Windows 7 and Server 2003

[lcox400w]

We have Windows Server 2003 and are going to upgrade our PC's to windows 7. How do I get the updated group policies for windows 7 onto my 2003 server to administer them?

One more question, I have read about GPPE's, but I'm unclear if I can use them in a windows server 2003 environment to manage windows 7?

Thanks in advance.

[robingp]

Step 1:
Set up a Central Store on your W2K3 DC, e.g. by simply copying all files from your win7 box from c:\windows\policydefinitons to \\<domainname>\sysvol\<domainname>\Policies\Policy Definitions

Step 2:
Download and install RSAT for Windows 7 on your Win7 Box:
Download details: Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7

Step 3:
Administer all wanted settings from now on from your Win7 Box; NEVER EVER manage these NEW Win7 ADMX based GPOs from a WinXP or W2K3 Server box !
Same applies for all Group Policy Prefernces (GPP); if you want to have them (i.e. GPP settings) get applied to Windows Server 2003 SP1 or Windows XP SP2 too you have to install the appropriate CSE (Client Side Extensions) to these boxes :-)


maybe you want to set a gpo setting disabling the automatic update of adm's on all other boxes:
quote from darren mar-elia:
How can this tragic scene be avoided? I count at least three ways. First, after you introduce Vista into your environment; you can make a plan to edit GPOs only from Vista systems. This guarantees that all GPOs from that time forward will see all settings. Second, you can keep your environments separate. If you have some XP and some Vista systems, manage the GPOs that apply to XP from XP systems and the ones that apply to Vista from Vista systems. However, if you absolutely, positively must manage your Vista GPOs from downlevel systems, consider the third option, which is to enable the following policy on users who edit GPOs from XP, Win2K, and Server 2003 systems. This policy will prevent the downlevel platforms from automatically updating the SYSVOL portion of your clean Vista GPOs with ADM files every time you edit them: User Configuration\Administrative Templates System\Group Policy\Turn off automatic update of ADM files



further readings:
What's New in Group Policy in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7

good stuff, robin. my domain has *mostly* 2008 sp2 domain controllers, with a couple of 2003 ones still lingering. we plan to update these soon. workstations are about 98% XP with some windows 7.
the windows 7 boxes are not getting certain policies from the existing gpos. do i really need to set up entirely new ADMX-based gpos for windows 7, separate from my existing, loyal, tried-and-true XP gpos?