GPO set wallpaper for certain PC using domain
Good day,

I am learning about GPO. I have domain with 30 users and 20 computers. Some are VM. Lately I've been trying to create a GPO that would change a Wallpaper for certain computer no matter who logs on that computer. In AD I created separate organizational unit and moved desired PC there. Then I created a GPO and lined it to same plase as the computer. Used Computer Policies > Preferences > Windows > Reg file and altered path to HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\Wallpaper to use my desired wallpaper. In delegation options I searched for Computer in domain and also added authenticated users. GPO doesn't work this way. If I move it all the way up domain hierarchy it works but for all computers and affect all users which are in domain. Domain is Server 2012 and computer is Windows 8.1 Ent.

Searched internet for hours but all things i found doesnt work. Could you help me please ? 
  • Edited by Tandrisek Thursday, September 03, 2015 3:03 PM
September 3rd, 2015 3:01pm

Wallpaper is a 'User' configured GPO.  So you need to apply it to the OU where the users reside.  But since you want to apply to certain computers, you will want to use LoopBack.  Since you say you want to learn, please read up on loopback and we can help answer questions you may have.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/askds/archive/2013/02/08/circle-back-to-loopback.aspx

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September 3rd, 2015 3:12pm

Thank you very much it helped me understand what went wrong with my GPO. Unfortunatelly I am not able to test it out today since I can't access domain atm. If I understood the article right GPO should be in users OU. In delegation I can choose a certain computer (for example PC10) and I keep Authenticated Users. GPO's settings (reg with path to wallpaper) will be in User Policies not Computer Policies. Ofcourse in Computer Policies I have to enable and configure loopback. And this way it will affect only delegated computer + all users that logon with that computer ?
  • Edited by Tandrisek Thursday, September 03, 2015 3:35 PM
September 3rd, 2015 3:31pm

To use loopback you need to link the GPO with the GPP registry settings and the Loopback setting at the OU where the computers in question are located (Or above it).  The Loopback setting and the User GPP setting do not have to be in the same GP Object.  Also, make sure you understand completely what the Merge and Replace function will do in your environment.  If you set Replace, you could nullify all user GPOs that are applied to the user OU's.  I would recommend a separate OU for the Computers you want to apply this.

If I am reading your post correctly, all you need is set the Loopback mode on the GPO and the wallpaper settings will apply to the computers in that OU.

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September 3rd, 2015 3:58pm

Thanks for swift answer again! I'll try it out tommorrow and let you know the result.
September 3rd, 2015 4:56pm

Ok. So I just tested it. It works in way that reg key gets changed. But windows option doesnt apply. Screen is black without wallpaper picture. Path to file is correct I checked it twice. So I tried admin template and it changes it successfully. But this GPO applies to all computers in GPO OU, not only to specific one. Any idea what  could go wrong ? 
  • Edited by Tandrisek Friday, September 04, 2015 6:01 AM
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September 4th, 2015 5:53am

Create a new OU under the current computer OU.  Link the GPO to the new OU and move any computer you want to get the policy under the new OU. 

Therefore, the computers in the new OU will get the wallpaper settings in the new OU.  This way you can use Admin Templates.

September 4th, 2015 12:22pm

everything is solved now thank you very much :)
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September 7th, 2015 3:32am

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