User Configuration GPO Doesn't Hit All Users

What OS are the end-users that it isn't working for running?

Do you have any security or WMI filtering enabled on the GPO?

Make sure the users are in the OU if it is linked at the OU, if it is linked at the domain level start looking at event logs on the individual machines for any errors.  Is it only that one GPO setting that is not working or are there others.

A good starting guide here   http://blogs.technet.com/b/grouppolicy/archive/2010/02/24/troubleshooting-group-policy.aspx

Thanks

Mike

The OS of the end users are Windows XP SP3.  The only security is Authenticated Users.

The GPO is for the domain and yes I have other GPO's that have already been deployed and work correctly.  I will look at the event logs.  

have the users reboot their computer to get the new settings, if they haven't already done that

They haven't rebooted.  I instead used pstools to execute a gpupdate /force on all their machines.

I'm in an office of about 50 pc's.

Rebooting shouldn't be necessary but they may need to log off back on for User Settings to apply correctly.

sometimes the gpudate /force works by itself but sometimes not, and the machines need a reboot for the new policy to take effect.  you could send a network message, and reboot the machines remotely using shutdown -o

I will have to try that after hours.  But why would it only apply to some users?

In the event viewer of that computer, it says "Security policy in the group policy objects has been applied successfully."

not sure, seems quirky at times

Ok, I'm having one of the people restart their machine

Rebooting a computer does nothing for User Settings.  Those are applied when a specific user logs onto the computer, not when the computer boots up.  Perhaps the ones it worked on have already logged out and back in?

What policy are you using for this by the way?

thats not a security policy though, you could run a gpresult /r on one of the trouble machines to see if the policy is applied

The policy was put in place way after people have logged on.  The policy is a user configuration for an url link placed on their desktop to our company intranet.  

Yes - but which setting did you configure inside the GPO?

The user just restarted and logged back in.  Still not there.

User Configuration, Preferences, Windows Settings, Shortcuts

The Group Policy Preferences need to be installed for this to work?  What I mean is that are they specific to this type of GPO?

Yes - XP machines do not have the ability to apply Preference side GPO extensions by default.  You need to have this installed.

Vista and later machines come with them by default, they are a feature of Vista/Server 2008 and later.

You can roll this update out via WSUS if you have it.

How can I determine remotely if they have it installed?

Not sure, you could probably remotely 'regedit' to one of the clients and check for a registry key but I've never had to do it.  I just rolled out this update to all computers running XP SP3 via WSUS.

See if this key exists on the remote machines:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\HotFix\KB943729

This is the update specified.

Ok they don't have that hotfix, so I'm going to try what you said above...

Place the shortcut in netlogon share on DC.Create a script and apply at logon.

Script Code: copy /y \\Servername\NETLOGON\xyz.url "%UserProfile%\Desktop"

Save the file as .vbs

Note:The code of the Script is such that it will copy the xyz.url file to all user profile of Windows XP,Vista,win2008,etc..