Remove Common Tasks on Desktop
Hello Experts,
I have a problem with Windows XP clients and their desktops.
I am currently running W2K3 servers with 2 DC's and 150 clients or so. There are 57 W2K clients and 63 XP Pro SP3 clients. I am using the Group Policy Management console to apply group policies to a selected OU user accounts. My requirements for the client desktops are simple. I would like a uniformed look - the same wallpaper and background colors. I would like control over the shortcuts and some other restrictions that I can work out later. It should also be noted that we use a software that has an Internet Explorer add-on that prohibits the use of a mandatory profile.
As a work around, I have created a policy for the Icons and Shortcuts that redirects the Desktop folder to a network share using the Basic setting (redirecting everyones folder to the same location). In the network share I have the two icons that should be on every desktop and so far in testing it is working. I have also loaded a custom adm template that controls the icon arrangements - auto arrange, sorted by name and removed My Computer, My Documents, Recycle Bin, etc....
To create the uniformed look I have configured a custom adm template to change the background color of the client computer to white, prevented changing the wallpaper, enabled Active Desktop and configured the Active Desktop Wallpaper to the network share of the background image.
All W2K machines look great and the GP's are behaving as expected. I am having a problem with my XP clients. The icons show on the desktop and are arranged; however the wallpaper is not showing. Instead I am getting the Windows "Common Tasks" bar on the left of the screen (Details, Make new folder, publish to the web, etc...)
I have located a registry fix from the internet that does not work and I have also tried the Common Tasks fix written by Doug Knox. Neither of these work.
I have also tried disabling all GP's that apply to this OU and it does not fix it. I have checked and rechecked my Active Desktop settings and Web Content (nothing checked). Any help or advice would be much appreciated.
I have a problem with Windows XP clients and their desktops.
I am currently running W2K3 servers with 2 DC's and 150 clients or so. There are 57 W2K clients and 63 XP Pro SP3 clients. I am using the Group Policy Management console to apply group policies to a selected OU user accounts. My requirements for the client desktops are simple. I would like a uniformed look - the same wallpaper and background colors. I would like control over the shortcuts and some other restrictions that I can work out later. It should also be noted that we use a software that has an Internet Explorer add-on that prohibits the use of a mandatory profile.
As a work around, I have created a policy for the Icons and Shortcuts that redirects the Desktop folder to a network share using the Basic setting (redirecting everyones folder to the same location). In the network share I have the two icons that should be on every desktop and so far in testing it is working. I have also loaded a custom adm template that controls the icon arrangements - auto arrange, sorted by name and removed My Computer, My Documents, Recycle Bin, etc....
To create the uniformed look I have configured a custom adm template to change the background color of the client computer to white, prevented changing the wallpaper, enabled Active Desktop and configured the Active Desktop Wallpaper to the network share of the background image.
All W2K machines look great and the GP's are behaving as expected. I am having a problem with my XP clients. The icons show on the desktop and are arranged; however the wallpaper is not showing. Instead I am getting the Windows "Common Tasks" bar on the left of the screen (Details, Make new folder, publish to the web, etc...)
I have located a registry fix from the internet that does not work and I have also tried the Common Tasks fix written by Doug Knox. Neither of these work.
I have also tried disabling all GP's that apply to this OU and it does not fix it. I have checked and rechecked my Active Desktop settings and Web Content (nothing checked). Any help or advice would be much appreciated.
ASKER
It is a JPG wallpaper. It shows great on the 2K machines, just not the XP boxes. I will check the path you posted above to verify the wallpaper is present.
The image shows the GPO settings.
wallpaper-settings.JPG
The image shows the GPO settings.
wallpaper-settings.JPG
ASKER
The wallpaper does not exist in C:\WINDOWS\Web\Wallpaper. I copied the background image in the folder and logged off and on - no go.
Hi,
Can you please let me know what version of Internet Explorer you are running on the 2k & xp clients?
Can you please let me know what version of Internet Explorer you are running on the 2k & xp clients?
ASKER
2k - IE6
XP - IE7
XP - IE7
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Finally got around to it. Worked great!
Also, on a XP machine open C:\windows\web\wallpaper and make sure the wallpaper you selected is in that folder.
Is it a JPG or BMP file?