Where are the GPO configuration files stored in W2K?

PeeluckyDuckee

Diamond Member
Feb 21, 2001
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I spent awhile configuring several GPO's, and was wondering if there's a way I can grab those configurations onto a floppy for backup? Are they actual small files stored in the C: somewhere?

Thx.
Plucky
 

CrazyHelloDeli

Platinum Member
Jun 24, 2001
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I dont believe you can because they are part of AD itself, only way to back them up is back up AD. I know you can save security templates though.
 

Saltin

Platinum Member
Jul 21, 2001
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The Group Policy template is located on domain controllers in Sysvol, and is used for the storage of the Group Policy object(s). A typical Group Policy template folder might look like this example:

systemroot\Sysvol\SYSVOL\Streetmarket.com\Policies\ {34975054-fd77-df75-54fe-074936850457}

The Group Policy template folder contains subfolders, including, but not limited to, the following:

adm: Contains all the .adm files for this Group Policy template.

Scripts: Contains all the scripts and related files for this Group Policy template.

User: Includes a Registry.pol file that contains the registry settings that are to be applied to users. When a user logs on to a computer, this Registry.pol file is downloaded and applied to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER portion of the registry. The User folder contains an Applications subfolder.

User\Applications: Contains the .aas files (application advertisement scripts) that are used by the operating system-based installation service. These files are applied to users.

Machine: Includes a Registry.pol file that contains the registry settings that are to be applied to computers. When a computer initializes, this Registry.pol file is downloaded and applied to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE portion of the registry. The Machine folder contains an Applications subfolder.

Machine\Applications: Contains the .aas files that are used by the operating system-based installation service. These files are applied to computers.

If you understand how these files are applied and what they do, it is possible to do something like what you want, but you would be much better off just reconfiguring the policies on the second domain.

 

Woodie

Platinum Member
Mar 27, 2001
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This missing functionality is a HUGE gap in MS's AD offerings. MS is supposed to be releasing a GPO management tool in the 1Q03 timeframe.

Meanwhile, FullArmor(?) offers a product called FAZAM that can do GPO backup, simulation, version migration, restore, etc., but it's quite pricey. There is another vendor out there who has a similar tool, but I don't recall who it is.