I am not sure it this is the right forum; move it if this is in the wrong place. It seems to be a problem with Windows 7... We have a domain with Windows 2003 R2 and Windows 2008 R2 DCs (PDC is a Windows 2008 R2 machine), and Windows XP and Windows 7 clients. Using the software installation facilities in Group Policy Objects we have several packages pushed onto the Windows XP and Windows 7 clients. The Windows XP clients apply these packages without problems and at the first reboot/gpupdate; but the Windows 7 clients do not. In the case of the Windows 7 clients it takes multiple reboots (or gpupdate /force /boot) for the packages to apply to the machines (and at any one time no more than three machines can apply the packages (!?); Windows XP machines will update in dozens without problems). When the application of the packages fails, there are several event errors in the client machine: Log Name: System Source: Application Management Group Policy Date: 22/09/2010 14:47:39 Event ID: 101 Task Category: None Level: Warning Keywords: Classic User: SYSTEM Computer: lab03.stats.ox.ac.uk Description: The assignment of application 7-Zip 4.65 (x64 edition) (STATS) from policy computer Software (7-Zip x64) Installation GPO (2010) failed. The error was : %%1274 followed by Log Name: System Source: Application Management Group Policy Date: 22/09/2010 14:47:39 Event ID: 103 Task Category: None Level: Error Keywords: Classic User: SYSTEM Computer: lab03.stats.ox.ac.uk Description: The removal of the assignment of application 7-Zip 4.65 (x64 edition) (STATS) from policy computer Software (7-Zip x64) Installation GPO (2010) failed. The error was : %%2 and ending in Log Name: System Source: Application Management Group Policy Date: 22/09/2010 14:47:39 Event ID: 108 Task Category: None Level: Warning Keywords: Classic User: SYSTEM Computer: lab03.stats.ox.ac.uk Description: Failed to apply changes to software installation settings. The installation of software deployed through Group Policy for this user has been delayed until the next logon because the changes must be applied before the user logon. The error was : %%1274 and Log Name: System Source: Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy Date: 22/09/2010 14:47:39 Event ID: 1112 Task Category: None Level: Warning Keywords: User: SYSTEM Computer: lab03.stats.ox.ac.uk Description: The Group Policy Client Side Extension Software Installation was unable to apply one or more settings because the changes must be processed before system startup or user logon. The system will wait for Group Policy processing to finish completely before the next startup or logon for this user, and this may result in slow startup and boot performance. The "Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon" policy is applied through another GPO. Using "gpresult /r" shows all the machines detect that the GPOs apply to them. As an example, this morning I started applying GPOs to 20 machines, and it took 3 hours and 20-30 "gpupdate /force /boot" for 17 of them to apply the packages in question. The remaining 3 will not apply the policies no matter what I do. If this were Windows XP systems it would have taken 1 (maybe 2) reboots for the packages to be applied to all the systems. Am I doing something wrong or is Windows 7 that flaky applying software GPOs? Please let me know soon, as I am still in time to tell my boss that we have to revert to Windows XP. If it takes that many reboots for Windows 7 to apply software GPOs, then it is not a manageable OS for us. Thank you for your help. Yours, FD

Hi, I think you’d best post to the Group policy forum for help. Regarding this issue, they may be the best resource for you. Here is the link: Group Policy Forum Hope it helps. Regards, Alex ZhaoPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Alex, Thanks for the pointer; I have just done so. FD