not dells.

the OS can in fact be locked down vast ways, endless. in fact,

I guess you run home version with no GPeditor,  my wild guess, and not told..

the PC can have many things locked down.

the registry. (hummmm)

the task bar, icons like sound locked,

and others.   you need to talk to Microsoft, first.  after all if using windows 10 are you, then you want it to work on future w10 release, right.?

in effect this  is  P.O.S point of sale or kiosk mode question, only,  not PC. at all.

many places do this like in Pizza restaurants, etc.

there are also many APP's that can do this, google for  them>?

The most extremes I have seen was with elevator controls, 100% lock down, only things on desktop work.

windows what?  home, pro  ,student.edu,  or enterprise version, are not the  same, so ask MS this, please.

only MS can answer for best way, w10 , all versions not told by you,

you will read, many posts about GPedit.  endless, and setting up users accounts to limit access.

 Well, Every Optiplex model I have ever ordered comes with "win pro" on it considering they are business models I figured that would be a given. Also considering the 7040's age, I figured win10 would also be implied:  Version 1909 to be exact.  The software that Dell shipped these with (Dell audio center) is what is setting the volume to 67% at bootup by default. So it is not An MS question it is a Dell question, I was hoping someone from Dell would know how that software does that.

 I can write a script to do this but was just wondering if there was another way before I did that. I hid the speaker's icons and search on the taskbar when I set them up not knowing the cashier's capabilities. I assume they are still finding search which is not that hard and just typing "audio to mute. This is not a pizza place it is a large retailer and this on location has 10 POS stations.

 The software that is run for POS requires full admin rights, desktop mode, and the network can't run these by group policy (the stations have terminal and role-based security depending on the person logging into POS software. I have found some solutions online but it appears the set volume but does not lock it for me. That's sort of why I was here too, to see if there are other options.

 Savvy, I have been an IT admin for the company for 19 years. The way you approached this with your condescending attitude would have made great issue with me (wish you were in person). , your post did nothing to help so, you probably should not have made it.

NOOOOO! That's DELL's problem. Just use Microsoft default driver except dell or realtek! 67% problem solved!