Microsoft Windows NT Server White Paper 39
The System Policy Editor is a graphical tool that allows you to easily update
the registry settings to implement a System Policy. The System Policy Editor is
included with Windows NT Server 4.0, but you can install it on Windows NT
Workstation-based machines and on Windows 95-based machines as well.
Note that a policy file is valid only for the platform on which it was created.
For example, if you run Poledit.exe on a Windows 95-based machine, and you
save the policy file, the file will be written in a format that can be interpreted by
Windows 95-based machines only. The same is true when you create policy
files on Windows NT-based machines. As a result, Windows 95 and
Windows NT policy files are not interchangeable.
After you complete the installation, the administrative tools group includes
the System Policy Editor.
Installing the System Policy Editor on a Windows NT
Workstation
You have two options when installing the System Policy Editor on a
Windows NT Workstation-based computer. You can
• Run the Setup.bat file from the Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM
\Clients\Svrtools\Winnt directory, or
• Copy the System Policy Editor executable, Poledit.exe, and template files
to the workstation. The template files have an .adm extension, and are lo-
cated in the %systemroot%\INF directory, which is hidden by default.
Installing the System Policy Editor on a Windows 95
Computer
When you install the System Policy Editor on a Windows 95-based computer,
the installation process modifies the Windows 95 registry to allow system poli-
cies to function correctly. You can install the policy editor from the Windows 95
Upgrade or Retail compact disc, or you can install the editor that ships with
Windows NT Server 4.0.
To install the System Policy Editor from the Windows 95 compact disc:
1. Insert the Windows 95 Upgrade compact disc in your CD-ROM drive.
2. Open Control Panel, and click Add/Remove Programs.
3. Click the Windows Setup tab, and select Have Disk.
THE SYSTEM POLICY
