Software

Manage Windows 7 Group Policies on Windows 2003 server

Posted on by Imran Rashid
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1) Logon to a Windows 7 machine
2) Download and install the Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7 from here
3) When installed, access Control Panel
4) Click Programs and features
5) Click ‘Turn Windows Features on or off’ located at the top left corner
6) Expand ‘Remote Server Administration Tools
7) Expand ‘Feature Administration Tool’
8.) Select ‘Group Policy Management Tools’ and click OK
9) Once installed, you can access Group Policy Management tools from your start menu and add new Windows 7 policies to your Windows 2003 server.

Windows 7 hangs at welcome and then black screens

Posted on by Imran Rashid
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When you login to a Windows 7 machine on a domain, the logon process hangs at the welcome screen for 30 seconds and then black screens. You can still move around your cursor but can not see the desktop. After a few minutes the desktop may load.

I experienced a similar issue, tried all the usual known issues/fixes such as adding a desktop background instead of using a solid colour etc etc.

At the end I found the issue was related to a policy called ‘Run Logon Scripts Synchronously’

I disabled the policy and monitored the network for a few weeks. Found that it did not cause any issues with drives mapping via script.

But disabling the policy ‘Run Logon Scripts Synchronously’ resolved the logon issue.

The policy can be located at:

1) User config
2) Expand Administrative Tools
3) Expand
4) System
5) Click the Scripts
6) Right click the policy ‘Run Logon Scripts Synchronously’ on the right hand side, click enable and OK.

ISA services do not start automatically

Posted on by Imran Rashid
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This was tested on a Windows 2003 server. The issue was, when the server was rebooted, the ISA services had to be manually started and would not start automatically.

The fix:

1) Click Start
2) Click run
3) Type regedit and click OK. (Ensure you have a backup)
4) Navigate to KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
5) Right click and create a new DWORD key
6) Name the DWORD key ServicesPipeTimeout
7) Click decimal and type value of 60000 (This is 60 seconds)
8.) Reboot the server and services should start automatically

User could not be logged off. Access is denied

Posted on by Imran Rashid
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When you attempt to log off a user session via terminal services manager or via task manager, you receive the below error:

Error:User ‘username’ (sessionId=) could not be logged off. Access is Denied.

The above error occurs when you do not have correct permissions. Ensure you have the correct permissions or are part of the correct security group.

Logoff and back on after correct permissions have been granted. You should be able to logoff sessions without the above error.