Can a user use an old copy of their registry to override Group Policy?

This is a real interesting one from my 6419B class in May. During our discussion on Group Policy, I was asked a “hacking question” as it was put. If the user had a copy of their registry before a GPO was applied, can they import that copy and override the GPO?

To test this one out I exported a copy of a client GPO that had a standard user logged in on it and saved it to the desktop. I then created and applied a GPO the removed the Recycle Bin from the desktop. Once applied, the Recycle Bin was removed from the desktop. We then imported the backed up registry and received this error:

Cannot import C:\Users\adam\Desktop\MyReg.reg: Not all data was successfully written to the registry. Some keys are open by the system or other processes.

The GPO held and the registry was unaltered.

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How to list all the AD LDS instances on a server

AD LDS allows you to provide directory services to applications that are free of the confines of Active Directory. To list all the AD LDS instances on a server, follow this procedure: Log into the server in question Open a command prompt. Type dsdbutil and press Enter Type List Instances and press Enter . You will receive a list of the instance name, both the LDAP and SSL port numbers, the location of the database, and its status.

How to run GPResult on a remote client with PowerShell

In the past, to run the GPResult command, you would need to either physically visit this client, have the user do it, or use and RDP connection. In all cases, this will disrupt the user. First, you need PowerShell remoting enabled on the target machine. You can do this via Group Policy . Open PowerShell and type this command. Invoke-Command –ScriptBlock {GPResult /r} –ComputerName <ComputerName> Replace <ComputerName> with the name of the target. Remember, the target needs to be online and accessible to you.

Error icon when creating a GPO Preference drive map

You may not have an error at all. Take a look at the drive mapping below. The red triangle is what threw us off. It is not an error. It is simply a color representation of the Replace option of the Action field in the properties of the drive mappings. Create action This give you a green triangle. The Create action creates a new mapped drive for users. Replace Action The Replace action gives you a red triangle. This action will delete and recreate mapped drives for users. The net result of the Replace action is to overwrite all existing settings associated with the mapped drive. If the drive mapping does not exist, then the Replace action creates a new drive mapping. Update Action The Update action will have a yellow triangle. Update will modify settings of an existing mapped drive for users. This action differs from Replace in that it only updates settings defined within the preference item. All other settings remain as configured on the mapped drive. If the

Jason Yoder, MCT

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