User Group Policy - Windows Settings

Group Policy - Windows Settings Section

This Windows Settings section probably has the widest range of Group Policies, including one or two surprises.

Group Policy Topics

User Configuration

   Windows Settings

• Remote Installation Services
• Scripts (Logon / Logoff)
• Security Settings (Set elsewhere)
• Folder Redirection
• Internet Explorer Maintenance

* Guy's Top three Policies for Windows Settings

• * Logon Scripts
• * Folder Redirection
• * Internet Explorer Maintenance - Proxy server setting

Troubleshooting Group Policies is tricky

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Remote Installation Services (RIS)

Sadly, for most people, RIS will be a matter of saying, 'Yes I understand what the settings are for, but actually, I do not need them'.  Sad, because RIS is one of THE great services, however since Ghost is so well established administrators are unwilling to believe there is a better solution.  More about RIS.

If you are using RIS, then I would recommend enabling 'Automatic Restart', it's helpful if the service fails for RIS to try again.  The only other setting I would change is disabling the 'Custom Setup', you do not want users fiddling with your installation.

* Scripts (Logon / Logoff) has its own page

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Security Settings

This icon is not what it seems.  The main security settings are not configured here but from the Computer Configuration.  Moreover, settings such as password length are set at the Domain level, not at the OUs.

The security settings here are merely a shell for consistency, there is little if anything to be gained by setting policies here.  If you need account policies settings such as passwords, then go to the Default Domain policy, Computer Configuration.  That means navigating away from the test OU.

When I research these seemingly useless settings, I discovered they are used in one specialist scenario, when users authenticate locally in the SAM database, rather than logging on to the domain.  In other words, if users select the machine name rather than the domain name in the logon box, then these settings bite.  One possible use for these settings is SQL Member servers.

Folder Redirection  has its own page

Internet Explorer Maintenance has its own page

Next: Windows Settings,  Scripts