Why does SteadyState ADM break GPO viewability?
We're trying to implement Windows Steady State (WSS) v2.5, and we're having a problem with the ADM template that comes with the WSS install.We take the "SCTsettings.adm" that installs with WSS, copy it to a Vista (or Server 2008 x64) machine running Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) v6 and add the template to a new, blank GPO. If we go look at the settings tab, it looks fine (with no settings yet). I didn't get very granular in my testing, but the problem is easily reproduceable. Go edit the ADM settings in User Config->Policies->Admin Templates->Classic Admin Templates->"All Windows SteadyState Restrictions"of the GPO. Some changes (enable the "Start menu Restrictions" with the default, sub settings checked) still allow the GPO settings to be viewed in the GPMC. If you enable the "General Windows Restrictions" something breaks, and the GPO settings tab only gives a message: An error occurred while generating report:Object reference not set to an instance of an object.This occurs in both Vista and Server 2008, and if we remove the ADM, the GPO remains "broken". We can continue to edit the GPO and it appears to function. We just can't get a report on the settings.Frustratingly, if we bring up GPMC in XP, it displays all the settings without a hitch. We are not using the GPMC in XP anymore per a certain GPO guru's caution (Jeremy Moskowitz) that once you start working with GPOs in Vista, you should not attempt to also edit them from XP. Here is a screenshot showing the same GPO settings in XP.Can anyone enlighten us as to what is going on and how to fix things? It was suggested that this is a bug in the GPMC, but I'm hoping there is a faster solution.Information on when a more Vista oriented version of WSS (read: ADMX template and/or 64-bit), might be coming along would be appreciated too. Thanks.
December 11th, 2008 11:07am

So nobody else has seen this problem??Could someone with Vista or Server 2008 just try creating a new GPO, adding the ADM template for WSS, and making a few changes to see if you get the same result?Does it work fine for everybody else, or does nobody else has the same configuration?bump
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December 17th, 2008 10:30am

I'd really appreciate anybody either confirming that they see this problem too or denying that it is a problem and GPMC works with the WSS ADM just fine for them .I'd really hate to call MS Product Support Services and have them say, "Gee, works for us. Rebuild your domain and try again."! Thanks.
January 6th, 2009 1:26pm

This is still an issue that needs to be fixed. I cannot view SteadyState GPO settings from my Windows 7 PC or I get this error:An error occurred while generating report:Object reference not set to an instance of an object.I have to log into a Server 2003 Domain Controller to view settings.Has anyone found an official fix (not hacking around with a homemade fix)?
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November 24th, 2009 11:41am

Has anyone ever found a fix for this? I am having the same issue and would like to avoid rebuilding the GPOs if I can. For now at least.
August 13th, 2012 5:05pm

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