Category: At least Windows 2000
Disable detection of slow network connections
This policy setting disables the detection of slow network connections. Slow link detection measures the speed of the connection between a user’s computer and the remote server that stores the roaming user profile. When the system detects a slow link the related policy settings in this folder tell the computer how to respond. If you enable this policy setting the system does not detect slow connections or recognize any connections as being slow. As a result the system does not respond to slow connections to user profiles and it ignores the policy settings that tell the system how to respond to a slow connection. If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it slow link detection is enabled. The system measures the speed of the connection between the user’s computer and profile server. If the connection is slow (as defined by the “Slow network connection timeout for user profiles” policy setting) the system applies the other policy settings set in this folder to determine how to proceed. By default when the connection is slow the system loads the local copy of the user profile.
Prompt user when a slow network connection is detected
This policy setting provides users with the ability to download their roaming profile even when a slow network connection with their roaming profile server is detected. If you enable this policy setting users will be allowed to define whether they want their roaming profile to be downloaded when a slow link with their roaming profile server is detected. In operating systems earlier than Microsoft Windows Vista a dialog box will be shown to the user during logon if a slow network connection is detected. The user then is able to choose to download the remote copy of the user profile. In Microsoft Windows Vista a check box appears on the logon screen and the user must choose whether to download the remote user profile before Windows detects the network connection speed. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting the system does not consult the user. Instead the system uses the local copy of the user profile. If you have enabled the “Wait for remote user profile” policy setting the system downloads the remote copy of the user profile without consulting the user. In Microsoft Windows Vista the system will ignore the user choice made on the logon screen. Note: This policy setting and related policy settings in this folder define the system’s response when roaming user profiles are slow to download. To adjust the time within which the user must respond to this notice in operating systems earlier than Microsoft Windows Vista use the “Timeout for dialog boxes” policy setting. Important: If the “Do not detect slow network connections” setting is enabled this policy setting is ignored. Also if the “Delete cached copies of roaming profiles” policy setting is enabled there is no local copy of the roaming profile to load when the system detects a slow connection.
Exclude directories in roaming profile
This policy setting lets you exclude folders that are normally included in the user’s profile. As a result these folders do not need to be stored by the network server on which the profile resides and do not follow users to other computers. Note: When excluding content from the profile you should try to exclude the narrowest set of data that will address your needs. For example if there is one application with data that should not be roamed then add only that application’s specific folder under the AppData -> Roaming folder rather than all of the AppData -> Roaming folder to the exclusion list. By default the Appdata -> Local and Appdata -> LocalLow folders and all their subfolders such as the History Temp and Temporary Internet Files folders are excluded from the user’s roaming profile. In operating systems earlier than Microsoft Windows Vista only the History Local Settings Temp and Temporary Internet Files folders are excluded from the user’s roaming profile by default. If you enable this policy setting you can exclude additional folders. If you disable this policy setting or do not configure it only the default folders are excluded. Note: You cannot use this policy setting to include the default folders in a roaming user profile.
Remove access to the context menus for the taskbar
This policy setting allows you to remove access to the context menus for the taskbar. If you enable this policy setting the menus that appear when you right-click the taskbar and items on the taskbar are hidden such as the Start button the clock and the taskbar buttons. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting the context menus for the taskbar are available. This policy setting does not prevent users from using other methods to issue the commands that appear on these menus.
Remove links and access to Windows Update
This policy setting allows you to remove links and access to Windows Update. If you enable this policy setting users are prevented from connecting to the Windows Update Web site. Enabling this policy setting blocks user access to the Windows Update Web site at http://windowsupdate. microsoft. com. Also the policy setting removes the Windows Update hyperlink from the Start menu and from the Tools menu in Internet Explorer. Windows Update the online extension of Windows offers software updates to keep a user’s system up-to-date. The Windows Update Product Catalog determines any system files security fixes and Microsoft updates that users need and shows the newest versions available for download. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting the Windows Update hyperlink is available from the Start menu and from the Tools menu in Internet Explorer. Also see the “Hide the “Add programs from Microsoft” option” policy setting.
Remove Logoff on the Start Menu
This policy setting allows you to removes the “Log Off
Prevent changes to Taskbar and Start Menu Settings
This policy setting allows you to prevent changes to Taskbar and Start Menu Settings. If you enable this policy setting The user will be prevented from opening the Taskbar Properties dialog box. If the user right-clicks the taskbar and then clicks Properties a message appears explaining that a setting prevents the action. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting the Taskbar and Start Menu items are available from Settings on the Start menu.
Do not keep history of recently opened documents
Prevents the operating system and installed programs from creating and displaying shortcuts to recently opened documents. If you enable this setting the system and Windows programs do not create shortcuts to documents opened while the setting is in effect. Also they retain but do not display existing document shortcuts. The system empties the Recent Items menu on the Start menu and Windows programs do not display shortcuts at the bottom of the File menu. In addition the Jump Lists off of programs in the Start Menu and Taskbar do not show lists of recently or frequently used files folders or websites. If you disable or do not configure this setting the system will store and display shortcuts to recently and frequently used files folders and websites. Note: The system saves document shortcuts in the user profile in the System-drive -> Users -> User-name -> Recent folder. Also see the “Remove Recent Items menu from Start Menu” and “Clear history of recently opened documents on exit” policies in this folder. If you enable this setting but do not enable the “Remove Recent Items menu from Start Menu” setting the Recent Items menu appears on the Start menu but it is empty. If you enable this setting but then later disable it or set it to Not Configured the document shortcuts saved before the setting was enabled reappear in the Recent Items menu and program File menus and Jump Lists. This setting does not hide or prevent the user from pinning files folders or websites to the Jump Lists. See the “Do not allow pinning items in Jump Lists” setting. This policy also does not hide Tasks that the application has provided for their Jump List. This setting does not hide document shortcuts displayed in the Open dialog box. See the “Hide the dropdown list of recent files” setting. Note: It is a requirement for third-party applications with Windows 2000 or later certification to adhere to this setting.
Do not use the search-based method when resolving shell shortcuts
This policy setting prevents the system from conducting a comprehensive search of the target drive to resolve a shortcut. If you enable this policy setting the system does not conduct the final drive search. It just displays a message explaining that the file is not found. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting by default when the system cannot find the target file for a shortcut (. lnk) it searches all paths associated with the shortcut. If the target file is located on an NTFS partition the system then uses the target’s file ID to find a path. If the resulting path is not correct it conducts a comprehensive search of the target drive in an attempt to find the file. Note: This policy setting only applies to target files on NTFS partitions. FAT partitions do not have this ID tracking and search capability. Also see the “Do not track Shell shortcuts during roaming” and the “Do not use the tracking-based method when resolving shell shortcuts” policy settings.
Do not use the tracking-based method when resolving shell shortcuts
This policy setting prevents the system from using NTFS tracking features to resolve a shortcut. If you enable this policy setting the system does not try to locate the file by using its file ID. It skips this step and begins a comprehensive search of the drive specified in the target path. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting by default when the system cannot find the target file for a shortcut (. lnk) it searches all paths associated with the shortcut. If the target file is located on an NTFS partition the system then uses the target’s file ID to find a path. If the resulting path is not correct it conducts a comprehensive search of the target drive in an attempt to find the file. Note: This policy setting only applies to target files on NTFS partitions. FAT partitions do not have this ID tracking and search capability. Also see the “Do not track Shell shortcuts during roaming” and the “Do not use the search-based method when resolving shell shortcuts” policy settings.