Re: Incorporate .exe into bootup

From: Lanwench [MVP - Exchange] (lanwench_at_heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmail.atyahoo.com)
Date: 05/31/04 

Date: Mon, 31 May 2004 10:40:25 -0400

Beema wrote:
> The servers are W2K, the clients are XP.
>
> We are using Active Directory, the batch file which does the drive
> mappings, also includes a call to the .exe.

OK - you won't need that executable at all, really, if all you want is a
login banner. They'll be prompted to click OK before they even get to the
login screen - with your current setup, they don't get prompted til AFTER
they log in anyway, which isn't what you want.

> Yes we use a Domain model.
>
> Could you embellish a little on using group policies (I'm in IT but
> not a network person, so am not totally
> clued up on Network Admin, sorry!)

Policies are great, but are a pain to figure out. The GPMC can help you view
them (see below), but for your login banner, look in your default domain
policy - one easy way to get to this is to go to ADUC, right-click on your
domain, properties, group policy tab - edit.

Computer configuration | windows settings | security settings | local
policies | security options.

Properties of "Message Title for users attempting to log on" - enable, and
put in the message box title ("Company X Warning" or whatever you like)
Properties of "Message Text for users attempting to log on" - enable, put in
whatever you want. "I understand that by clicking OK I am promising to give
up my first-born child to the CEO and work without pay for the next twenty
years", etc.

Hope this helps. I often get confused by policies, too. :-)

For more info on GPMC (group policy management console), see
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c355b04f-50ce-42c7-a401-30be1ef647ea&displaylang=en .
It's a very nice utility.

>
>
>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <lanwench@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmail.atyahoo.com> wrote in
> message news:On%23nCPxREHA.2404@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>> What about just using group policies to specify a login banner, for
>> W2k/2003? For NT, it's a registry entry, IIRC. I'm presuming you use
>> a domain model, not a workgroup - correct me if I'm wrong.
>>
>> What's the client OS? You can't do much on Win9x clients that they
>> can't bypass.
>>
>> Beema wrote:
>>> It is possible to incorporate a .exe into system bootup which must
>>> be closed as per the .exe's requirements in order to continue
>>> bootup?
>>>
>>> At the moment, we open a small window via in-house built .exe which
>>> stipulates company conditions - the user must click on a button to
>>> close this window. However, the window can be closed via
>>> Ctrl-Alt-Del, or just left open in the background - and bootup
>>> continues as normal.
>>>
>>> Is there a way I can pause the startup until the user has closed the
>>> window properly?
>>> - OR -
>>> Is there a third-party tool which does something like this?
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Rum