Creating and Editing GPOs

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

A Group Policy object (GPO) is a collection of policy settings that can be applied to a given set of users and/or computers. The process of applying a GPO to a set of users and/or computers is known as “scoping the GPO”, which is described later in this white paper.

With GPMC, you can create GPOs using any of the following methods:

  • Right-click any domain or OU and choose Create and Link. This option simultaneously creates a new GPO and links that GPO to that domain or OU.

  • Right-click the Group Policy Objects node in any domain in GPMC and click New. This will create a new unlinked GPO.

  • Using a script. For example, GPMC includes a sample script called CreateGPO.wsf that can be run from the command line to create a new GPO.

  • Using any of the methods for copying GPOs. Copy operations are described later in this white paper in the section on GPO operations.

When you create a new GPO, it initially has no settings defined. To edit the settings in a GPO, use Group Policy Object Editor (known previously as the Group Policy snap-in or GPedit). You can open Group Policy Object Editor by right clicking a GPO in GPMC and selecting Edit.