network-sharewindows
Several drives mapped via GPO keep on disconnecting.
After some googeling I found the feature (more like a bug in my network…) that auto-disconnects active shares after 15 minutes.
I realize that the net config server command solves this issue for a local computer, but I'd like to apply it to the entire network via group policy.
Currently it seems like I'll have to change registry keys manually with this group policy.
Is there a better way?
Software installation policy is processed before Startup Scripts are executed. Sometimes that's exactly what you want, and other times it's not. You can't change it.
When I want a startup script to run before software installation I end up using group membership to control the execution of the startup script and I end the startup script with a command to add the computer to a second group that controls software installation. The only problem with this is that, to date, I have yet to find any reliable way to restart a Windows XP or newer OS from a startup script. (Yes, yes-- I've tried a variety of methods, too. I can discuss them in detail if you'd like.) As such, this always makes this strategy require two boots to "take effect".
You mention "preferences", so I think you're looking at doing things to the user's environment via a logon script. Logon scripts are executed, obviously, after logon. If you're looking to check to see if a piece of software has been installed during the logon script query the Windows Installer "database" in the registry to see if the program is there and "bail out". You'll find the installed products in the "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products" key. Obviously, you'll have to figure out the GUID for the package you're dealing with.
Edit: Group Policy client-side extension (CSE) processing order is performed based on the value of the GUID for the client-side extension, from what I've been able to glean from documentation. It looks like the CSE's with numerically higher GUIDs execute later. I don't have the GUID for the "Preferences" CSE handy so I can't tell you how it should act re: running before / after other CSE's.
On Windows XP, at least, dig into HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\GPExtensions and look for the CSE for "Prefernces". REGEDIT will sort those GUIDs numerically, too, so you could be able to tell, visually, if that "Preferences" CSE is going to execute before/after other CSE's.
Best Answer
Your proposal works on the server side: you don't need to run the command on every client computer.
Where the number is timeout in minutes from 0 to 65,535 and -1 for disabled.
For client side you can Configure a Registry Item via GPO, namely
KeepConn,However, there isn't more direct way to do this via GP.
Some have reported that there's less problems with drives mapped with a
net usecommand during logon scripts than with the ones mapped in GPO, but I wouldn't make any major changed based on that, as using GPO Drive Mappings is way more maintainable.