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GPO Background processing

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by netlion

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We have a GPO that sets permissions on certain folders/files. When the policy was updated management wanted to see that change happen on user desktops that the GPO was applying to. Background processing doesn't appear to apply them. I know that some things don't change until the machine is rebooted but I can't get a reading on whether it applies to folder/file permissions.

Also, is there a way you can tell if background processing is working? It doesn't appear to create an Event Log entry.

Thanks!

3 replies

by bfilmfan

There are a number of ways to log the GPO processing operation. First off, the RSoP Logging (aka GPO Results) tools in XP, Server 2003 and GPMC uses WMI to report what policy settings were applied to a given workstation or user. This gives you the effective policy, assuming everything worked well.

If there are problems with GPO processing, they are generally logged to the Application event log on the client or in a log file called %systemroot%\debug\usermode\userenv.log. You can just adjust the verbosity of both of these logs. To increase verbosity of Application event logs, create the following registry value (this requires a reboot to go into effect:
\HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Diagnostics\RunDiagnosticLoggingGroupPolicy DWORD 0x1

This will generate an event log entry for each step of the GPO processing cycle.

To enable verbose userenv.log logging, check out http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;221833, which describes this perfectly.

I find that userenv.log logging is much better for describing whether a particular GPO or part of a GPO is not being processed, and why. It will also tell you if a slow link has been detected.

That should help you out of your quagmire of "Yes sir boss that GPO sho do work!"

(Sorry I saw Gone with the Wind Last Night and today felt like field hand day!)

by netlion

In our Win2K environment the only RSoP tool available to me is from the Resource Kit. I'll try these settings on a few PCs to log more verbosely and track them when we make changes. Thanks for the Help!

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