Product Reviews
A Few of My Favorite Things: GPResult
Compaq knows a thing or two about troubleshooting large networks. Here are some of the utilities and programs it uses most and likes best for Windows 2000.
- By Rodney Ivers
- 08/01/2001
This may be one of those Resource Kit tools that'll
bail you out of an overnight troubleshooting session.
Gpresult's primary purpose is to document the effect
of Group Policy Objects (GPOs) on a logged-in user.
GPResult is a very simple command line utility that
documents not only the cumulative effect of GPOs, but
OS details, security group membership, and more.
There are only four switches for GPResult:
- /v: verbose mode
- /s: superverbose mode
- /c: computer information only
- /u: user information only
The data is organized into three main sections: OS
information, user information and computer information.
The OS section includes information on the platform
type (professional or server) and the version. This
information is included in all modes.
The user and computer sections include general information
about the logged-in user and the computer that was logged
into. More importantly, these sections provide details
about which GPOs were applied and security group membership
information. The user and computer sections also provide
information on the last time GPOs were processed and
from which DC. Running GPResult in normal mode (no switches)
lists the GPOs applied, with no detail on what the GPO
actually does. Using verbose or super-verbose mode provides
information right down to the specific registry values
modified, as shown in the figure.
 |
| Running GPResult in super-verbose
mode provides minute detail, right down to registry
settings. (Click image to view larger version.) |
The GPO "Remove My Documents Pointers" modifies the
registry in two locations to remove pointers to the
My Documents folder. I find that verbose mode is probably
the more useful of the two, given that super-verbose
mode provides too much detail in most cases.
Gpresult can also be used to identify software that's
been set up for installation via GPOs. Verbose mode
will identify installed software. Super-verbose mode
includes software available for installation.
Gpresult is part of the Win2K Resource Kit and can
also be downloaded from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/gpresult-o.asp.
A white paper, "Troubleshooting Group Policy in Windows
2000," is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/howitworks/management/gptshoot.asp.
There are more advanced GPO troubleshooting tools,
but I think you'll find GPResult a very useful tool
for working most GPO problems.
About the Author
Rodney Ivers, MCSE, is a Technical Support Specialist for Compaq working in Business Critical Services.