How to start from scratch, Group Policy

[abillybob]

Hey Guys

 

I have found that a few of the computers in the building are having issues when applying GPO's. Anyway all the GPO's I have implemented have been messed around with by what looks to be the previous Technician. This has resulted into a huge problem and I just want to start from scratch and re-write all the GPO's again. Is it as simple as deleting the old GPO from Group Policy Manager and then creating new ones or will this mess up things further?

 

Any advice on this subject will be most appreciated.

 

Thankyou

[witch]

Dunno if you are supposed to do it but that is what I did when I joined one of my schools

[DevilsAdvocate]

Create and test your policies first. Then just unlink the old ones and link the new ones to the correct OU. Once you're happy things are working OK, delete the old ones completely.

[maark]

Right click on Group policy objects in Group Policy management - New . You can then create policies for computers or users from scratch - under the details tab of the policy you can disable computer or user settings if not needed. to improve speed of processing. Once you have created a policy I would usually link it to an active directory organisational unit that is setup specifically for test users or test computers. Move a machine or user inside that container to test your policy.

If ok then you can link it to your current AD containers by right clicking and Linking an Existing GPO. You can delete your GPOs that are currently linked to OUs - they will not be deleted entirely unless you delete them from the list of group Policy Objects but will not affect machines if they are not linked that OU.

[Vasriel]

Create and test your policies first. Then just unlink the old ones and link the new ones to the correct OU. Once you're happy things are working OK, delete the old ones completely.

 

I did this recently, it was the best and easiest way I found to do it.

[abillybob]

Cheers Guys going to get right on it

[witch]

I didnt test most of them because I just copied them from my other school

I tested any new ones though

[Norphy]

One caveat though, just because you've stopped applying a policy doesn't necessarily mean that the settings it was pushing down have gone from the client. It would just mean that they're no longer being enforced. The best way to do the testing would be on a clean machine, i.e. one that's just been built.