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Windows Ninja
Asked: 2014-10-02 09:50:02 +0800 CST

GPO to Set Wallpaper per Computer instead of per User

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I'd like to be able to configure a GPO to set wallpapers computer rather than per user. However, reading through documentation and forums I've not been able to figure out what seems like it should be a simple thing to do.

This is for a Windows Server 2008 R2 domain environment.

Thanks in advance.

active-directory

2 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    The only way to do this ("this" being "setting something in user policy based on which computer the user logged into") is Loopback Processing, where (in merge mode) the computer object's linked GPOs are checked for user policy as well as the user object.

    Loopback processing can add a whole lot of complexity to your GPO environment and a lot unintended policies being applied - make sure you fully understand what it's going to do and test the potential impacts before you enable it.

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  2. Although this is doable, there is no obvious way to do it because a Wallpaper CANNOT be deployed to a "Computer" GPO... only to a "User" GPO

    This is how I did it, Crete and edit a new GPO and go to:
    User Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Desktop
    Here you enable the "Desktop Wallpaper" option ..... and then type the location, in order to simplify things, you can deploy it here:
    C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper\Windows\NewWallpaper.jpg

    Now, you also need to copy the wallpaper image locally, so, on that same GPO you are editing, go to: User Configuration\Preferences\Windows Settings\Files
    Then create a new "File" entry
    Action: Replace
    Source file(s): \yourfileserverUNC\Share\NewWallpaper.jpg
    Destination File: C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper\Windows\NewWallpaper.jpg

    Then you apply this GPO to the root of your Domain, I know you are now asking, how do I limit the GPO so it only runs on certain computers??.. that is the secret sauce my friend, WMI Filters !!!.. you can create a WMI filter that limits the execution of the GPO to a certain number of IP addresses, or a range of IP addresses, go to the WMI Filters section and create a new Filter of type "root\CIMv2" and on the "Query"field type:

    select * from Win32_IP4RouteTable where (Name like "10.1.3.%" OR Name like "10.122.77.29" OR Name like "10.122.77.30")

    Save the WMI Filter, then go back to the GPO and under the "Scope" tab you will see a WMI Filtering" option all the way at the bottom, select the WMI Filter you created, that will limit the execution of the GPO to those machines or range of machines specified by the IP Addresses.. it works really well on my systems.. I hope it helps.. Thanks!

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