What does this update do? Group Policy Preference Client Side Extensions

[edutech4schools]

I already use RSAT from a Win7 pc to update policies on the 2003 server and wanted to know what the following windows update did and if I needed it.

 

Group Policy Preference Client Side Extensions for Windows Server 2003 (KB943729)

 

Multiple Group Policy Preferences have been added to the Windows Server 2008 Group Policy Management Console (which are also available through the Remote Server Administration Toolset (RSAT) for Windows Vista SP1). Group Policy Preferences enable information technology professionals to configure, deploy, and manage operating system and application settings they previously were not able to manage using Group Policy. After you install this update, your computer will be able to process the new Group Policy Preference extensions. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

[elsiegee40]

I ended up applying this after moving from server 2003 R2 to Server 2008 R2 last summer. It seemed to sort out various niggles with GP not applying as expected. It certainly hasn't done any harm!

[AngryTechnician]

Without this update, anything you define in the 'Preferences' part of a policy (rather than 'Policies') will not apply to a Windows 2003 server. They will still apply to Vista and 7 clients, even if all your DCs are Windows 2003. There is a corresponding update for Windows XP clients, if you have any.

 

'Normal' Group Policy (the settings in 'Policies' in RSAT) should work just fine without this.

[elsiegee40]

Without this update, anything you define in the 'Preferences' part of a policy (rather than 'Policies') will not apply to a Windows 2003 server. They will still apply to Vista and 7 clients, even if all your DCs are Windows 2003. There is a corresponding update for Windows XP clients, if you have any.

 

'Normal' Group Policy (the settings in 'Policies' in RSAT) should work just fine without this.

 

..but it's an XP update?

[actech]

The Client Side extensions is an update for XP/2003 machines that allows any "Preferences" set by using 2008 policies to be applied. For example I use preferences to map drives for users and while it worked fine for win7 machines I had to apply that update on my XP/2003 machines for them to get the drive maps.

[edutech4schools]

EDIT:At the moment I like creating a policy for Win7 that will not work or apply on WinXP as all my XP computers are doing what they should. But might test it out soon.

[sted]

EDIT:At the moment I like creating a policy for Win7 that will not work or apply on WinXP as all my XP computers are doing what they should. But might test it out soon.

 

if you only want it to apply to win7 pcs then use a wmi filter

[edutech4schools]

Yep I do have the filter setup but if I gain nothing from adding the update then no point in installing it. I use kix to setup mapped drives and other bits that probably should be done from policies. But as they say if it works don't fix it.