Category: At least Windows 2000
Computer location
If this policy setting is enabled it specifies the default location criteria used when searching for printers. This setting is a component of the Location Tracking feature of Windows printers. To use this setting enable Location Tracking by enabling the “Pre-populate printer search location text” setting. When Location Tracking is enabled the system uses the specified location as a criterion when users search for printers. The value you type here overrides the actual location of the computer conducting the search. Type the location of the user’s computer. When users search for printers the system uses the specified location (and other search criteria) to find a printer nearby. You can also use this setting to direct users to a particular printer or group of printers that you want them to use. If you disable this setting or do not configure it and the user does not type a location as a search criterion the system searches for a nearby printer based on the IP address and subnet mask of the user’s computer.
Prevent deletion of printers
If this policy setting is enabled it prevents users from deleting local and network printers. If a user tries to delete a printer such as by using the Delete option in Printers in Control Panel a message appears explaining that a setting prevents the action. This setting does not prevent users from running other programs to delete a printer. If this policy is disabled or not configured users can delete printers using the methods described above.
Prevent addition of printers
Prevents users from using familiar methods to add local and network printers. If this policy setting is enabled it removes the Add Printer option from the Start menu. (To find the Add Printer option click Start click Printers and then click Add Printer. ) This setting also removes Add Printer from the Printers folder in Control Panel. Also users cannot add printers by dragging a printer icon into the Printers folder. If they try a message appears explaining that the setting prevents the action. However this setting does not prevent users from using the Add Hardware Wizard to add a printer. Nor does it prevent users from running other programs to add printers. This setting does not delete printers that users have already added. However if users have not added a printer when this setting is applied they cannot print. Note: You can use printer permissions to restrict the use of printers without specifying a setting. In the Printers folder right-click a printer click Properties and then click the Security tab. If this policy is disabled or not configured users can add printers using the methods described above.
Browse the network to find printers
Allows users to use the Add Printer Wizard to search the network for shared printers. If you enable this setting or do not configure it when users choose to add a network printer by selecting the “A network printer or a printer attached to another computer” radio button on Add Printer Wizard’s page 2 and also check the “Connect to this printer (or to browse for a printer select this option and click Next)” radio button on Add Printer Wizard’s page 3 and do not specify a printer name in the adjacent “Name” edit box then Add Printer Wizard displays the list of shared printers on the network and invites to choose a printer from the shown list. If you disable this setting the network printer browse page is removed from within the Add Printer Wizard and users cannot search the network but must type a printer name. Note: This setting affects the Add Printer Wizard only. It does not prevent users from using other programs to search for shared printers or to connect to network printers.
Remove “Make Available Offline” command
This policy setting prevents users from making network files and folders available offline. If you enable this policy setting users cannot designate files to be saved on their computer for offline use. However Windows will still cache local copies of files that reside on network shares designated for automatic caching. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting users can manually specify files and folders that they want to make available offline. Notes:This policy setting appears in the Computer Configuration and User Configuration folders. If both policy settings are configured the policy setting in Computer Configuration takes precedence. The “Make Available Offline” command is called “Always available offline” on computers running Windows Server 2012 Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 Windows 8 Windows 7 or Windows Vista.
Remove “Make Available Offline” command
This policy setting prevents users from making network files and folders available offline. If you enable this policy setting users cannot designate files to be saved on their computer for offline use. However Windows will still cache local copies of files that reside on network shares designated for automatic caching. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting users can manually specify files and folders that they want to make available offline. Notes:This policy setting appears in the Computer Configuration and User Configuration folders. If both policy settings are configured the policy setting in Computer Configuration takes precedence. The “Make Available Offline” command is called “Always available offline” on computers running Windows Server 2012 Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 Windows 8 Windows 7 or Windows Vista.
Allow or Disallow use of the Offline Files feature
This policy setting determines whether the Offline Files feature is enabled. Offline Files saves a copy of network files on the user’s computer for use when the computer is not connected to the network. If you enable this policy setting Offline Files is enabled and users cannot disable it. If you disable this policy setting Offline Files is disabled and users cannot enable it. If you do not configure this policy setting Offline Files is enabled on Windows client computers and disabled on computers running Windows Server unless changed by the user. Note: Changes to this policy setting do not take effect until the affected computer is restarted.
Specify administratively assigned Offline Files
This policy setting lists network files and folders that are always available for offline use. This ensures that the specified files and folders are available offline to users of the computer. If you enable this policy setting the files you enter are always available offline to users of the computer. To specify a file or folder click Show. In the Show Contents dialog box in the Value Name column type the fully qualified UNC path to the file or folder. Leave the Value column field blank. If you disable this policy setting the list of files or folders made always available offline (including those inherited from lower precedence GPOs) is deleted and no files or folders are made available for offline use by Group Policy (though users can still specify their own files and folders for offline use). If you do not configure this policy setting no files or folders are made available for offline use by Group Policy. Note: This setting appears in the Computer Configuration and User Configuration folders. If both policy settings are configured the policy settings will be combined and all specified files will be available for offline use.
Specify administratively assigned Offline Files
This policy setting lists network files and folders that are always available for offline use. This ensures that the specified files and folders are available offline to users of the computer. If you enable this policy setting the files you enter are always available offline to users of the computer. To specify a file or folder click Show. In the Show Contents dialog box in the Value Name column type the fully qualified UNC path to the file or folder. Leave the Value column field blank. If you disable this policy setting the list of files or folders made always available offline (including those inherited from lower precedence GPOs) is deleted and no files or folders are made available for offline use by Group Policy (though users can still specify their own files and folders for offline use). If you do not configure this policy setting no files or folders are made available for offline use by Group Policy. Note: This setting appears in the Computer Configuration and User Configuration folders. If both policy settings are configured the policy settings will be combined and all specified files will be available for offline use.
Save copies of transform files in a secure location on workstation
This policy setting saves copies of transform files in a secure location on the local computer. Transform files consist of instructions to modify or customize a program during installation. If you enable this policy setting the transform file is saved in a secure location on the user’s computer. If you do not configure this policy setting on Windows Server 2003 Windows Installer requires the transform file in order to repeat an installation in which the transform file was used therefore the user must be using the same computer or be connected to the original or identical media to reinstall remove or repair the installation. This policy setting is designed for enterprises to prevent unauthorized or malicious editing of transform files. If you disable this policy setting Windows Installer stores transform files in the Application Data directory in the user’s profile. If you do not configure this policy setting on Windows 2000 Professional Windows XP Professional and Windows Vista when a user reinstalls removes or repairs an installation the transform file is available even if the user is on a different computer or is not connected to the network.