Solved Group Policy for Windows 7 Home Premium

[Anak]

This wouldn't fit in the thread I am helping on so I decided to ask my question here.

Great Link there Kari!

Scott, a bit off topic...just a bit,.....Kari;

I understand the limitations of Group Policy (GP) for my version of Windows 7 Home Premium (HP), and in going through my links I was reminded of a, for lack of a better term a "tweak" to HP that might open GP to 7HP users.

Do you believe making the change would provide a benefit or a detriment to my version?

Related Link:
How to Enable

Thanks Scott!! Okay! .............. :focus:

My question?
Do you believe making the change would provide a benefit or a detriment to my version?


I'll be posting a referral link to here in the Group Policy set up for dummies Thread by Scott46......

 

[Brink]

Hello Steve,

It's been my experience that trying to add Group Policy to unsupported editions of Windows 7 just doesn't work or work properly. In addition, there's a good chance of messing up Windows trying to add Group Policy if mistakes are made during the process.

If one wants Group Policy, it would be best to get the Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate edition.

 

[Anak]

Thanks Shawn, but I'm going to wait to see if Kari answers before I'll respond.

 

[Kari]

Anak, I am a bit lost now, not understanding why on earth you would need my opinion in this?

Personally I am strictly against any EULA violations. At Microsoft Answers, the question "Where can I download gpedit.msc for Windows 7 Home?" has my reply marked as an answer:

Group Policy Editor is a feature in Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Windows 7. It does not belong to Starter, Home Basic and Home Premium.

If you need Gpedit you can use Windows Anytime Upgrade to upgrade your Home Premium to Professional or Ultimate without losing your data and installed software.. This tutorial will help you with Anytime Upgrade: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/95744-windows-anytime-upgrade-how.html

Any third party hack to get Gpedit to Home Premium is against the End User Licence Agreement of your Windows 7 and can include procedures that might seriously harm your computer.

(How to Add Group Policy Editor Gpedit.msc to Windows 7 Home? - Microsoft Community)

I really do not even care if it is or would be possible to hack Group Policies to work in Home editions. I see no difference in EULA violations and piracy. I know it is a tight ass personal policy but that's how I am. In my very honest opinion the subject shouldn't even be discussed. For me the point is that GPEDIT.EXE is a feature in Professional and better editions, one of those reasons you have to pay more for them. If you want group policy, language packs, Bitlocker, XP Mode, to join Windows Server domains, use Seven as Remote Host and whatnot, then please get the edition that has the features you need.

Kari

 

[Anak]

Anak, I am a bit lost now, not understanding why on earth you would need my opinion in this?

It is because I value your opinion. That is not to assume that I do not value Shawn's, but I wanted to hear from you also.

That being said; I have had times when I wondered if Group Policy for Home Premium would be beneficial, but with Shawn's, and your answer here and over at Microsoft Answers I can see it would be better to go with versions of 7 that offer it and not to try and hack what I already have.


Thanks to the both of you for taking the time to answer my question,

Steve

 

[ThrashZone]

Yep only options are family safety or a third party product

 

[cluberti]

Or simply looking up the registry modifications a particular policy provides, and apply those directly instead.

Group Policy Search

That's what I've always recommended on "home" SKU machines in the past. Actual *policies* in GPOs are just managed registry settings. Local GPOs aren't really "managed", so I don't see much benefit above registry editing for local policies in a non-domain setting.