Copying Local GroupPolicy via a TS on SA Media

[P@docIT]

Has anyone done any Local GroupPolicy settings via stand alone media OSD? Unfortunately the environment I work in does not allow for PXE deployment and since I don't control the network I'm stuck with deploying via media. The workstations are part of a domain and will have Group Policy applied, however there are few small items that I would have to beg our GP admin to add, sometimes it's easier to just do it locally.

 

So I set my GP on a machine and copied the GroupPolicy folder from %SYSTEMROOT%\System32. I've tried a few ways to copy this folder back to the a fore mention path on the new machine. Robocopy worked but every time you would run gpedit it would give a permission denied message. All permissions looked perfectly fine. So I found a script that someone wrote that copies all files in the same dir as the script to a specified location. It works if run manually from the local machine, however if i try and run it manually from the OSD Media it gives me an access denied message when trying to copy.

 

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas or if anyone is currently doing this for maybe stand alone machines.

 

Location of the copy script i am currently trying to use: http://blog.coretech.dk/mip/making-file-copy-easy/

[P@docIT]

parsing step node simply means it's reading the task sequence steps before actually running them, what you need to look for is Start Executing Use Toolkit Package, do you see that anywhere ?

 

I do not see that anywhere. I can attach the entire log or the TS xml if that would help.

[P@docIT]

I do not see that anywhere. I can attach the entire log or the TS xml if that would help.

 

I just found this article which seems to suggest that I should apply my group policy after the setup Windows and ConfigMgr as opposed to before assuming Windows 7 is the same as Vista/2008. Am i misunderstanding the article?

 

The Setup Windows and ConfigMgr task sequence action is responsible for running Group Policy on the newly installed computer. The time at which Group Policy is applied during the task sequence action depends on the operating system being deployed. For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, Group Policy is applied after the Setup Windows and ConfigMgr task sequence action is completed. On Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, Group Policy is applied after the task sequence is finished.

 

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb693951.aspx

[anyweb]

go ahead and try, i know that we've been successfully using this method to copy policies for over a year now (before the setup windows and configmgr step)

[P@docIT]

go ahead and try, i know that we've been successfully using this method to copy policies for over a year now (before the setup windows and configmgr step)

 

Thanks for all of your help. But I'm just about to give up. No matter if i put it before or after I end up with an unhidden empty GroupPolicy folder in win\system32. I don't understand why it's not running properly. It will only parse those two steps it never actually executes, however it must be doing something to leave me with an empty win\system32\GroupPolicy folder.

 

So frustrating. Anyway thanks for the help.

[P@docIT]

Thanks for all of your help. But I'm just about to give up. No matter if i put it before or after I end up with an unhidden empty GroupPolicy folder in win\system32. I don't understand why it's not running properly. It will only parse those two steps it never actually executes, however it must be doing something to leave me with an empty win\system32\GroupPolicy folder.

 

So frustrating. Anyway thanks for the help.

 

ISSUE RESOLVED - in case anyone else runs into this issue.

 

I believe my command line path was incorrect and causing issues. I have use toolkit and run command line after the setup windows and configmgr step, however i think it may work both ways.

 

My initial command line was:

 

xcopy %deployroot%\scripts\CustomScripts\GroupPolicy %systemroot%\System32\ /E /C /I /Q /H /R /Y /S

 

I changed it to:

xcopy %deployroot%\scripts\CustomScripts\GroupPolicy %systemroot%\System32\GroupPolicy /E /C /I /Q /H /R /Y /S

 

Thanks again Niall. I'm glad this nightmare is finally over.