How to apply Local Group Policy settings silently using the ImportRegPol.exe and Apply_LGPO_Delta.exe utilities.

By | January 18, 2012
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In many Organizations, the AD support team is separated from the team in charge of Imaging.  The AD team naturally is protective with their setup and fight any GPO setting that would result in more responsibility to their staff.  So that leaves us in some occasions having to turn to Local Group Policy to apply the settings we want.  I’ve recently come across some great tools provided by Microsoft (very quietly) for Government usage.  These tools allow you to basically back up your LGPO settings to a txt file and apply them on demand with a script silently.

MS link: http://blogs.technet.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/communityserver-components-postattachments/00-03-05-16-48/LGPO_2D00_Utilities.zip
BackUp link: https://panaconsulting.egnyte.com/h-s/20120118/077e07ba18c74413

How to use:

  1. Apply desired settings on a Windows 7 test machine, using the gpedit.msc MMC snap-in.
  2. Run the “ImportRegPol.exe” with the /parseonly and /log to pull settings and save to a specified LOG file.
    User settings and machine settings need to be captured separately:
    LGPO User Settings
    Capture User Example
    ImportRegPol.exe /u  C:\Windows\System32\GroupPolicy\User\registry.pol /parseonly /log <PathToSettingsFile>.log
    LGPO Machine Settings
    Capture Machine Settings Example:
    ImportRegPol.exe /m  C:\Windows\System32\GroupPolicy\Machine\registry.pol /parseonly /log <PathToSettingsFile>.log
  3. Use the Apply_LGPO_Delta.exe utility to apply the settings silently.  On restart the settings will take effect.
    Apply_LGPO_Delta.exe <PathToSettingsFile>.log /log <PathToLogFile>.log
  4. This can easily be added to an SCCM or MDT Task Sequence and tied to logic to ensure the correct settings get pushed to the appropriate target systems/users.

Command Line help for LGPO Tools:

Apply_LGPO_Delta.exe inputfile0 [inputfile1 …] [/log LogFile] [/error ErrorLogFile] [/boot]

inputfileN             One or more input files specifying the changes to make.  Input files must be security template files, or registry-based policy files using a custom file format described below.  Apply_LGPO_Delta automatically determines whether a file is a custom policy file or a security template.  Security templates can be created using the “Security Templates” MMC snap-in.

/log LogFile           Writes detailed results to a log file.  If this option is not specified, output is not logged nor displayed.

/error ErrorLogFile   Writes error information to a log file.  If this option is not specified, error information is displayed in a message box dialog.

/boot                  Reboots the computer when done.

 

ImportRegPol.exe –m|-u path\registry.pol [/parseOnly] [/log LogFile] [/error ErrorLogFile] [/boot]

-m path\registry.pol   [for Computer configuration] or

-u path\registry.pol   [for User configuration]

Path\registry.pol specifies the absolute or relative path to the input registry policy file (which does not need to be named “registry.pol”).

/parseOnly             Reads and validates the input file but does not make changes to local group policy.  In conjunction with the /log option, can be used to convert a registry policy file to an input file for Apply_LGPO_Delta.

/log LogFile           Writes detailed results to a log file.  If this option is not specified, output is not logged nor displayed.  The logged results for the registry policy settings can be used as input for Apply_LGPO_Delta.

/error ErrorLogFile   Writes error information to a log file.  If this option is not specified, error information is displayed in a message box dialog.

/boot                  Reboots the computer when done.

 

-Brian G

19 thoughts on “How to apply Local Group Policy settings silently using the ImportRegPol.exe and Apply_LGPO_Delta.exe utilities.

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    Reply
  2. Marta

    I believe whaqt you wrote was actually very logical.
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    Reply
    1. Brian Gonzalez Post author

      Marta,

      Thanks for the tips!

      I’m going to research yahoo like you asked. I think most of their posts are titled with a question, which is smarter.

      Thanks again for your honest feedback.

      /BG

      Reply
  3. Lo Mishaneh

    Is there any way to apply these backed-up settings to a single user (i.e. a User-specific local Group Policy) using these tools or perhaps another way?

    Reply
      1. Lo Mishaneh

        Can you give a simplified way to do this? I’m not very proficient in PS and it doesn’t even tell me what to do to accomplish this.

        Reply
        1. Nils T.

          Im looking for the same info..
          Want to apply backed up settings to a specific user using these tools.
          The powershell script is only about getting the users sid.

          But i cant find anything about applying a gpo log using the delta tool to a specific user.

          I did find another way that involves the LocalGPO Tool:
          https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/LocalGPOmsi-Excellent-MS-2593b2eb

          But this method is way cleaner imo and easier to modify by hand if you dont want to create a whole new backup of a lgpo.

          Reply
          1. Brian Gonzalez Post author

            Nils,

            Great link, I’ve used the LocalGPO tool before to back up a config and apply via an MDT Task Sequence, but I didn’t remember it grabbing user specific GPOs. If it does, I have to agree with your conclusion that it may be cleaner to support down the road.

            I’ll give it a test and write up what I find.

            /Brian G

  4. Nils T.

    Ah sorry i meant the method using the delta tool would be cleaner 🙂
    LocalGPO works as i said but its not possible to capture a specific user GPO as far as i know but only systemwide user config. not a complete deal breaker but being able to grab a specific user config would be better imo, because i could keep preconfigured user on my test system and if i update something just grab it and i dont have to reconfigure the whole gpo again.
    You cann in the end apply the backup to a specific user.

    So if you can find a way to apply a importregpol “capture” using the apply_lgpo_delta tool to a single user i would love to hear it 🙂

    And btw, great blog with a lot of useful information!

    Reply
  5. Sinna Srivas

    Hi Brian,

    Hope you canhelp.
    I am trying to setup Local Group Policy on a user computer to mark DSCP for outgoing traffic destined for an IP Address/32 server running WebRTC.

    I’m not able to see the markings on Wireshark capture.
    (WebRTC do not have an .exe running, but running the html code obtained from that server.)

    Sinn

    Reply
  6. Sinna Srivas

    Hi Brian,

    I require some advice to setup DSCP for WebRTC outgoing traffic on a user computer, possibly through LocalGPO.

    Could you help.

    Reply

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