Server 2003 Group Policy - Applying Security Template to Vista PC

[IsilZha]

Hello,

Recently our company added Vista machines to our server 2003 domain. We also discovered the issue with Power Users, and how the concept doesn't exist in Vista anymore. However, I also found on microsoft's site, that there's a security template you can apply to a vista machine so that the ACLs are set to make the Power Users in Vista equivalent to the Power Users that were in XP.

Is there a way to create a group policy on our 2k3 domain to automatically apply that security template? I've already put all Vista workstations into their own OU that I can apply GP to.

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

Is this security template in .adm format? then you could just add/remove template in to the GPO for that OU. apply settings as needed.

 

[IsilZha]

No, I cannot find a .adm format for the security template. Anyone have an idea where I can find it?

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

Oh joy, Microsoft loves to change things.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929841

 

[IsilZha]

Windows Vista does not include Administrative Templates that have an .adm extension. Additionally, earlier versions of Windows cannot use the new administrative format."

Well, that explains that...

So is it even possible to use group policies on a Win2k3 domain to make the Power Users group on Vista workstations equivalent to the Power Users group in XP?

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

I would say no. If Vista uses .admx, and XP or 2003 uses .adm....then there would be no correlation on any level. Now if you set up the Central Store, there may be a .admx policy that you could apply to the Vista machines to fix your Power User issue.