Message for users attempting to log on 1

[secutanudu]

am trying to set in group policy the entry:

"Interactive logon: message text for users attempting to log on"

The message i would like to set there is a fairly long legal notice - if I set the entry through active directory group policy, the legal notice gets cut off after a certain number of characters once I exit the group policy msc. If i set the policy on a local machine, the whole message sticks and works fine.

Are there limitations in A.D. group policy that do not exist in local group policy? If so, any way around it?

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[bcastner]

Possible reason:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842933

 

[secutanudu]

I tried installing that update and bouncing our server over the weekend, but it is still cutting off my messages....any other ideas? I cant find anything else on MS's website....

 

[bcastner]

How current are the ADM files on the server?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...4B-7112-4B6C-AD4A-BBF3802A5C9B&displaylang=en

 

[secutanudu]

Looks like they're all up to date.

 

[bcastner]

And you are using an XP workstation to make the edit, not a Win2k workstation?

 

[LloydSev]

Depending upon how you decide to set this up, Windows uses the registry to store the text you are looking for. Registry entries are limited to 255 characters of text. This could be the reason you are having problems fitting everything in.

http://www.wown.com/kbase/WindowsTi...ous/LogonBanner-DisplayingWarningMessage.html

Computer/Network Technician
CCNA

 

[secutanudu]

LloydSev,

When I set this policy locally it works fine - it's just on the domain that i get the 255 char limit. Any ideas?

 

[bcastner]

Oddly, I would argue it is a bug in local policy, and that the Domain GPO is working correctly.

The value in the registry is type REG_SZ, and effectively should be limited to 255 characters as LloydSev noted.

You might want to consider using a custom splash screen instead.

BOOTLOGO

Use this switch to have Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 display an installable splash screen instead of the standard splash screen. First, create a 16-color (any 16 colors) 640x480 bitmap and save it in the Windows directory with the name Boot.bmp. Then add "/bootlogo /noguiboot" to the boot.ini selection.

 

[secutanudu]

Hmm - no way to do that with group policy, huh? I would just like to avoid touching 500 machines at once if possible.

 

[bcastner]

Use the logon script. Take a machine in which you have successfully made the local setting work.

Start regedit and export this key:
Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

You want to capture in the Export these four values:

LegalNoticeCaption REG_SZ Short Caption
LegalNoticeText REG_SZ max 255 chars
LogonPrompt REG_SZ displayed in standard logon screen
Welcome REG_SZ displayed in standard logon screen

The logon script would then use this line:

regedit /s name of exported key value from abvoe