Windows 7 / Networking

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Synchronous Foreground Refresh

Group Policy processing occurs at computer startup, shutdown, and periodically during the background refresh interval for computers. Processing for users occurs at user logon and logoff and periodically during the background refresh interval. Certain functions of Group Policy, including software installation, user folder redirection, computer startup and shutdown scripts, and user logon and logoff scripts, require the network to be available during processing. Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 systems do not wait for the network during computer startup and user logon by default and by design. This feature provides faster computer reboots and faster user logon processes but can also cause some Group Policy processing issues. When software installations, folder redirection, computer startup, and/or user logon scripts are defined within domain group policies, it might be required to also enable the Always Wait for the Network at Computer Startup and Logon setting within group policies. The setting is stored in the Computer Configuration node and must be applied as follows:

• GPOs that define computer startup scripts or computer-assigned software installations should have this setting enabled within the policy. Software installations that are assigned should be set to this configuration but published software installation GPOs can be left with the default processing configuration.
• If GPOs exist that define user logon scripts, assigned software installations, or folder redirection settings that require processing before Windows Explorer is opened, the computers that the users will log on to must have a GPO that applies this setting. Configuring this setting within the policy that contains the user settings will not have the desired effect unless the user's computer is also in the container that is linked to the GPO or unless a different policy that applies to the user enables this setting.

To configure Synchronous Foreground Processing of group policies, perform the following steps:

1. Log on to a designated Windows Server 2008 R2 administrative server.
2. Open the Group Policy Management Console from the Administrative Tools menu.
3. Expand the domain to expose the Group Policy Objects container and select it.
4. Right-click the Group Policy Objects container and select New or select an existing policy to update.
5. If a new GPO is being created, type in a name for the new GPO, and click OK to create the new GPO.
6. After the GPO is created or if an existing GPO will be updated, right-click on the desired GPO and select Edit.
7. When the Group Policy Management Editor opens, expand Computer Configuration, expand Policies, and select the Administrative Templates node.
8. Beneath the Administrative Templates node, expand System, and select Logon in the tree pane.
9. In the Settings pane, double-click on the Always Wait for the Network at Computer Startup and Logon setting.
10. On the setting tab, select the Enabled option button, and click OK.
11. Close the Group Policy Management Editor, and return to the GPMC.
12. In the GPMC, if necessary, adjust the links to the updated GPO and close the GPMC when finished.