Open or Add and Open a GPO

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

By default, the Group Policy Management feature is installed on computers running Windows Server 2008 when the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) server role is installed. This procedure describes how to open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) on your domain controller running Windows Server 2008. The procedure then describes how to either open an existing domain-level Group Policy object (GPO) for editing, or create a new domain GPO and open it for editing.

Membership in Domain Admins, or equivalent, is the minimum requirement to perform this procedure.

To open a GPO, or add and open a GPO

1. On your domain controller running Windows Server 2008, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Group Policy Management. The GPMC opens.

2. In the left pane, double-click your forest. For example, double-click Forest: example.com.

3. In the left pane, double-click Domains, and then double-click the domain for which you want to manage a GPO. For example, double-click example.com.

4. Do one of the following:

   • To open an existing domain-level GPO for editing, double-click the domain that contains the GPO that you want to manage, right-click the domain GPO that you want to manage, and then click Edit. Group Policy Management Editor opens.

   • To create a new GPO and open it for editing:

     1. Right-click the domain for which you want to create a new GPO, and then click Create a GPO in this domain, and link it here.

     2. In New GPO, in Name, type a name for the new GPO, and then click OK.

     3. Right-click your new GPO, and then click Edit. Group Policy Management Editor opens.