Author: admin
Configure how often a DFS client discovers domain controllers
This policy setting allows you to configure how often a Distributed File System (DFS) client attempts to discover domain controllers on a network. By default a DFS client attempts to discover domain controllers every 15 minutes. If you enable this policy setting you can configure how often a DFS client attempts to discover domain controllers. This value is specified in minutes. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting the default value of 15 minutes applies. Note: The minimum value you can select is 15 minutes. If you try to set this setting to a value less than 15 minutes the default value of 15 minutes is applied.
Prevent device metadata retrieval from the Internet
This policy setting allows you to prevent Windows from retrieving device metadata from the Internet. If you enable this policy setting Windows does not retrieve device metadata for installed devices from the Internet. This policy setting overrides the setting in the Device Installation Settings dialog box (Control Panel > System and Security > System > Advanced System Settings > Hardware tab). If you disable or do not configure this policy setting the setting in the Device Installation Settings dialog box controls whether Windows retrieves device metadata from the Internet.
Specify the search server for device driver updates
This policy setting allows you to specify the search server that Windows uses to find updates for device drivers. If you enable this policy setting you can select whether Windows searches Windows Update (WU) searches a Managed Server or a combination of both. Note that if both are specified then Windows will first search the Managed Server such as a Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) server. Only if no update is found will Windows then also search Windows Update. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting members of the Administrators group can determine the server used in the search for device drivers.
Specify search order for device driver source locations
This policy setting allows you to specify the order in which Windows searches source locations for device drivers. If you enable this policy setting you can select whether Windows searches for drivers on Windows Update unconditionally only if necessary or not at all. Note that searching always implies that Windows will attempt to search Windows Update exactly one time. With this setting Windows will not continually search for updates. This setting is used to ensure that the best software will be found for the device even if the network is temporarily available. If the setting for searching only if needed is specified then Windows will search for a driver only if a driver is not locally available on the system. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting members of the Administrators group can determine the priority order in which Windows searches source locations for device drivers.
Turn off Windows Update device driver search prompt
Specifies whether the administrator will be prompted about going to Windows Update to search for device drivers using the Internet. Note: This setting only has effect if “Turn off Windows Update device driver searching” in “Administrative Templates/System/Internet Communication Management/Internet Communication settings” is disabled or not configured. If you enable this setting administrators will not be prompted to search Windows Update. If you disable or do not configure this setting and “Turn off Windows Update device driver searching” is disabled or not configured the administrator will be prompted for consent before going to Windows Update to search for device drivers.
Turn off Windows Update device driver search prompt
Specifies whether the administrator will be prompted about going to Windows Update to search for device drivers using the Internet. Note: This setting only has effect if “Turn off Windows Update device driver searching” in “Administrative Templates/System/Internet Communication Management/Internet Communication settings” is disabled or not configured. If you enable this setting administrators will not be prompted to search Windows Update. If you disable or do not configure this setting and “Turn off Windows Update device driver searching” is disabled or not configured the administrator will be prompted for consent before going to Windows Update to search for device drivers.
Configure driver search locations
This setting configures the location that Windows searches for drivers when a new piece of hardware is found. By default Windows searches the following places for drivers: local installation floppy drives CD-ROM drives Windows Update. Using this setting you may remove the floppy and CD-ROM drives from the search algorithm. If you enable this setting you can remove the locations by selecting the associated check box beside the location name. If you disable or do not configure this setting Windows searches the installation location floppy drives and CD-ROM drives. Note: To prevent searching Windows Update for drivers also see “Turn off Windows Update device driver searching” in Administrative Templates/System/Internet Communication Management/Internet Communication settings.
Prevent Windows from sending an error report when a device driver requests additional software during installation
Windows has a feature that allows a device driver to request additional software through the Windows Error Reporting infrastructure. This policy allows you to disable the feature. If you enable this policy setting Windows will not send an error report to request additional software even if this is specified by the device driver. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting Windows sends an error report when a device driver that requests additional software is installed.
Do not send a Windows error report when a generic driver is installed on a device
Windows has a feature that sends “generic-driver-installed” reports through the Windows Error Reporting infrastructure. This policy allows you to disable the feature. If you enable this policy setting an error report is not sent when a generic driver is installed. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting an error report is sent when a generic driver is installed.
Turn off “Found New Hardware” balloons during device installation
This policy setting allows you to turn off “Found New Hardware” balloons during device installation. If you enable this policy setting “Found New Hardware” balloons do not appear while a device is being installed. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting “Found New Hardware” balloons appear while a device is being installed unless the driver for the device suppresses the balloons.