Forcing a default wallpaper for domain users.

[Shohan]

Ok, I'm trying to set it up so my users have a default wallpaper and cannot change it on my Win2K network. I've looked all over the admin tools, security policies, group policies and haven't found anything. Does anyone have an idea for this? I've searched the forum and even google but didn't come up with anything.

Thanks

Shohn

 

[Jump1ng]

Not sure if its exactly what you want but if you configure a user the way you want it with wallpaper, desktop, explorer look, screensavers etc.

Log the user of and log on as another user with admin rights over the machine now copy this profile over the default user, you can set permission rights so if you don't change it to everyone only people with admin rights should be able to do changes to the wallpaper etc.

I found out that people can't change the screen saver and power save options when I created a default user profile because I then forgot to change the permission to everyone.

 

[Shohan]

That would do it thanks for the tip, but is there a way to do it in Active Directory Users or maybe a log on script?

 

[Jump1ng]

Well it only works on a pc that the user hasn't logged on previously, because once they have logged on they have there own profile.

Which means its only works on a new machine before they user has logged on or you would have to delete their current profile it would then be re-created as specified in the Default User profile.

It should be reasonably easy to copy your customized Default User profile to every pc through a login script.

But I don't know if there is a way to change every current user profile. It's not something I have tried...

 

[Hondy]

Hilikus, yes you can set everyones wallpaper in active directory, you set it in the AD - GPO...

User Configuration...
Administrative Templates...
Desktop...
Active Desktop...
wallpaper

 

[PuterLuver]

You might as well configure "Enable Active Desktop" to enable to force users to use active desktop.

-PuterLuver

 

[qtin]

If you don't like active desktop there is another way. Just import a custom .ADM template w/ the following settings: (This also has another other handy setting) If you do this you will need to change the filter setting to allow the showing of policies that can not be fully managed.

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
CLASS MACHINE;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

;Determines whether the windows logon box is shown expanded or collapsed.
CATEGORY "Company Name Here"
POLICY "Expand Logon Options"
KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon"
EXPLAIN !!LogonOptionsExplanation
VALUENAME "ShowLogonOptions"
VALUEON NUMERIC 1
VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0
END POLICY
END CATEGORY

;;;;;;;;;;;;
CLASS USER;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;

;Sets the desktop wallpaper
CATEGORY "Company Name Here"
POLICY "Set desktop wallpaper"
KEYNAME "Control Panel\Desktop"
EXPLAIN !!WallpaperExplanation
PART "Wallpaper bitmap filename" EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "Wallpaper"
REQUIRED
DEFAULT "C:\WINNT\file_name.bmp"
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY

[strings]
LogonOptionsExplanation = "If enabled, the logon box always defaults to expanded form.\n\nIf disabled, the logon box always defaults to collapsed form.\n\nIf not configured the logon box defaults to the last state."
WallpaperExplanation = "If enabled, the specified wallpaper is used.\n\nIf disabled or not configured, the user's specified wallpaper is used.

 

[jblewis]

Would you mind expanding on the last statement you make, " If you do this you will need to change the filter setting to allow the showing of policies that can not be fully managed."

I'm not sure I understand what that refers to, but since I am having trouble getting an ADM file that I customized to actually apply, I think that statement might apply to me!

Thanks!
JB