Group Policy or Default Profile

[Guest SimeonD]

Hi

Using Terminal Server, on Windows Server 2003.

I have a group policy set up, which takes care of most settings. For

example, the default folder for Word is V:\

However, some settings are not in the Office group policy editor. For

example, the Templates or the Word default font.

Did a bit of research, seems one can create a custom ADM to enforce a

'custom' policy. But I need to find a decent tool to do it.

 

Or I can create a custom default profile.

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/319974/en-us)

It seems that this will also take care of other issues, such as the prompts

for when IE7 is used the first time. You know, the Phisihing prompts etc.

The default profile only works for new users though.I would have to delete

existing profiles.

 

My questions are:

1) Is a good or bad idea to mix profile and policy methodology?

2) If I should just stick to using Group Policy, is there a recommend tool

for adding my own policies?

3) IE7 is but one example, where a User gets prompted on first use. This

does create confusion, and leads to calls to the IT Dept. Which is a bad

thing! Anyone have ideas on how to deal with such programs?

 

Thanks

Simeon

[Guest Vera Noest [MVP]]

Re: Group Policy or Default Profile

 

There's no harm in using both, but you'll always need the GPO

settings to handle existing user profiles.

 

There's a small freeware utility called RegToADM, by Yizhar

Hurwitz, another MVP. It creates .adm files from exported registry

settings. So maybe you'll want to configure the default user

profile, export its registry modifications and then use RegToADM to

create the GPO templates.

Download here:

http://yizhar.mvps.org/

 

_________________________________________________________

Vera Noest

MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net

*----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

 

"SimeonD" <simeond@nospam.nospam> wrote on 27 dec 2007:

> Hi

> Using Terminal Server, on Windows Server 2003.

> I have a group policy set up, which takes care of most settings.

> For example, the default folder for Word is V:\

> However, some settings are not in the Office group policy

> editor. For example, the Templates or the Word default font.

> Did a bit of research, seems one can create a custom ADM to

> enforce a 'custom' policy. But I need to find a decent tool to

> do it.

>

> Or I can create a custom default profile.

> (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/319974/en-us)

> It seems that this will also take care of other issues, such as

> the prompts for when IE7 is used the first time. You know, the

> Phisihing prompts etc. The default profile only works for new

> users though.I would have to delete existing profiles.

>

> My questions are:

> 1) Is a good or bad idea to mix profile and policy methodology?

> 2) If I should just stick to using Group Policy, is there a

> recommend tool for adding my own policies?

> 3) IE7 is but one example, where a User gets prompted on first

> use. This does create confusion, and leads to calls to the IT

> Dept. Which is a bad thing! Anyone have ideas on how to deal

> with such programs?

>

> Thanks

> Simeon

[Guest SimeonD]

Re: Group Policy or Default Profile

 

Thanks, I'll give that a try. Seems to be some other nice utilities on that

site

 

Is everything stored in a registry setting? Staying with the IE7 example,

how would I know if turning the Phishing filter on is stored in the

registry, or say a text file somewhere?

 

 

 

 

"Vera Noest [MVP]" <Vera.Noest@remove-this.hem.utfors.se> wrote in message

news:Xns9A138E70020FDveranoesthemutforsse@207.46.248.16...

> There's no harm in using both, but you'll always need the GPO

> settings to handle existing user profiles.

>

> There's a small freeware utility called RegToADM, by Yizhar

> Hurwitz, another MVP. It creates .adm files from exported registry

> settings. So maybe you'll want to configure the default user

> profile, export its registry modifications and then use RegToADM to

> create the GPO templates.

> Download here:

> http://yizhar.mvps.org/

>

> _________________________________________________________

> Vera Noest

> MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

> TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net

> *----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

>

> "SimeonD" <simeond@nospam.nospam> wrote on 27 dec 2007:

>

>> Hi

>> Using Terminal Server, on Windows Server 2003.

>> I have a group policy set up, which takes care of most settings.

>> For example, the default folder for Word is V:\

>> However, some settings are not in the Office group policy

>> editor. For example, the Templates or the Word default font.

>> Did a bit of research, seems one can create a custom ADM to

>> enforce a 'custom' policy. But I need to find a decent tool to

>> do it.

>>

>> Or I can create a custom default profile.

>> (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/319974/en-us)

>> It seems that this will also take care of other issues, such as

>> the prompts for when IE7 is used the first time. You know, the

>> Phisihing prompts etc. The default profile only works for new

>> users though.I would have to delete existing profiles.

>>

>> My questions are:

>> 1) Is a good or bad idea to mix profile and policy methodology?

>> 2) If I should just stick to using Group Policy, is there a

>> recommend tool for adding my own policies?

>> 3) IE7 is but one example, where a User gets prompted on first

>> use. This does create confusion, and leads to calls to the IT

>> Dept. Which is a bad thing! Anyone have ideas on how to deal

>> with such programs?

>>

>> Thanks

>> Simeon

[Guest Vera Noest [MVP]]

Re: Group Policy or Default Profile

 

Most settings, at least those that are configured by MS software,

are stored in the user profile hive of the registry.

 

While configuring your default user (or any test user account), you

can monitor changes to the registry with a utility like RegShot.

 

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=965

 

_________________________________________________________

Vera Noest

MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net

*----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

 

"SimeonD" <simeond@nospam.nospam> wrote on 27 dec 2007:

> Thanks, I'll give that a try. Seems to be some other nice

> utilities on that site

>

> Is everything stored in a registry setting? Staying with the IE7

> example, how would I know if turning the Phishing filter on is

> stored in the registry, or say a text file somewhere?

>

>

>

>

> "Vera Noest [MVP]" <Vera.Noest@remove-this.hem.utfors.se> wrote

> in message

> news:Xns9A138E70020FDveranoesthemutforsse@207.46.248.16...

>> There's no harm in using both, but you'll always need the GPO

>> settings to handle existing user profiles.

>>

>> There's a small freeware utility called RegToADM, by Yizhar

>> Hurwitz, another MVP. It creates .adm files from exported

>> registry settings. So maybe you'll want to configure the

>> default user profile, export its registry modifications and

>> then use RegToADM to create the GPO templates.

>> Download here:

>> http://yizhar.mvps.org/

>>

>> _________________________________________________________

>> Vera Noest

>> MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

>> TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net

>> *----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

>>

>> "SimeonD" <simeond@nospam.nospam> wrote on 27 dec 2007:

>>

>>> Hi

>>> Using Terminal Server, on Windows Server 2003.

>>> I have a group policy set up, which takes care of most

>>> settings. For example, the default folder for Word is V:\

>>> However, some settings are not in the Office group policy

>>> editor. For example, the Templates or the Word default font.

>>> Did a bit of research, seems one can create a custom ADM to

>>> enforce a 'custom' policy. But I need to find a decent tool to

>>> do it.

>>>

>>> Or I can create a custom default profile.

>>> (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/319974/en-us)

>>> It seems that this will also take care of other issues, such

>>> as the prompts for when IE7 is used the first time. You know,

>>> the Phisihing prompts etc. The default profile only works for

>>> new users though.I would have to delete existing profiles.

>>>

>>> My questions are:

>>> 1) Is a good or bad idea to mix profile and policy

>>> methodology? 2) If I should just stick to using Group Policy,

>>> is there a recommend tool for adding my own policies?

>>> 3) IE7 is but one example, where a User gets prompted on first

>>> use. This does create confusion, and leads to calls to the IT

>>> Dept. Which is a bad thing! Anyone have ideas on how to deal

>>> with such programs?

>>>

>>> Thanks

>>> Simeon