If you have a Domain Controller older than Windows Server 2012 R2, you will need to import Windows 8.1 and Server 2012 R2 Administrative Templates to your Group Policy Management. This will give you a chance to use policies designed for the latest MS operating systems.
- Download msi file from the following link: http://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=41193
- Double-click on msi file to unpack the Policy Definitions (default location is C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Group Policy\Windows 8.1-Windows Server 2012 R2\PolicyDefinitions)
- Copy en-us folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Group Policy\Windows 8.1-Windows Server 2012 R2\PolicyDefinitions\en-us) and all admx files to PolicyDefinitions folder
- Navigate to ‘C:\Windows\sysvol\domain\Policies’ and create a folder PolicyDefinitions
- Close Group Policy console and re-open
- Check that new Server 2012 R2 group policy settings appeared (i.e. you can see “Start Screen Layout” group policy object in ‘User Configuration \ Polices \ Administrative Templates \ Start Menu and Taskbar’
Thanks. I had trouble accessing the new group policies but this helped greatly.
Hi,
This doesn’t appear to work.
I’ve downloaded and installed the msi file on Server 2013. I then copy the contents of the en-us folder to a new folder in “C:\Windows\sysvol\domain\Policies” called “PolicyDefinitions”.. (I think that’s what you are saying to do.
I close/open gpedit.msc, go to the group policy object and there’s none of the new stuff.
I think this is because I’m trying to edit an existing policy (C:\WINDOWS\SYSVOL\domain\Policies\{D0C35931-3CF6-466B-B015-550A538EF48D)….. can I paste the PolicyDefinitions in there?
Any help appreciated.
Thank you very much for posting this information. Worked perfectly following your steps above!
Thank you so much! This is the first time I have found simple and easy to follow instructions on how to do this.
Author wrote:
* Copy en-us folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Group Policy\Windows 8.1-Windows Server 2012 R2\PolicyDefinitions\en-us) and all admx files to PolicyDefinitions folder
*Navigate to ‘C:\Windows\sysvol\domain\Policies’ and create a folder PolicyDefinitions
These two instructions should be in reverse order!
First create the PolicyDefinitions folder under sysvol\domain\Policies and THEN
copy the extracted folders to it
If I already have a central store, do I just overwrite the existing files? Thanks.