Create or delete a Group Policy object

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To create or delete a Group Policy object

  1. Open Group Policy Management.

  2. Depending upon whether you want to create or delete, use one of the following procedures:

    • Create

    • Create and link

    • Delete

Create
  1. In the console tree, right-click Group Policy Objects in the forest and domain in which you want to create a Group Policy object (GPO).

    Where?

    Forest name/Domains/Domain name/Group Policy Objects

  2. Click New.

  3. In the New GPO dialog box, specify a name for the new GPO, and then click OK.

  1. In the console tree, right-click the domain name in the forest in which you want to create and link a Group Policy object (GPO).

    Where?

    Forest name/Domains/Domain name

  2. Click Create and Link a GPO Here.

  3. In the New GPO dialog box, specify a name for the new GPO, and then click OK.

Delete
  1. In the console tree, double-click Group Policy Objects in the forest and domain containing the Group Policy object (GPO) that you want to delete.

    Where?

    Forest name/Domains/Domain name/Group Policy Objects

  2. Right-click the GPO, and then click Delete.

  3. When prompted to confirm the deletion, click OK.

Notes

  • To create a GPO, you must have GPO creation privileges. By default only domain administrators, enterprise administrators, and members of the Group Policy creator owners group can create Group Policy objects. To delegate GPO creation permissions to additional groups and users, go to Group Policy Objects in the desired domain and click the Delegation tab.

  • To delete a GPO, you must have Edit Settings, Delete, Modify Security permissions for the GPO.

  • When you use this procedure to create a GPO, no links are created to the GPO, but you can add links within the same forest by right-clicking any domain, site, or organizational unit, and then clicking Link Existing GPO. Alternatively, you can both create and link a GPO by right-clicking any domain or organizational unit and then clicking Create and Link a GPO Here.

  • When you delete a GPO, Group Policy Management attempts to delete all links to that GPO in the domain of the GPO. However, to delete a link to a GPO, you must have permission to link Group Policy objects for the organizational unit or domain. If you do not have rights to delete a link, the GPO will be deleted, but the link will remain. Links from other domains and sites are not deleted. The link to a deleted GPO appears in Group Policy Management as Not Found. To delete Not Found links, you must either have permission on the site, domain or organizational unit containing the link, or ask someone with sufficient rights to delete it.

  • Group Policy objects are distinguished in the Active Directory by GUID, and it is theoretically possible for more than one GPO to have the same friendly name. The Group Policy Management snap-in prevents the creation of Group Policy objects with duplicate friendly names, but the Group Policy infrastructure does not enforce uniqueness of friendly names. Therefore, it is possible for duplication of friendly names to occur if you use legacy tools to create Group Policy objects, if replication is slow, or if you use a script to perform operations on Group Policy objects.

  • You cannot delete the Default Domain Controllers policy or the Default Domain policy.

  • Before deleting a GPO, you can check for cross-domain links by navigating to the Scope tab of the GPO you want to delete and, in the Display links in this location box, selecting Entire Forest. You can then select all links, right click the selection, and click Delete link. This procedure ensures that cross-domain links are deleted before you delete the GPO.

Information about functional differences

  • Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.

See Also

Concepts

Group Policy Management Console Overview
Start Group Policy Management Console