So you for some reason or other need a custom GroupPolicy template (.adm template) to set some strange setting for some odd software.
You can use a Policy.ADM file to set custom registry values either for your own pc (may seem like a bit overkill) or more likely for your domain.
Well I have created a few of these back in the good old NT4 days and it was not all that difficult once you got the hang of it, and thus when I had the need again lately I was confident I could get it to work without too much of a hassle.
I was wrong :-/
Ok, creating a simple policy.adm file is easy;
And if you enter a keyname like;”SoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftwhatever”
Things will work brilliantly, however lets say you want to change some obscure value for the adobe reader!? This is outside the “Policies” section of the registry.. things will look like this when you enter the GPM MMC console.
This is where I lost my temper and started cursing at my monitor, see again once I put “Policies” in the keyname everything worked like a charm (but my setting was NOT in the Policy region of the registry)..
So Google to the rescue, it would seem that things have changed since the good old Poledit days, and that you need to do a bit of editor tweaking to get those ‘dirty’ settings available under NT4+ systems now-er-days.
Here is the secret;
View, Filtering, “Only show policy settings that can be fully managed”..
Once this is done you can see everything – just like in the good old days 😀
Also it’s worth noting the other filter settings, I did not even know they existed, now you can actually limit your view to only those settings that are set, and this DO make it a lot easier to overlook the more complex policies.
Good luck making your new policies its easy as pie you know..
Links;
http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/12009443/m/645000852731/inc/-1http://www.windowsecurity.com/articles/ADM-Template-Repository.htmlhttp://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc738443.aspx
https://readmydamnblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/toplogo4.png00Mikehttps://readmydamnblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/toplogo4.pngMike2009-02-02 15:33:052009-02-02 15:37:12Creating and using a custom Policy file (adm template)
So you would like to run MSRT manually (the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, the one that comes once a month from Microsoft via Windows Updates and cleans different infections from your pc), well as written in an earlier post https://readmydamnblog.com/?p=463 you can download a version straight from Microsoft, however it turns out there is an even easier method, simply go to your “start menu”, select “Run” and enter “MRT” and hit enter..
There is even the option to launch it with parameters so you could schedule it to run at regular intervals if you would like.
Are you using or thinking about implementing a Terminal server then you may know this is neither easy nor cheap.
Well me to the rescue (or well rather a link to the rescue), there is actually a cheaper and easier alternative that will make any Windows XP, 2003 or 2008 into a Terminal server without the expensive TS licensing, read more at;
https://readmydamnblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/toplogo4.png00Mikehttps://readmydamnblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/toplogo4.pngMike2009-01-25 20:52:372009-01-25 21:13:53XP Unlimited – cheap alternative to Terminal Services
Creating and using a custom Policy file (adm template)
Deployment, Devlopment, OS, Scripting, ScriptsMRT – the shortcut to Malicious Software Removal Tool
Antivirus, OS, Scripting, SecurityThere is even the option to launch it with parameters so you could schedule it to run at regular intervals if you would like.
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XP Unlimited – cheap alternative to Terminal Services
Network, OS, UtilityAre you using or thinking about implementing a Terminal server then you may know this is neither easy nor cheap.
Well me to the rescue (or well rather a link to the rescue), there is actually a cheaper and easier alternative that will make any Windows XP, 2003 or 2008 into a Terminal server without the expensive TS licensing, read more at;
http://www.xpunlimited.nl
While writing this post I also stumbled across this;
http://www.elusiva.com/products/TerminalServerPro.aspx
(Another TS alternative).
And the older free hack for Windows XP sp2 (dont know if it work after SP3);
http://concurrentremotesessions.netfirms.com/