ADMX Files: What to do when you get new ones (with Central Store)

[@invictusaeternum]

What an excellent video. Truly magical to have a tech-guide be relevant 5 years later. Godspeed, Jeremy

[@sergiollamas9074]

Just over 4 years here. Generally never post but great video and great explanation! Plus, I posted because of all the helpful questions and comments in this video and topic. Definitely subscribed and thumbs up!

[@EmmanuelOnwuka]

You predicted someone watching this 4 years away from when you published this (2017)... Just to let you know your prediction came to pass... Its 4 years already, and video still is helpful, thanks...

[@policypak]

Jeremy here. Group Policy NEVER DIES. :-) It only gets better with age. :-)

[@danielrothbart7991]

@@policypak 2023 here...

[@TariqKhan-IT]

Very well explained! Good work!

[@TheStevenWhiting]

1:02 4 years it is and this is what I was looking for thanks :)

[@samfaredge6665]

Just an update for 2022: The admx files will unpack to this location when you run the installer: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Group Policy\ Took me a while to figure this out.

[@rakswork2620]

Need to update ADML/ADMX from 1903 to 21H1, thanks for the video.

[@KristianCoronado-gn1ix]

i attempted creating the same thing, i have the same path and everything but its not switching from "retrieving from local computers"

[@vorwaerts2424]

Another great and to the point video, thanks Jeremy!

[@JHSDurham]

Hey - great point about not nuking the existing. But if that is the case, should you also then be going INTO the en-us folder and selecting the files there, and then pasting them to the en-us folder, so that if in that case too.. there are different files, you are only replacing the ones you need to replace, and leaving others in en-us that may still need to be there ?

[@policypak]

Jeremy here. Yes. Same process for each language folder. DONT NUKE.. just over-write. The end. :-)

[@swiberk]

What GPO templates do you download - server or client (ie 10 or 11)?

[@Alah2]

Hey Jeremy, I need to update the ADMX files, adding in Win 10 21H2. But there is also Win 11 21H2, we might test with that. Would I add both of these to that folder in the same way? Not sure what to do when its a new OS.

[@jeremymoskowitz]

I didn't analyze them file by file..but chances are you're not going to lose or miss anything by using the Windows 11 ones and call it a day. Windows 11 should be a superset of stuff in Windows 10... and even if you miss one or two ACTUAL settings; the chances of YOU using those settings is way way low.

[@luiswilsonmoyano9393]

Jeremy, what about if one has several DCs across sites? Your steps have to be followed and applied to each one of the DCs or one can force sync through Sites and Services? Second question is what about remote users connected via VPN. Will there be a need to run gpupdate /force on these remote laptops or the next login will suffice?. I appreciate your response and thank you for your great tips!.

[@jeremymoskowitz]

Just do it once on ONE DC. The other DCs automatically pick up the changes, because SYSVOL is replicated. YOU can force, but.. why bother. Just wait it out. :-) The end. As for the remote users / computers, they NEVER DOWNLOAD the ADMX files. Not ever. They download the REGISTRY.POL files created from ADMX files. So said another way, ADMX files are a convenience for YOU to CREATE policies. Users then download ONLY the policies.. and not the templates which make them. You don't need to do anything at all on endpoints for magic to happen. Just: Update ADMX files... wait for DC sync... make new policies or update old ones... and magic on endponts will occur. That's all there is to it. :-)

[@luiswilsonmoyano9393]

@@jeremymoskowitz Thank you for your prompt reply!.

[@JK-se6yw]

Thank you, Jeremy. We have a Win Server 2012 R2 Central Store that includes ADMX files for our Win 7 workstations. We are moving to Win 10 starting with v1709. If I replace the ADMX and ADML files in our Central Store, I should still be able to view/edit my existing Win 7 policies with the current Win 7 GPMC console? And if I understand correctly, in order to create Win 10 v1709 GPO policies, I will need a Win 10 1709 workstation with it's current GPMC console? Thank you again.

[@TheStevenWhiting]

And be sure to update the en-US folder as well or like me who didn't, you'll panic when you go into Group Policy, look at a policies settings and wonder why its all screwed up as it can't find the settings. Its because the ADML files also need to be updated to match the ADMX files. Does anyone actually know what the difference is? What is a ADMX file and what is the relation to the ADML? So when you update the ADMX files, if you don't update the ADML files, why does group policy freak out? I just know it does but want to understand why.

[@jeremymoskowitz]

Why YES I DO.. :-) ... So the idea is that the ADMXs are "Language Neutral". Seriously .. open one up.. you'll see mostly raw XML in there. Then open up the CORRESPONDING EN-US .ADML file. Look! You'll see the NAMES and EXPLAIN TEXT (in US English, etc.) Now, for fun, open the same ADML in the EN-ES (Spanish) folder. Look! Now its in SPANISH. So.. if you have multiple admins at your company who manage GPOs, they can all see the ADMXs in their OWN LANGUAGE. You might only need EN-US, but you have access to all of them. Hope this helps !

[@TheStevenWhiting]

@@jeremymoskowitz Thanks. I assume not replacing the ADML files as I hadn't before, meant when it read the ADMX files it knew what to do but Group Policy Editor then can't display what its doing because its missing the corresponding ADML file? If only I'd have found your video a year back when I made the mistake. Instead I found a backup of the ADMX files I'd taken ages ago, replaced them and renamed all the new ones with .old in case. Finally got descriptions back :) Then a year later discover today some descriptions were still missing but it wasn't as bad a before. So took the time to work out why this time. And that was all it was. I'd copied and replaced the ADMX files but not done the same with the ADML files.

[@techaryabhatta3818]

Will it effect existing group policy configuration if we upgrade admx templetes

[@jeremymoskowitz]

No. Existing GPO data is still there; only on next edit of existing GPOs would you see new options, but it wont affect anything you've already got laid down.

[@gabrielmojica]

Hi... 2 Question!! 1- I download admx files for windows 10 1809 version. This admx files work older version 1703 1609? 2- If a replace the admx files like i see on your video... Affect any of my existing Policies... o policies setting already applied??

[@policypak]

Hi. Jeremy here. Yeah, you can just use 1809 or upcoming 1903 version without issues. !

[@gabrielmojica]

Dont affect or change my policies already created?

[@policypak]

@@gabrielmojica No. It doesn't. It generally only adds new stuff for you to use.

[@gabrielmojica]

Excelent... Thanks for your help

[@kcheng911]

Hello Jeremy, just found your video, very helpful but I have questions. I have 2 x server 2012 and 2 x server 2012 r2 and I have never updated the admx files. Do I just download the latest version of the admx available? Which is Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 10 May 2020 Update (2004).

[@policypak]

Jeremy here. Yes... That's all you do. The backend DCs/ servers dont matter. Just grab the latest ADMX files.. and be done. If it makes you feel better to back up what you have there; that's fine too. Costs nothing... so.. go for it. :-)

[@kcheng911]

Jeremy, thank you for your respond, much appreciated.

[@steveallen3491]

Exactly what I was looking for thanks.

[@Rs6ne]

What do you use for your remote desktops?

[@jeremymoskowitz]

Just showing off with VMware Workstaion. :-) Not really remote desktops.

[@katiegonzales7626]

3 years from this date

[@binaryblog]

I hope we don't have to wait another 2 years for your next video :) People like you should definitely do more video tutorials. IMO 80% of all IT related tutorials on YT is garbage.

[@jeremymoskowitz]

Ha ha. Thanks for that. So.. I've got like 300 videos on my POLICYPAK channel... mostly PP-related videos.. but that's where I'm spending a lot of my video-creation efforts. :-) Just sayin' .. if you cannot get enough "Jeremy". :-) Thanks BB. :-)

[@teknowil]

what is wierd is mine says it update from central store, but when I open the templates I see nothing that is windows 10 specific. I copied 1803 over.

[@tomking6006]

Thanks, this was really helpful!

[@th3rma1]

This video is yet another reason why Jeremy Moskowitz is my primary source of truth for all things Group Policy.

[@Pokebrokey]

im doing this for windows update. if my server is sbs2011 sp1 7609 and my client machines are windows 10, do i put windows 10 admx or sbs2011 admx?

[@policypak]

So this is Jeremy responding (from our PolicyPak account). This is a little tricky to answer; I've not done that before. I would say make a backup of the SBS2011 ADMXs and ADMLs to be sure. THEN, after that.. do what I show in the video. So start by having the SBS 2011 ADMXs in the central store *THEN* add the latest Windows ADMXs on top of that. Then you should have the full compliment of what you need. Again: DIdnt try it, but that's what I would do. And since everything is just files and a backup is easy.. after that.. just go for it. :-)

[@captain7492]

Does upgrading blow out existing gpo's?

[@jeremymoskowitz]

No .. no. This updates what's POSSIBLE in the GPO editor. Existing GPOs might see some description and helptext changes.. but they will work just fine afterward.

[@captain7492]

@@jeremymoskowitz Thanks

[@prawny1983]

Almost 4 years from the publish date. Should have waited two more days!

[@maverickather]

nailed it ..!! :)

[@kilboygaming8123]

exactly 4 years to the day

[@b.kaan75]

4 years, pretty much

[@MegaWhiteBeaner]

How'd you know it'd be more than 4 years? Witch!!!