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Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista : ADMX Files,Default ADMX Files, Using Both .adm Templates and ADMX Files

6/6/2014 3:14:44 AM

ADMX Files

ADMX files have replaced .adm templates in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. The purpose and result of the ADMX files are the same as the .adm templates, which is to provide an interface within the Group Policy Management Editor (GPME) so that registry-based settings can be configured. From a GUI experience, administration of a GPO will not be altered when using ADMX files compared to .adm templates.

The reasons for the change of file format, structure, and architecture are numerous. The legacy .adm templates were powerful and manageable, but limitations and negative behavior spurred the change to the ADMX file format. Some of the benefits of ADMX files include:

  • Multiple language support

  • Elimination of SYSVOL bloat

  • Utilization of a central store

  • More control over ADMX file versions

  • Centralized management of default and custom ADMX files

Warning

Because ADMX files were first introduced with Windows Vista, only two operating systems can manage GPOs using ADMX files: Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. If a GPO is edited using a computer running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003, the local .adm templates will be copied from the computer performing the administration to the GPT for the GPO. Therefore, if you do not want to use .adm templates and want to keep the SYSVOL free of .adm templates, only edit GPOs using Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008.

Default ADMX Files

Every installation of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 includes a complete set of ADMX files. These files create the two Administrative Template nodes under Computer Configuration and User Configuration in the GPME. There are 132 default ADMX files for Windows Vista and 146 default ADMX files for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista SP1. Each ADMX file has an associated ADML file located under one or more language-specific folders, such as EN-US for English.

The location of the default ADMX files is %windir%\PolicyDefinitions. There is only one default language-specific subfolder in this main folder, which is English in most cases.

Using Both .adm Templates and ADMX Files

Most companies will have to make decisions on how to incorporate the inclusion of both .adm templates and ADMX files when they move to Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista. The reasons for using ADMX files rather than .adm templates are quite compelling, and many companies will want to take full advantage of the benefits that ADMX files provide.

If you have even one computer running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 in your environment, you can take advantage of these benefits. Domain controllers running Windows Server 2008 are not necessary; you need only the operating systems that can take advantage of ADMX files.

To help you gain a better understanding of how each operating system will function with .adm templates, ADMX files, and a mixture of operating systems performing administration on GPOs, the following scenarios explain how the GPO is affected depending on how it is edited. Each scenario has the following characteristics:

  • Existing GPO that was created using Windows Vista

  • Custom .adm template that has been manually added to the GPO and is currently located in the GPT

  • Custom ADMX file that is only available on the original computer running Windows Vista

Scenario 1: Administration of GPO with Windows Vista

Both the .adm templates and the ADMX files will be added to the GPME when the GPO is edited.

  • The Administrative Templates sections in the GPME will be created using the ADMX files resident on the computer running Windows Vista.

  • Custom .adm template settings will be available in the GPME, because these files are already located in the GPT for the GPO.

  • Custom ADMX file settings will be available in the GPME, because these files are located on the computer running Windows Vista.

Scenario 2: Administration of GPO with a Windows Server 2008 Domain Controller

Both the .adm templates and the ADMX files will be added to the GPME when the GPO is edited.

  • The Administrative Templates sections in the GPME will be created using the ADMX files resident on the computer running Windows Server 2008.

  • Custom .adm template settings will be available in the GPME, because these files are already located in the GPT for the GPO.

  • Custom ADMX file settings will not be available in the GPME, because these files are not located on the computer running Windows Sever 2008.

Note

If the ADMX files were stored in the central store, all default and custom ADMX files and their settings would be available to the computer running Windows Server 2008.

Scenario 3: Administration of GPO from a Windows XP Workstation

Only the .adm templates will be added to the GPME when the GPO is edited.

  • The Administrative Templates sections in the GPME will be created using the local versions of the .adm templates resident on the computer running Windows XP.

  • The .adm templates used to create the Administrative Templates sections in the GPME will be copied to the GPT of the GPO.

  • Custom .adm template settings will be available in the GPME, because these files are already located in the GPT for the GPO.

  • Custom ADMX file settings will not be available in the GPME, because these files are not supported by Windows XP.

How It Works: Cleaning Up .adm Templates from Existing GPOs

ADMX files and .adm templates are used to show the settings that can be configured in the GPME. For the existing GPOs that were created using .adm templates, the templates can be removed from the GPT. If the settings that are already configured in the GPO must be changed, the ADMX files can handle those settings. This solution updates the GPOs so that they use the ADMX files that come with Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista instead of the .adm templates. It also eliminates the SYSVOL bloat that was enforced with the use of .adm templates. The .adm template files, totaling almost 4 MB for each GPT, can be removed, but the settings can still be managed with ADMX files.

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