How do I create the central store for ADMX files?

A. Windows Longhorn server introduces the concept of a central store as the repository for all ADMX files used in the environment (both language-specific and language-neutral files). This central store is located in the SYSVOL area of the domain controller (DC) to facilitate easy replication to all DCs via the File Replication Services (FRS) that operates between all DCs within a domain. Once created when group policies are edited instead of looking at local ADMX file storage this central store will be used giving consistency across the enterprise. By default, the central store doesn't exist and you must manually create and populate it by performing these steps:

1. Create the root folder for the central store %systemroot%\sysvol\<domain>\policies\PolicyDefinitions on your DC.
2. Create a subfolder under the PolicyDefinitions for the Language as defined at http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/indexsrv/html/ixuwebqy_7gfn.asp (e.g., EN-US for US English).
3. Now copy the .admx files from a Vista machine to the DC from a command prompt on the Vista box:

       
   
   xcopy %systemroot%\PolicyDefinitions\* %logonserver%\sysvol\%userdnsdomain%\policies\PolicyDefinitions\ 

4. Now copy the language files for the Group Policy templates:

   xcopy %systemroot%\PolicyDefinitions\EN-US\* %logonserver%\sysvol\%userdnsdomain%\policies\PolicyDefinitions\EN-US\

The central store is now populated.

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