We currently have a 2003 network with XP machines. However we are in the process of rolling out a handful of Vista clients. I was wanting to know, if there was a way to upgrade the GPO structure in 2003 to accomidate the new features included with Vista (such as sidebar, games explorer, etc). I know it is possible to do this from a Vista machine but we would rather it be all done from our DC. We won't be upgrading our servers to 2008 for at least another year, so that is out of the question. Thanks for your help.

Hi, Unfortunately, you will have to drive it from the client end. You have to install the 2003 toolkit to control AD from Vista and then import your domain and make changes to the GPO's. It works pretty well and allows you to use all the new GP features that Vista offers. I was particularly impressed with the deployed printers function. No more messy VB scripts to map printers

@simulatedsurvivor: Thanks for the clarification, however we don't have a spare Vista workstation to keep for that purpose. Instead I think we will just set up a box and make all the nessicary changes to the local policy then make an image of that machine and copy it to the rest. @sweYoda: I'm not sure you quite grasped what my problem/question was. It has nothing to do with firewalls, which was the problem in the link you so generously posted. Please learn some manners and thoroughly read a post before you decide to "bless" the OP with your interesting type of help.

You could do that but you might be missing on some server side policies. What you could do if you please however is install Virtual PC 2007 on any workstation that you can use and take that image of the machine and convert it into a VHD and control it from there. Just my 2 cents.