Configure and deploy BGInfo using GPO on Windows Server

Download BGInfo from https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897557.aspx

Once the download is completed and extracted there will be two files.

By opening Bginfo.exe, the Default configuration will open.

1

If we use the default IP Address field here in some cases we might end with a result of couple (none) fields.

2

In order to fix that we’ll have to create a new Custom Field.

On the right side click on Custom and click on New

3

Type an identifier name that is different from “IP Address” as there is already one with that name.

“IP Address” or “IP_Address” will do the trick here. Click on WMI Query and then Browse.

4

From the drop-down menu of WMI Class select Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration, Class Property: IPAddress

5

In order to remove the (null) entries add the following to the WMI query:

WHERE IPEnabled=True

Click OK

6

Click OK

7

If you are creating a configuration file for virtual machines is good to have the host name.

Select New

Identifier: VM Host

Select Registry value and check 64-bit registry view

For Path type:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Virtual Machine\Guest\Parameters\PhysicalHostName

Click OK

9

Click OK

10

Click OK

11

Depends on what exact information you need on the screen edit the defaults. Remember to use the new IP Address field that we’ve created instead of the built-in one.

Once you are ready click on File and Save As.

12

Type name and click on Save (the file should be in the same directory as bginfo.exe)

13

You should have three files now

14

Copy the files to:

\\yourdomainname\NETLOGON\Bginfo

If you have some issues with permissions you can login to your domain controller and copy the files in:

C:\Windows\SYSVOL\sysvol\yourdomainname\scripts\BGInfo

We are ready to configure the Group Policy.

Login to your Domain Controller and open Group Policy Management.

Create a new Group Policy Object and name it accordingly your standards.

Right-click on the newly created GPO and click Edit.

Navigate to Computer Configuration/Preferences/Windows Settings/Folders

Right-click and select New/Folder

16

For Path type C:\Bginfo

Click OK

17

Click on Files and then right-click New/File

18

Source file(s): \\yourdomain\NETLOGON\Bginfo\Bginfo.exe

Destination File: C:\Bginfo\Bginfo.exe

Click OK

19

We’ll create another file

Source file(s): \\yourdomain\NETLOGON\Bginfo\bg-vm.bgi

Destination File: C:\Bginfo\bg-vm.bgi

Click OK

20

Click on Shortcuts and then right-click New/Shortcut

21

Name: bginfo

Target type: File System Object

Location: All Users StartUp

Target path: C:\BGInfo\bginfo.exe

Arguments: C:\BGInfo\bg-vm.bgi /SILENT /TIMER:0 /NOLICPROMPT

Click OK

22

Close the Group Policy Management Editor

Link the Group Policy to your VMs location

23

After a while the folder structure and files will be populated on your virtual machines


4 comments

  1. These instructions were great, thank you. Could somebody confirm what exactly this GPO is doing? I need to know if this GPO is copying the files from the NETLOGON\BGinfo folder onto client computers’ local C:\ drives, and then running it locally? Or does the client computer need to be able to see the NETLOGON share in order for this to work properly? (asking for the purpose of VPN users)

    By the way, it’s worked perfectly so far for LAN connected devices. I already had BGInfo installed on every machine as part of our standard build, with a shortcut in the startup folder. But, this worked for centralization. I just set the policy on BGinfo folder and bginfo.exe to “Update” and the ****.bgi to “Replace” for any changes we make in the future to the desired bginfo details.

    1. Yes the GPO will copy to the local computer’s C:\ drive so even if not connected to the VPN they will still have the “Bginfo64.exe” and “bg-vm.bgi” files on the end user’s workstation.

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