Add Test Computers to the Membership Groups

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Use this procedure to add test computers to membership groups, force GPO updates, and confirm the results. Be sure to add computers that represent the overall composition of your network, at least one for every GPO that you deploy.

Membership in Domain Admins is the minimum required to complete this procedure.

To add the test computers to the membership groups

  1. Log on to your domain controller as a member of the Domain Admins group.

  2. Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

  3. In the navigation pane, expand Active Directory Users and Computers, expand your domain, and then select Computers. (If you created the GPO membership groups somewhere other than in the Computers container, then select the appropriate container.)

  4. In the details pane, double-click the GPO membership group to which you want to add computers.

  5. Select the Members tab, and then click Add.

  6. Type the name of the computer in the text box, and then click OK.

  7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each additional computer account or group that you want to add.

  8. Click OK to close the group properties dialog box.

  9. Restart the computer. Changes in group membership do not take effect until after the computer is restarted.

To force a GPO update on the test computers

  1. For a computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, open an elevated command prompt, and then type the following command:

    gpupdate /target:computer /force

  2. For a computer that is running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, open a command prompt, and then type the following command:

    gpupdate /target:computer /force

  3. For a computer that is running Windows 2000, open a command prompt, and then type the following command:

    secedit /refreshpolicy machine_policy

To verify the GPO application on the test computers

  1. For a computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, open an elevated command prompt, and then type the following command:

    gpresult /r /scope:computer

  2. For a computer that is running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, open a command prompt, and then type the following command:

    gpresult /scope:computer

  3. For a computer that is running Windows 2000, open a command prompt, and then type the following command:

    gpresult /c