Question : Group Policy isn't giving settings out to users? (server 2003)

Ok, I am pretty new at Network Administration as a whole. I am attempting to bring up a domain controller for testing purposes as my clinic does not currently run on a domain controller system. I have created the domain controller on my server and I have added a PC to it as a test PC. Currently I am trying to adjust user and computers settings via this server. So, I understand that I have to make an OU for specific people, put the machine and user in them (this can be spread out I know) and then right click the OU >> go to properties >> create a new policy.

I have attempted to create new policies, but each time I log on with this user and the test computer, the settings aren't going through. I guess what I am asking is... Is Group Policy as easy as making a GP under an OU and then letting it roll out? Because it doesn't seem to work well for me.

Answer : Group Policy isn't giving settings out to users? (server 2003)

HI Bardlebee

A group policy is composed of a user component and a computer component, by default the easiest way to create a group policy is using the group policy management console or in the method you describe above ( which will start it, if its installed anyway)

My advise to you would be to ensure you are editing the correct section for the OU your assigning it to, make sure that the user section is completed if you have assigned it to a OU full of users....

On the client machine side there are a few things you can check

1) gpupdate /force - this will force the machine to pull an updated set of policies.
2) RSOP  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323276) this app will show, for a user or computer which policies are applied and what effect that will have.

As a start try those utilities and let us know how you go :)