I have a need to launch a Web Site at login with the default browser. 

I have a GPO that I have added the following setting to:

User Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings\Scripts\Logon -> added a simple bat file

BAT file consist of (one line)

@start http://www.myneededsite.com

The BAT file is in the default location within SYSVOL and I have verified that the Security Group of which the GPO is applied has READ & EXECUTE for the BAT file.

My workstation is Windows 10 and it launches fine, no issue at all. I can change default browsers and it launches when I login.

Almost all my customers are still on Windows 7. They are not launching the Web Site upon login.

If I set a login script on their AD account to run the BAT file it works, but not through the GPO. 

Why not? 

If you want to use a batch file, then why not point directly to the browser executable and pass the url to it?

e.g.

@echo off
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe "http://somesite.com"

I've done the same previously but by using GPP, but i guess there are many ways to do it.  I've set a GPP registry value for HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run for C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE "http://www.somesite.com"

If this site is also the homepage, you can set a GPO to define the homepage. Then just launch the browser, no need to pass a url.

It's the same behaviour for Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox.

• Edited by zxxzxx Thursday, September 03, 2015 5:19 PM

That basically would launch IE and unfortunately I would cause a fire storm if I forced some users to use IE or to use a browser other than their choice. 

I am good with the Registry Setting also, but again, I really need it to work with the default browser.

I would prefer to not have to use a batch file and login script in the GPO, but I need the GPO to set this if possible. Not the end of the world to call a batch / Powershell script to launch the site. Should be a simple thing... 

How about the following from Stackoverflow.

explorer http://technet.microsoft.com

It uses the default browser for the system.

• Edited by zxxzxx Thursday, September 03, 2015 7:27 PM

Okay, I believe I have it working... This is what I did...

I use the GPO to insure that my batch file with my one liner in it to open the specific website in the default browser is copied to the %systemroot%. I do this by having my batch file in the default SYSVOL location for scripts. Then on the GPO I goto 'User Configuration > Preferences > Windows Settings > Files'. I create a new file with Action - Update, Source is my batch file in the SYSVOL location, Destination is %systemroot%\batchfile  I also select Suppress errors, just because. I make it Read-only and Hidden. On the Common tab, I select 'Run in logged-on user's security context'  All of this gets the file where I want it on the Users Workstation.

I then goto 'User Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > System > Logon' I enable 'Run these programs at user logon' and I enter my batchfile in the Items to run at logon. I don't need a path because I put the batch file in the %systemroot%.

Now it works... See, should be simple. (Now that I know what to do.)

OH, BTW.... If you want/need two tabs open to two different sites (which I do for a remote location), I have a batch file with two lines:

@start http://www.mysite-1.com

@start http://www.mysite-2.com

This opens the default browser with two tabs and the two sites are displayed. 

Now on with my day... Thanks for your help

• Marked as answer by Tim Newcomb Friday, September 04, 2015 10:56 AM

Thank you for sharing your solutions and experience here Tim.
 
It will be very beneficial for other community members who have similar questions.
 

Regards,

Eth