![Create Create](/uploads/1/2/4/2/124291902/151986080.jpg)
Hi guys Since we use GPO for mapping drives we use the 'Action' update. So far so good, all this drives are mapped from this GPO and no problems at all.
My question now is, if it would be better for the performance to change all this actions from 'Update' to 'Create' so the policy has not to update the same drive mapping informations every time a user is logging in. In other words, does it make any difference and with the action create the GPO recognize the drive is allready mapped and is ignoring all other settings or isn't it worth because the GPO has to check anyway the drive settings each time a user log in? Thanx for any suggestions.
A second reason to use is to set user environment variables and registry keys. Recall that a Windows logon script executes as the user logs in. As such, it will run with that individual user's credentials, providing access to their registry hives and other personalized data. IT shops everywhere have at some point used a logon script along with the REG command or VBScript to customize application settings or environment variables in HKEYCURRENTUSER. Additionally, creating printer connections is a fairly obvious use for Windows logon scripts. Using a batch or even VBScript script, a smart IT pro could automatically connect a set of printers to every workstation. Doing this eliminates the need for users to know which printers are usable.
These three solutions have made good use of traditional logon scripts for their execution. Through some scripting slight-of-hand and a bit of testing, creating your own logon script to do the same has been a great way to take configuration control out of the hands of users. While logon scripts in Windows are capable solutions, they have always had a dark side. First off, working with logon scripts requires scripting knowledge.
Even more insidious, tiny syntax errors are infamous for spreading big problems all around a network. Moreover, logon scripts have limited functionality in environments where people don't logon all that often. Since they only execute as the user logs in, changes to a script could take days or more to distribute throughout a network. Finally, logon scripts are notoriously bad at targeting specific settings to specific users. For example, to create a printer for Finance users only, you would need to encode that logic yourself.
Group Policy preferences logon scripts Microsoft's tool strikes a blow at the heart of the limitations associated with traditional Windows logon scripts. With very little effort today, you can create and implement a set of GPPs that connect drive letters, set environment and registry variables, and even attach the correct printer to the proper user. Using Group Policy preferences to accomplish these tasks provides a much-improved interface to create configurations. Even better, GPPs can be discretely targeted to specific users and computers, ensuring desired preferences make their way to the right people. That targeting can be accomplished through simple assignment, or you can get extremely detailed by limiting GPP processing to certain computers via.
Item-level targeting is accomplished on a per-GPP basis, meaning Group Policy preferences can be created repeatedly in a single Group Policy, instructing each to specifically target only the user or computer that should process the preference. Alternative to reverse hack squat. Interested in getting rid of your logon scripts? Let's take a look through an example of printer configuration using a GPP. In this example, we'll assign a particular printer only to those users in the Finance group. Start this process by creating a new Group Policy in the and edit this policy in the Group Policy Management Editor (GPME).
In this example, assign printer connections to different Active Directory security groups in the domain. The shares for these printer connections have already been created on the print server and published into Active Directory. Navigate through the GPME to User Configuration Preferences Control Panel Settings Printers. Right-click on Printers and choose New Shared Printer.
The New Shared Printer Properties console will appear, similar to Figure 1. Here, there are options to select the share path to the printer, as well as make the determination to map the printer to a local port. The New Shared Printer Properties console Choose the ellipses button to search for the correct printer in Active Directory. Figure 1 shows that the Brother MFC 8840Dp rinter attached to the TRICOSS print server has been selected.
There are four options available for how the GPP will manage the print connection:. Create will create a new printer connection if one with the same name does not exist, but will not modify one that does. Replace will delete and recreate the printer connection, adding a new one if it does not exist. Update will modify the printer connection, updating the settings that are defined in the preference item. This is different than Replace, which fully deletes and recreates the item. Update will create a new printer connection if one does not exist.
Delete removes the printer connection, doing nothing if one does not exist. The update option is the easiest to begin with, as it updates any settings that are different as the policy is applied or refreshed without fully recreating the connection. Update also creates the printer connection when it is applied to computers where the connection does not exist. Setting additional options for a printer connection Step two happens under the Common tab (see Figure 2), which displays five options. Four of these are useful for printer connections:.
![Gpo Gpo](/uploads/1/2/4/2/124291902/706470055.jpg)
First, select the box to Run in logged-on user's security context. This executes the printer connection within the context of the user, as opposed to the computer. Also check the box to Remove this item when it is no longer applied. This checkbox ensures that the printer connection will be automatically removed down the road when it is no longer relevant, and its preference needs to be removed. Checking this box will reset the preference to operate in Replace mode.
Apply once and do not reapply is a setting that will instruct the preference to only apply once. If a user changes the printer connection at a later time, it will not be 'fixed' by the GPP.
Carefully consider your options before checking this box. For obvious reasons, this option cannot be set at the same time as Remove this item when it is no longer applied. Item-level targeting is the final step. By checking this box and clicking the Targeting button, you can identify a set of granular settings that will assign the preference to the right user or computer (see Figure 3). Here, a single security group item was created by clicking New Item Security Group. The GPP Targeting Editor Considering that many IT shops can have dozens or hundreds of printers to configure across an even larger number of workstations, this process greatly simplifies the logon script creation of yesteryear. When building your own printer connections via Group Policy preferences, it is generally considered a good practice to place all of your printer connection GPPs within a single and assign their targeting on a per-GPP basis through item-level targeting.
Registry Gpo Create Replace Update
Printer connections are but one example of how Group Policy preferences are a perfect solution for getting rid of logon script woes. The next article in this series will highlight another use for GPPs as logon script replacements: customizing registry settings for user applications.
Simplified Group Policy management and administration Securing your domain controllers, servers and desktops is crucial to keeping Group Policy in check, but it’s not always an easy task if you don’t have the right tools in place. With GPOADmin, you can automate critical Group Policy management tasks, reducing your costs and eliminating time-consuming manual processes. GPOADmin enables you to quickly and effectively administer changes to Group Policy objects (GPOs) to:. Support change management best practices.
Enable effective approval processes. Secure your critical data You’ll also be able to easily verify, compare, update and rollback GPO versions over time to confirm the consistency of various GPO settings.
I wanted to use Preferences to create drive mappings. It seems to be working OK, however, I'm having a few issues. First, when you do not check 'reconnect', and you delete the mapping, without switching the action to 'delete', the drive mapping continues to connect on the client machine.
![Gpo Gpo](/uploads/1/2/4/2/124291902/735123482.png)
Gpo Preferences Replace Vs Update
I understand the action tab (to change to delete) is there for a reason, but if the drive is set to not reconnect, and there is no policy telling it to connect, where and how is this setting being saved at telling the drive to keep remapping? Second, the option to 'Replace' and 'Update' a drive mapping: Are these settings designed to make changes to existing maps, as in making changes to existing objects, or do you need to delete old objects, and replace them with these, using the 'Replace' and 'Update' actions?
And why would one Replace, rather than Update, or vice-versa? Third, it seems that the Update setting does not specify what can be updated. Is it just the label for a mapped drive, the patch, other settings, or the drive letter itself? Lastly, since it seems that some drive mappings want to stick around, even after you update or replace them, I've considered having the 1st processed item a action:Delete - All drives after (drive letter). After that, each drive mapping I specify would be created. Is this a safe option to have, to ensure all old settings are removed, prior to processing a new drive map?
Hi, Please clarify what you mean when you mentioned 'delete the mapping'. I assume you remove the GPP configuration item, but keep the GPO linked. If not, please describe more clearly. According to my test results, if you didn't check on the 'Remove this item when it is no longer applied' under the common tab when you configure the GPP item, the mapped drive will still exist even after you delete the Drive Maps GPP item. Then, you have to create a new Drive Maps GPP, using the Delete action to remove the unwanted mapped drive.
For more information about the Common Options, refer to the link below: Configure Common Options As to the effects of the 'Replace' and 'Update' actions, please refer to the link below: Configure a Mapped Drive Item Replace Delete and recreate mapped drives for users. The net result of the Replace action is to overwrite all existing settings associated with the mapped drive. If the drive mapping does not exist, then the Replace action creates a new drive mapping. Update Modify settings of an existing mapped drive for users. This action differs from Replace in that it only updates settings defined within the preference item.
All other settings remain as configured on the mapped drive. If the drive mapping does not exist, then the Update action creates a new drive mapping. Regards, Cecilia Zhou - Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question.
This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. Hi, As to the differences between the Replace and Update actions, please refer to the link below: Using Group Policy Preferences to Map Drives Based on Group Membership The compelling difference between Replace and Update is that Replace deletes the mapped drive and then creates a new mapped drive with the configured settings. Update does NOT delete the mapped drive- it only modifies the mapped drive with the new settings. Group Policy Drive Maps use the drive letter to determine if a specific drive exists.
Group Policy Update Gpo
Hope the information will be helpful. Please tell me the result when you finish the test.
Regards, Cecilia Zhou - Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. Hi, Please clarify what you mean when you mentioned 'delete the mapping'. I assume you remove the GPP configuration item, but keep the GPO linked. If not, please describe more clearly. According to my test results, if you didn't check on the 'Remove this item when it is no longer applied' under the common tab when you configure the GPP item, the mapped drive will still exist even after you delete the Drive Maps GPP item.
Then, you have to create a new Drive Maps GPP, using the Delete action to remove the unwanted mapped drive. For more information about the Common Options, refer to the link below: Configure Common Options As to the effects of the 'Replace' and 'Update' actions, please refer to the link below: Configure a Mapped Drive Item Replace Delete and recreate mapped drives for users. The net result of the Replace action is to overwrite all existing settings associated with the mapped drive. If the drive mapping does not exist, then the Replace action creates a new drive mapping. Update Modify settings of an existing mapped drive for users. This action differs from Replace in that it only updates settings defined within the preference item.
All other settings remain as configured on the mapped drive. If the drive mapping does not exist, then the Update action creates a new drive mapping. Regards, Cecilia Zhou - Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. Hi, Please clarify what you mean when you mentioned 'delete the mapping'. I assume you remove the GPP configuration item, but keep the GPO linked. If not, please describe more clearly.
According to my test results, if you didn't check on the 'Remove this item when it is no longer applied' under the common tab when you configure the GPP item, the mapped drive will still exist even after you delete the Drive Maps GPP item. Then, you have to create a new Drive Maps GPP, using the Delete action to remove the unwanted mapped drive. For more information about the Common Options, refer to the link below: Configure Common Options As to the effects of the 'Replace' and 'Update' actions, please refer to the link below: Configure a Mapped Drive Item Replace Delete and recreate mapped drives for users. The net result of the Replace action is to overwrite all existing settings associated with the mapped drive. If the drive mapping does not exist, then the Replace action creates a new drive mapping.
Update Modify settings of an existing mapped drive for users. This action differs from Replace in that it only updates settings defined within the preference item.
All other settings remain as configured on the mapped drive. If the drive mapping does not exist, then the Update action creates a new drive mapping.
Regards, Cecilia Zhou - Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. When I say 'delete the mapping' I mean delete the object created in Group Policy Preferences - Drive Maps, to map a drive. I will attempt to use the checkbox 'Remove this item when it is no longer applied' and see if it will delete the mapping when I remove the item. As for Replace and Update, I've read those definitions, but to me they sound the same. One updates the settings, the other replaces the settings, either way you end up with the item that you want. What is the benefit of one over the other?
Hi, As to the differences between the Replace and Update actions, please refer to the link below: Using Group Policy Preferences to Map Drives Based on Group Membership The compelling difference between Replace and Update is that Replace deletes the mapped drive and then creates a new mapped drive with the configured settings. Update does NOT delete the mapped drive- it only modifies the mapped drive with the new settings.
Group Policy Drive Maps use the drive letter to determine if a specific drive exists. Hope the information will be helpful. Canon easy print toolbar download. Please tell me the result when you finish the test. Regards, Cecilia Zhou - Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question.
This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. Hi, As to the differences between the Replace and Update actions, please refer to the link below: Using Group Policy Preferences to Map Drives Based on Group Membership The compelling difference between Replace and Update is that Replace deletes the mapped drive and then creates a new mapped drive with the configured settings. Update does NOT delete the mapped drive- it only modifies the mapped drive with the new settings. Group Policy Drive Maps use the drive letter to determine if a specific drive exists. Hope the information will be helpful.
Please tell me the result when you finish the test. Regards, Cecilia Zhou - Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question.
This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. When I use the checkbox 'Remove this item when it is no longer applied', the GPP Item changes to Replace automatically.
When I delete the GPP item (without using the Delete action), after two reboots on the client, the drive mapping disappears as it should. It works perfectly.
Thank so you much! Hi, Appreciate your update and response. I am glad to hear that the problem has been fixed. If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to post in our forum. It is always our pleasure to be of assistance.
Have a nice day! Regards, Cecilia Zhou - Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.