Recipe 15.4 Enabling GPO Client Logging

15.4.1 Problem

You want to troubleshoot GPO processing issues on a client or server by enabling additional logging in the Application event log.

15.4.2 Solution

15.4.2.1 Using a graphical user interface

Run regedit.exe from the command line or Start Run.
In the left pane, expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Software Microsoft Windows NT CurrentVersion.
If the Diagnostics key doesn't exist, right-click on CurrentVersion and select New Key. Enter Diagnostics for the name and hit enter.
Right-click on Diagnostics and select New DWORD value. Enter RunDiagnosticLoggingGroupPolicy for the value name.
In the right pane, double-click on RunDiagnosticLoggingGroupPolicy and enter 1.
Click OK.

15.4.2.2 Using a command-line interface

> reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Diagnostics" /v[RETURN] 
"RunDiagnosticLoggingGroupPolicy" /t REG_DWORD /d 1

15.4.2.3 Using VBScript

' This code enables GPO logging on a target computer
' ------ SCRIPT CONFIGURATION ------
strComputer = "<ComputerName>"  ' e.g. rallen-w2k3
' ------ END CONFIGURATION ---------

const HKLM = &H80000002
strRegKey = "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Diagnostics"
set objReg = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer _
                       & "\root\default:StdRegProv")
objReg.SetDwordValue HKLM, strRegKey, "RunDiagnosticLoggingGroupPolicy", 1
WScript.Echo "Enabled GPO logging for " & strComputer

15.4.3 Discussion

If you experience problems with client GPO processing, such as a GPO not getting applied even though you think it should, there aren't many tools that can help you troubleshoot the problem. One way to get detailed information about what GPOs are applied on a client is by enabling additional GPO event logging. If you set the RunDiagnosticLoggingGroupPolicy Registry value to 1, extensive logging will be done in the Application event log. Events detailing the beginning of the GPO processing cycle, what GPOs are applied, and any errors encountered will all be logged. Here is an example of a log message that shows which GPOs are going to be applied on the host DC1. To disable this logging, either delete RunDiagnosticLoggingGroupPolicy or set the value to 0.

Here is a sample event log message:

Event Type:        Error
Event Source:        Userenv
Event Category:        None
Event ID:        1031
Date:                5/26/2003
Time:                5:52:13 PM
User:                NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
Computer:        DC1
Description:
Group Policy objects to be applied: "Default Domain Policy" "Default Domain 
Controllers Policy" .