Monday, 21 October 2013

Using GPO to configure desktop background for an organizational unit in AD-DS ….. WIN2K12


In windows server 2012 deployment of group policy to have same wallpaper or background for an organizational unit is a bit straight forward but sometimes it may be a bit frustrating when client computers background displays a blank black screen even after applying the group policy
GPO Creation

-          Open server manager, click tools and select group policy management
-          Open forest – domains- domain name – group policy objects
-          Right click group policy objects – select new – give it a name that describes what the policy will do then ok
-          Right click the newly created policy then select edit
-          In the group policy management editor expand user configuration-policies-administrative template-desktop-desktop
-          On the right , right click desktop wallpaper select edit
-          Check the enable button the on the right select a path which all domain user and computers have read access permission to and the wallpaper name as follows … \\server\wallpaper\lodo.jpg
-          Click ok
-          If you don’t want users to change their respective workstation background.. expand administrative template – control pane - personalization-
-          On the right double click prevent changing desktop background and click enable then ok
-          Close the group policy editor
-          In the group policy screen right click the organizational unit that you want to apply the group policy select link an existing GPO .. select the GPO that you’ve created then ok.
-          If you want the GPO to apply the GPO in  whole OU without exceptions  right click it under the OU and select enforce
If still workstation’s desktops default to a blank screen even after logging off, below is a work around for that:
-          Open group policy management
-          Right click the policy that you created click edit to go to the group policy management editor
-          Expand user configuration – select preferences –window settings – registry
-          Right click registry select new then registry item
-          In the dialogue box that pops up in the action box select replace
-          In the hive select hkey_current_user
-          In the key_path box expand hkey_current_user – conroll pane – desktop- on the lower part select  wallpaper
-          On the value type leave it as reg_sz
-          Inside the valuepath paste a path with the background photo c:\windows\lodo.jpg
-          Click apply then ok

-          Close all windows

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