ADM files and Group Plicy Templates

[Shalom B.]

I would like to know if anyone knows of some good resources (tutorials,
etc) that would help you in writing your own group policy templates i.e.
..ADM files. I have come to a point where i can no longer really rely on
logon scripts to make changes to the users' registries and would prefer
if i could just enforce a policy on one machine and let is propogate
automatically.


Also, if someone is knowledgable with these templates, can you tell me
what might be wrong with the following ADM file, It doesnt bring up any
errors when "compiling", shows my category but doesnt show parts/sub
categories, it's totally blank and i can see no reason why it is the way
it is.



CLASS USER
CATEGORY "Screen Savers"
POLICY Desktop
KEYNAME "Control Panel\Desktop"
PART ScreenSaverIsSecure EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "ScreenSaverIsSecure"
END PART
PART ScreenSaveTimeOut EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "ScreenSaveTimeOut"
END PART
PART ScreenSaveActive EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "ScreenSaveActive"
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY

 

[lforbes]

I would like to know if anyone knows of some good resources
(tutorials,
etc) that would help you in writing your own group policy
templates i.e.
..ADM files. I have come to a point where i can no longer
really rely on
logon scripts to make changes to the users' registries and
would prefer
if i could just enforce a policy on one machine and let is
propogate
automatically.


Also, if someone is knowledgable with these templates, can you
tell me
what might be wrong with the following ADM file, It doesnt
bring up any
errors when "compiling", shows my category but doesnt show
parts/sub
categories, it's totally blank and i can see no reason why it
is the way
it is.



CLASS USER
CATEGORY "Screen Savers"
POLICY Desktop
KEYNAME "Control PanelDesktop"
PART ScreenSaverIsSecure EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "ScreenSaverIsSecure"
END PART
PART ScreenSaveTimeOut EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "ScreenSaveTimeOut"
END PART
PART ScreenSaveActive EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "ScreenSaveActive"
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY

Hi,

I don’t have any links off hand. Bascially I learned by Reading the
.adm files from Office and other applications located in the
C:\Windows\inf (system.adm is the big one).

I have had difficuties getting custom ADM’s to work under Windows
2000/03 though as Group Policy modifies the "policy" section of the
registry but Custom ADM’s actually hack the registry of the user (like
NT 4 did) which is considered a "no no" by AD.

There are lots of resources on MS website.

You are missing the ValueOn and ValueOff sections to make your ADM
work. You need to put what the registry value is. Eg. Checking it
gives you "what" value. Not Checking it gives you "what" value.
Depends on how you ask the question as to whether it is a 1 or a 0 or
another thing altogether.

CLASS USER
CATEGORY "Screen Savers"
POLICY Desktop
KEYNAME "Control Panel\Desktop"
PART ScreenSaverIsSecure EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "ScreenSaverIsSecure"
VALUEON NUMERIC 1
VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0
END PART
PART ScreenSaveTimeOut EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "ScreenSaveTimeOut"
VALUEON NUMERIC 1
VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0
END PART
PART ScreenSaveActive EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "ScreenSaveActive"
VALUEON NUMERIC 1
VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0

END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY

 

[Simon Geary]

The settings are hidden because this setting is considered a preference
rather than a 'proper' policy. To make such preferences visible in the GP
editor right click your category folder and choose View > Filtering. Take
the tick away from 'Only show policy settings that can be fully managed'.
Your settings should now be visible.
Any registry change not made in the Policies section of HKLM or HKCU is a
preference and will tattoo the registry so this setting will not be undone
if the GPO is deleted.

Some good resources for ADM files:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...a1-62fe-4358-8360-8774ea8db847&displaylang=en
http://www.sysprosoft.com/adm_summary.shtml

 

[Mark Renoden [MSFT]]

Hi all

Also useful:

816662 Recommendations for managing Group Policy administrative template
(.adm)
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=816662

323639 HOW TO: Create Custom Administrative Templates in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=323639

Kind regards
--
Mark Renoden [MSFT]
Windows Platform Support Team
Email: (e-mail address removed)

Please note you'll need to strip ".online" from my email address to email
me; I'll post a response back to the group.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.