Question

ADMX Files and Windows Server 2003 AD

Asked by: Barwa

Its said that Windows server 2003 AD uses ADM files by default and that new ADMX files are supposed to manage new MS products like Vista and Office 2007

In our case we have AD running on Windows server 2003
A Windows server 2008 is used as a management server to manage GPO settings in this domain

MS is not clear as to how we could install ADMX files in Windows 2003 domain environment

Today , I downloaded Office 2007 ADMX files from MS site and I had to manually copy the following two files as follows:

outlk12.admx from the extracted download to c:\windows\policydefinitions on the 2008 machine

outlk12.adml file from the extracted download to c:\windows\policydefinitions\en-US on the 2008 machine

Next , I was able to see the related "Microsoft Office Outlook 2007" node under "user configuration\policies\administrative templates"

Isn't there any better way to automate this process espechially when considering too many ADMX files and their related adml files?

The second part of my question , are these new settings going to replicate to the syslog folder on all domain controllers across the domain?

Can we use the GPO management console from any domain controller (all are running 2003) to manage ADMX related settings or it can only be accessed from a Vista or 2008 machine?

Regards

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Asked On
2009-10-20 at 04:36:54ID24826441
Topics

Active Directory

,

Windows 2003 Server

,

Windows Server 2008

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
18

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Answers

 

by: mpfisterPosted on 2009-10-20 at 23:58:34ID: 25621271

There is no automatic distribution of admx files, so you need to do it manually or via a short batch script.
To answer your 2nd question: yes. The new ADMX format is just a new file format for the front end part of the group policy, the group poilcy editor. The back end part how the group policy gets replicated and applied hasn't changed.
To keep the replication load low, MS removed the ADMX files from the SysVol so they no longer get automatically replicated.

HTH

 

by: mpfisterPosted on 2009-10-20 at 23:59:42ID: 25621279

3rd question:
No, you need either Vista or Windows 2008 to manage GPOs that require ADMX.

 

by: oBdAPosted on 2009-10-21 at 14:12:25ID: 25628527

Yes, there's a better way to handle the admx templates in a domain.
Check here:

How to create a Central Store for Group Policy Administrative Templates in Window Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929841

Managing Group Policy ADMX Files Step-by-Step Guide
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb530196.aspx

 

by: mpfisterPosted on 2009-10-21 at 23:02:31ID: 25631184

Great support kb article, oBdA! Haven't seen it before.

 

by: BarwaPosted on 2009-10-22 at 00:31:52ID: 25631559

Please tell me if I am wrong regarding the following points:

1- Basically , Windows 2003 servers store the ADM files under:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSVOL\sysvol\DOMAIN.LOCAL\Policies

while Vista and 2008 stores the policy files under:

C:\windows\PolicyDefinitions


2- In a typical 2003 environment ADMX files do not exist by default

3- In order to extend the functionality of the domain GPO policy interface , we have to download indivisual ADMX files in order to be able to manage new MS products that were released after 2003 and that includes Vista , 2008 , Office 2007 , etc

4- In a Windows 2003 typical domain environment , domain controllers will replicate the ADM files to each Sysvol folder on each domain controller as part of AD replication process

5 - Windows 2003 machines cannot be used to manage ADMX files and related settings.In order for us to do that , we have to use a 2008 or Vista machine in order to manage domain-wide settings

If all of the above is true , then please consider the following question:

Will the GPO management machine (Vista or 2008) replicate (or update) the Sysvol folder on all domain controllers that are running Windows server 2003?

Regards


 

by: BarwaPosted on 2009-10-22 at 00:37:53ID: 25631578

Some answers from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929841


The files that are in the Central Store are later replicated to all domain controllers in the domain.

Windows Vista does not include Administrative Templates that have an .adm extension. Additionally, earlier versions of Windows cannot use the new administrative format. Therefore, client computers that are running earlier versions of Windows cannot administer new policies that are included with Windows Vista. We recommend that you use computers that are running Windows Vista or later versions of Windows to perform Group Policy administration.

 

by: mpfisterPosted on 2009-10-22 at 02:29:33ID: 25632166

Your points are all correct.
To get ADMX files replicated automatically, follow the kb article posted by oBdA.
And if you want to update ADMX files in your entire domain, you have to copy them to your replicated PolicyDefinitions folder on your domain controller.

 

by: BarwaPosted on 2009-10-22 at 02:34:30ID: 25632196

Thank you , so by simply implementing ADMX files on either Vista or 2008 domain member machine , the Sysvol folders on actual DC running 2003 will not be updated automatically

Sorry but I am little confused and don't have enogh time to read MS articles

 

by: oBdAPosted on 2009-10-22 at 02:50:42ID: 25632309

*Everything* in the Sysvol folder is replicated to the DCs by default; this is not a GPO management function.
It is NOT the management tool that replicates the information; the management tool just stores the information in the sysvol folder.

 

by: BarwaPosted on 2009-10-22 at 02:56:53ID: 25632344

Good , what about changes being made from Vista or 2008 machines , will those be replicated to other DCs (sysvol) as well?

REgards

 

by: mpfisterPosted on 2009-10-22 at 04:42:51ID: 25632947

The GPO itself resides in the same places as in earlier versions of Windows within the SysVol structure, so replication takes place independent from the OS you used to edit it.

 

by: BarwaPosted on 2009-10-23 at 05:13:16ID: 25643580

Here is our setup:

  • DC1 & DC2 as our domain controllers running Windows server 2003 AD 
  • All clients are running Vista business 
  • A single Windows server 2008 server (domain member only) is being used as a management station 
  • A single Vista business with RSAT installed to manage the domain 

Now by default , Windows server 2003 DCs are preconfigured with all necessary ADM files

Its said that ADMX files can only be incorporated into 2008 and Vista machines.While the GPO settings are being added and managed say from the 2008 machine , will those settings be replicated to all other DCs and be also available to the Vista-based management node?

Sorry , but I am still confused




 

by: oBdAPosted on 2009-10-23 at 10:58:00ID: 25646761

What exactly is confusing you?
You can edit a logon script in the netlogon share from any machine in the network; the exact same thing happens with GPOs.
The management consoles edit and store files that live in the Sysvol tree; that's all.
The Sysvol tree is then replicated by the NTFRS to all DCs, and this has nothing, really nothing at all, to do with group policy management tools, and on which OS they run.
It's as simple as that. Really.

 

by: BarwaPosted on 2009-10-23 at 12:22:23ID: 25647481

So changes that are made to C:\WINDOWS\SYSVOL\sysvol\DOMAIN.LOCAL\Policies in 2008 or Vista machine will be replicated to C:\windows\PolicyDefinitions on all DCs running 2003?

I have checked the contents of both and they do not match

What is really confusing me is that changes to GPO made from 2008 or vista machine will not appear under DCs running 2003 and thus if the 2008 or vista machine is down then all settings are lost or at least become inaccessible!

Please explain




 

by: oBdAPosted on 2009-10-23 at 12:43:04ID: 25647738

No. Please check the second article I posted above:
"To edit administrative template policy settings using ADMX files
[...]
6. The Group Policy Object Editor automatically reads all ADMX files stored in the central store. When there is no central store, the Group Policy Object Editor reads the local versions of the ADMX files used by the local GPO on your Windows Vista administrative machine."

You should NOT use a down-level management tool to edit GPOs that you've created with a Vista machine. The settings are not "lost", they will still be applied to Vista machines, even if the W2k8 machine is down.

Part from the thought that the GPO *management* and the GPO *application* are in any way connected. They're not.
The simplified version: when you create a new GPO, the GP management tools create a .pol file in the Sysvol folder which stores the settings that you've applied.
This file is read from the Sysvol when a machine is booted or a user logs on, and the policies defined in it will be applied.

The only role of the admx files is to tell the GP editor which settings can be configured how, they contain the information that's displayed in the "Administrative Templates" tree.

 

by: BarwaPosted on 2009-10-24 at 11:45:06ID: 25653642

OK , here is what I have done so far:

Following MS article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929841 , I have done the followings:

  • Created a folder called PolicyDefinitions under C:\WINDOWS\SYSVOL\sysvol\FQDN\Policies on one of our 2003 domain controllers 
  • Copied all ADMX files from a normal Vista machine (C:\windows\PolicyDefinitions) to the 2003 DC path specified above 
  • Copied all language files from the same Vista machine (C:\windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US) to the same DC under (C:\WINDOWS\SYSVOL\sysvol\FQDN\Policies\PolicyDefinitions\en-US
  • I have also done the same with Office 2007 files extracted from the MS download link
     

Now all Vista & Office 2007 ADMX and ADML files are stored on one 2003 DC
Next , I initiated manual replication to all other 2003 DCs.Replication was successful and the new PolicyDefinitions folder has been successful replicated to other DCs

Using a 2008 management station , all Vista & Office 2007 related GPO settings are now available :)

I have noticed that all Vista and Office ADMX files were stored under the same folder.The same applies for the language files
I am not sure if its possible to create a sub-folder for each , one for vista , one for Office and so on
Although the GPO editor is clearly grouping them separately as in the following screen capture

 

by: mpfisterPosted on 2009-10-25 at 04:44:47ID: 25656330

Give it a try, but I believe it won't recognize ADMX files in subfolders.

 

by: mpfisterPosted on 2009-11-02 at 04:54:00ID: 25718877

Barwa, what was wrong with my answers?

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