Server 2012R2 Windows 10 Admx

[sloughman]

We are a Server 2012R2 and Win 7 domain. I am in the process of deploying some new Windows 10 PCs. So therefore will be a mixed environment. I will need to add the latest 1703 Windows 10 admx to PolicyDefinitions central store on the 2012 DC. My question is will this overwriting of any current admx with same name knock any GPO settings out, or any other possible adverse effect. I am understandably cautious with importing so many templates that overwrite others. Thanks in advance.

[3s-gtech]

No, it won't knock any settings out. The existing settings would still apply without the templates in place. When you update the templates, they add extra policies but don't remove old ones. You'll find settings going back to Windows 2000 in there.

[Arthur]

When you update the templates, they add extra policies but don't remove old ones.

It is quite rare but Microsoft sometimes do remove policies from the templates.

 

For example, when MS released the templates for Windows 10 v1607 and Windows Server 2016 they removed the policy called Turn on TPM backup to Active Directory Domain Services (see link below for more details).

 

https://deploymentresearch.com/Research/Post/559/Windows-10-and-Windows-Server-2016-ADMX-Templates-and-BitLocker

 

This meant that you could no longer enable or disable this specific policy in any existing GPOs after updating the templates, but computers would still apply the setting if it was already configured in a GPO.

 

Despite this, I always keep my central store up-to-date with the latest templates from Microsoft.

[3s-gtech]

I thought there may be a caveat to that statement! They're pretty rare I'm sure, but it'd be annoying if you had the policy set and they removed the setting from the template, as you then have to start messing around to clear it. Bit like when we started cleaning out old unlinked adm policies when we moved to Windows 7 - meant using special tools to modify the actual policies and remove the dross!

[ADMaster]

You may get namespace errors when you copy in the new admx files. Here is how to fix them.

 

https://www.petri.com/resolving-namespace-already-defined-group-policy-error-windows-10