How to Modify Default Behavior of Downlevel Policy in Windows 2000

ID: Q214675

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SUMMARY

Windows 2000-based computers that are members of a domain default to looking in the NETLOGON share (%SystemRoot%\Sysvol\Sysvol\Mydom.com) for a downlevel policy file (Ntconfig.pol). If one is present, the applicable policy in the file is enforced in addition to the policy mandated by the administrator in Group Policy Objects (GPO). This is a client-side function and is in effect regardless of the mode of the domain (Mixed or Native).

The administrator of the local computer, or if groups of Windows 2000-based computers are being managed, the domain administrator, can disable the application of the downlevel policy. Only the Windows 2000 group policy is then used in configuring the computer and user environment.

MORE INFORMATION

Disabling the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Policy on a Specific Computer

Log on to the Windows 2000-based computer locally as administrator, and then start the Computer Management snap-in from the Administrative Tools menu.

Expand the System Tools node, and then expand the Group Policy node.

Under Computer Configuration expand the Administrative Templates node.

Expand the System node, and then the Group Policy node to display the Group Policy behavior policies.

Double-click the policy named Disable system policy (use group policy only) and then click to select the check box in the Policy dialog box.

Click OK to accept the change and close the Computer Management Snap-in.

Keep in mind that these changes may be overridden by a policy the administrator sets in Group Policy Objects in the Active Directory.

Modifying the Behavior Manually by Changing the Registry

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).

Modify the following value in the registry:

Subtree: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Path: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
Name: DisableNT4Policy
Type: REG_DWORD
Data: 1 (hex)

Changing the Behavior for Multiple Computers by Using a Group Policy Object

Open the Active Directory Users and Groups snap-in from the Administrative Tools menu to modify this behavior at the domain or organizational unit level, or open the Active Directory Sites and Services Manager to modify this behavior at a site level.

Edit the GPO on the container in which the GPO resides.

Under Computer Configuration, expand the Administrative Templates node.

Expand the System and Group Policy nodes to display the Group Policy behavior policies.

Double-click the Disable system policy (use group policy only) policy, and then click to select the check box in the Policy dialog box.

Click OK to accept the change and close the Group Policy Editor snap-in to save the changes.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbenv kbnetwork
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto