How to Manage GPP settings for IE10+ clients on windows 2008R2 DC

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Probably you have noticed that on domain controller with relatively lower version of windows(such as windows 2008R2), there is no IE10/11 from the IE version list of GPP and the clients with IE10/11 will never apply those GPP IE settings from the DC which does not have windows 2012 or windows 8 installed. This is by design as the GPP for IE10/11 need to be configured on server 2012 DC or by means of RAST tool on a windows 8/2012 client machine to get it applied.

What if there is no windows 2012 or windows 8 machines ready yet?

One alternative option is to use the GPP registry keys or Administrative templates which would get upgraded and can get applied once the latest IE has been installed on the DC.

Still want to use GPP? Here is a quick workaround for your reference although it is provided with no warranties and confers no rights.

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Workaround

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1. Edit the targeted GPO on DC in Group Policy Management Editor;

2. Expand User Configuration-> Preferences-> Control Panel Settings-> Internet Settings;

3. Right Click -> New-> Internet Explorer 8;

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4. (Here I will take setting home page as example), I will set home page to be www.bing.com press F5 to enable it; click OK.

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5. Find the InternetSettings.xml for the targeted GPP IE setting (generally located at ..\sysvol\domainname\Policies\{GPOID}\User\Preferences\InternetSettings\)

a. Go to User Configuration-> Policies-> Windows Settings-> Scripts (Logon/Logoff);

b. Double click Logon;

c. Click Show Files.. which will open a folder with path ended as .. \user\scripts\Logon;

d. Go to the user folder, There you can see a preference folder;

e. Under .. \USER\Preferences\InternetSettings folder, you can see a file named InternetSettings.xml; //you can copy it to somewhere to backup if first.

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6. Edit the InternetSettings.xml, Change the Max version to 99.0.0.0, save it.

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7. Then we should be able to apply the GPP settings to those clients with IE11 installed

Hope it helps.

Wenbo Fu from GBSD DSI Team