Member Avatar for Ted87

Hello Everybody!

My question would be in connection with the Windows 7 group policies in windows 2003 domain. I read a lot about how it should be set up however some parts are hard to understand for me.

Recently I did the following:
Set up a new pc with Win7 and installed the Group Policy Management on it. I can reach the local domain controller and I can see the "old" setups which has been set up for Win Xp computer. However I read that some admx files should be copied to the server store and that will be replicated between the network's Win 7 pcs.

Some guides write "Populate the central store with ADMX files" which sounds ok but where I get my admx files? Are these files are in the "Windows\Policies definitions" folder? Where should I copy the files from my Win7 pc and where do I have to copy them? How will I be able to modify these settings after I copied the admx files to the server?

I would really appreciate some help.
Thank you for your patience and understanding!

Ted

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To clarify 's question and expand on 's pointers: ADMX files are the XML-based Administrative Template definitions and the language files (ADML) live in a language subfolder. On a Windows 7 workstation they are in C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions (ADMX files) and the matching language folder (for example C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US for ADML). The central store is simply a PolicyDefinitions folder placed in SYSVOL so all GPO editors use the same set of templates.

Practical steps (safe, minimal workflow):

  1. Back up any existing PolicyDefinitions folder in SYSVOL.
  2. From a Windows 7 machine, copy all .admx files and the language folder(s) (e.g., en-US).
  3. On the domain, create \<domain>\SYSVOL\<domain>\Policies\PolicyDefinitions if it does not exist, then paste the ADMX files into that folder and the ADML files into the appropriate language subfolder.
  4. Edit a GPO with the Group Policy Management Editor on a machine that supports ADMX; the editor will read the central store automatically when present.

Important notes and troubleshooting:

  • When the central store exists, the editor ignores local C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions. Keep a date-stamped backup before overwriting.
  • If policy names or descriptions appear as GUIDs or blank, the ADML language files are missing or the editor language does not match the ADML folder—copy the correct language subfolder.
  • SYSVOL must replicate to all DCs (FRS on Server 2003); replication delay or permission problems will prevent new templates from appearing everywhere.
  • Older clients simply ignore policy settings they do not understand; consider migrating any legacy ADM templates into ADMX (Microsoft provides a migration utility).

This fills practical gaps beyond the links already posted by and gives concrete paths and checks so the central store works reliably in a 2003-domain + Windows 7 management scenario.

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Member Avatar for JorgeM

Technet Blog on how to update the Central store With Windows 7 ADMX files:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/johnbaker/archive/2010/02/03/windows-7-admx-templates.aspx

How to configure the ADMX central store:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/video/screencast-how-to-configure-the-central-admx-store.aspx

If you have ADM templates that you want to migrate, you can use the migration tool from Microsoft:

Member Avatar for Ted87

Thank you very much! And sorry for opening a new topic.

Member Avatar for JorgeM

Why would you be sorry. That is the purpose of a forum.

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