Google Chrome ADM or ADMX + other question

[edutech4schools]

Hi,

2008r2 server with mixed xp and 7 clients. All xp clients have had client side Extension updated.

Do I need to apply both the ADM and ADMX policy for my network?

Also the Google instructions say to add the msi and policy to the computer policy but reading these forums it looks like most edugeekers have added it to the user policy. Advise please.

[Michael]

It's a good question, however I know for a fact 2003 Server can read ADMX files - you just cannot edit them. For that you need 2008/2008 R2 or Win 7 running RSAT for example.

Working on this theory that there are built in 2008 R2 GPOs which apply to 2000 or later, these are going to be ADMX template files. You can of course still manually import ADM template files which would appear under 'Classic Administrative Templates (ADM)' but I believe copying the ADMX templates to C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions should do the trick

[Michael]

As for the MSI I would deploy this on a Computer basis and not a User basis. It wouldn't/doesn't make any sense to do so.

[edutech4schools]

Thanks for the info.

[edutech4schools]

hmm that is odd. when I open the download chrome profile file and drill down to

GoogleChrome\policy_templates\windows\admx\en-GB

the file is not a .admx but .adml

[Michael]

I wouldn't worry about it. Main thing is does it work?

[edutech4schools]

Just found this

Extract the Chrome policy_template.zip file. The chrome.adm file for the English language can
be found in \policy_templates\windows\adm\en-US\chrome.adm.


2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates. Right click on
Administrative Templates and select Add/Remove Templates.


3. In the Add/Remove Templates dialog, click the Add button and select the chrome.adm file from
the extracted Chrome policy templates location

[sonofsanta]

Use the ADMX, may as well, newer/easier.

Put the ADMX file (it's a level above that ADML file you mentioned) into C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions on your domain controller(s). In that folder will be another folder with a language code - mine is en-US. Get the ADML file from the equivalent folder in the zip and copy it into that folder on your DC(s).

So ADMX and ADML files both copied over. Capiche?

Then deploy MSI to computers, and set policy how you like. FWIW I set the Chrome settings on a computer policy and it's worked fine. I've posted my settings somewhere round this forum if you want a headstart, not saying their perfect but they'll save you some time working out what's what.

[edutech4schools]

Got it. Cheers

[edutech4schools]

I have been trying to apply the GPO to the computer policy all day without any luck. Works fine as a user policy, but this is not what I want.

How should I start to fault find this issue.

EDIT - sorry the GPO mentioned above is the Chrome msi installer software.

[Michael]

I have been trying to apply the GPO to the computer policy all day without any luck. Works fine as a user policy, but this is not what I want.

How should I start to fault find this issue.

I would of thought you'd deploy the MSI on a Computer basis and ADMX templates on a User basis, just as you would control IE. Are you saying this isn't the case?

[edutech4schools]

The software just does not deploy via computer policy. If I gpupdate /force it says it needs to reboot to complete policy settings but that is that, reboot and chrome is not installed. If I apply the software via a user policy it gets installed as soon as my test user logs in.

[Michael]

That is really odd. Chrome isn't something I've deployed but I found this:

The MSI installer is a standalone installer. Google Chrome is bundled inside and installs without an internet connection. The MSI installs Chrome at the system level, so all users on a machine will use the same instance of Chrome.

From here. To me 'system level' would be the equivalent of a per computer MSI deployment.

[edutech4schools]

Thanks for the help today. I will do some more testing tomorrow.

[sonofsanta]

I pushed it out through SCCM so can't help, but other people round here have said about it choking when it tries to update on install - think there's an MST file available that stops it doing that. It's mentioned in other Chrome threads round here (we could do with a sticky tbh). Might be worth a crack.