Active Directory preferences not applied by ZENworks policies

When using ZENworks to push out Windows 2008 Active Directory policies, none of the settings set with Group Policy Management Console for

 

Computer Configuration or User Configuration> Preferences 

 

are applied to the workstation.  No error is seen.

ZENworks 10.x and 11.x do not support AD group policy preferences.

 

Convert the preference to a custom ADM (Administrative Template) and add this to the group policy, as shown  in http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc739134(WS.10).aspx push out as a standard group policy.

 

 

For example, in the case of Power options.

 

Following the documentation at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc730920.aspx to set Vista GPO's

 

Group Policy Management Console for Computer Configuration or User Configuration> Policies > Administrative Templates> System > Power Management

 

will apply to Vista workstations.

 

But the configuration for XP Computer Configuration or User Configuration> Preferences > Control Panel Settings > Power Options

 

will fail to apply to XP workstations.

 

In this case a tool such as http://www.terranovum.com/projects/energystar/ez_gpo.html can be used to convert to ADM format, which can be applied to the XP workstations via a ZENworks Group Policy.