Jeremy Moskowitz founded PolicyPak Software after working with hundreds of customers with the same problem they couldn’t manage their applications, browsers and operating systems using the technology they already utilized.
Weekly Support FAQs
This is a list of Qs and As for the last week or so at PolicyPak support. Hope this is helpful.
Q: I am having issues in disabling “Check for Updates Automatically” in Updates tab for Java 7 update 51 using the Pak I downloaded. I had this working fine with the Java 7 update 45 pak, but now I can’t figure out what to do with the Java 7 update 51 Pak to make the Updates tab go away.
A: There was a slight issue in the pre-configured Pak and it has been corrected. The updated Pak can be downloaded from customer’s portal: https://www.policypak.com/customerportal/
Pak name: Oracle Java Version 7 u 51 for Windows 7 and Later.
In the new version, the checkbox “Check for Updates Automatically“ must be un-checked . This will remove the Update tab from clients.
That being said, there is an additional checkbox on the Extras tab within the “Security Access and Control Settings” and uncheck the checkbox which should also stop users from being prompted for updates and is recommended.
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Q: Can we hide or restrict Firefox specific menus like “Tool | Options” or other menu items such as in File, Edit, View, History, Bookmarks and Help?
A: Today PolicyPak Application Manager cannot lock down, hide or prevent any menu items in any product. However, with PolicyPak’s Firefox Pak we can lock down specific settings within “Tools | Options” as seen in this video: https://www.policypak.com/products/manage-firefox-with-group-policy.html
We can also lockdown any of the about:config settings (though it is not specifically shown in the video.)
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Q: How often do the PolicyPak pre-configured Paks for specific apps get updated?
A: PolicyPak pre-configured Paks are not officially supported, but we do our best to update them as needed. Sometimes Paks don’t need any updates at all, even if the application’s version changes. For instance, our FireFox Pak works with all versions of the popular web browser whether it be version 3 or 17 or whatever’s next.
Other times, a Pak does need to be updated or fully re-made depending on the app. In those cases, they are done upon customer request and are a “best effort” basis by our team.
Remember, PolicyPak Application Manager comes with the PolicyPak Design Studio, which means you are always able to create and/or update the Paks without waiting for us to update.
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Q: Quick Start guide is 198 pages long. Is this the correct user guide?
A: It’s actually a Quick Start and User Guide. So, Quick Start is just the first 30 pages. We always recommend that all new customers begin with PolicyPak by performing the Quickstart steps and seeing PolicyPak Application Manager work with Winzip 14 before they try other items like Java, Firefox, and so on.
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Q: Does PolicyPak Application Manager need to be installed on Domain Controller (DC)?
A: Let’s do a quick runthru of the components of PolicyPak and where they’re installed:
– PolicyPak Admin Console MSI: Install this on YOUR management station, usually Windows 7. As a rule of thumb, install this anywhere you have and use the GPMC regularly.
-PolicyPak CSE MSI: Install this on the machines you want to manage using PolicyPak Application Manager. Usually end-user computers, Citrix / TS machines, or anything that users actually log on to or use.
-PolicyPak Paks: These are COPIED in one of three places: Locally to YOUR management station machine, to the PolicyPak Central Store or (starting in PolicyPak Application Manager 603) a share.
So, nothing is EVER installed on DCs. And nothing is ever “running” on DCs.
Therefore, PolicyPak Application Manager is NOT installed on DCs.
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Q: We are migrating to a new server with different Server operating system and everything. Our Paks store is Local, as we are not using Central Store. Does PolicyPak have a tool or instructions on how to move the primary DC that PolicyPak runs on to a new server?
A: PolicyPak isn’t “running” on any server. PolicyPak has three parts:
– MMC snap in for the GPMC.
– Data which resides within GPOs.
– CSE on target systems.
So, there’s nothing to “move” or do if you decommission or migrating a DC. If you were using the PolicyPak Central Store that would just replicate automatically when the next DC came online.
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Q: I do not have access to create a Central Store. What should be the best practice to store PolicyPak Paks?
A: Here’s the rule of thumb:
– If YOU are Domain Administrator, and you CAN create a Central Store, you should do that.
-If YOU are NOT a Domain Admin (and therefore you CANNOT create the Central Store) then you should use a Share Based Store instead.
Here’s a video on how to do that (using PolicyPak Application Manager build 603 and later)
https://www.policypak.com/videos/policypak-using-shares-to-store-your-paks-share-based-storage.html
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Q: My GPO is linked to User configuration. Which log do I look at when troubleshooting User Side delivery issues on Citrix / Terminal Server machines?
A: You should be looking for file ppUser.log at following location ON your Citrix / TS machines %LocalAPPData%\PolicyPak
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Q: I am using FireFox 23 Pak and trying to create User side GPO. When I right click on any setting in the Pak “Lockdown this setting using the system-wide config file” is not available. Why is that?
A: Lockdown for “system-wide config” for Flash, Firefox and Java is only available if you are creating a Computer side GPO. This option is neither visible nor available for USER side GPOs.
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Q: Will there be a PAK for Java 7 U 51 for Windows XP?
A: We will be shipping packs only going forward for Windows 7 or later. Please visit below video link to see how you can use the DesignStudio yourself to update the Windows 7 pak to work with XP. It takes about 1 minute.
In example, it’s not the exact version we want but same steps can be apply on PAK “Oracle Java Version 7 u 51 for Windows 7 and Later”.
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Q: Why does a Pak seem to work perfectly on a 32-bit machine, but not a 64-bit machine?
A: If you’re running a 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows when opening your hard drive you may notice that you have a Program Files and Programs Files (x86) directory. For backwards compatibility this is what allows you to run older programs under the 64-bit operating system.
With our preconfigured Paks you may noticed that an application’s Internal Item Level Targeting might not pointing to the right direction.
Please see this video to open pre-configured Paks project file in PolicyPak Design Studio and customize the Internal Item Level Targeting: https://www.policypak.com/videos/bypassing-internal-item-level-targeting-filters.html
Also, please see this screenshot which is giving you an example of an error, which was recently discovered in the Internal Item Level Targeting of the Winzip 14 Pak: http://screencast.com/t/5WJ8uCR2Klu
The correct Internal Item Level Targeting would have been %ProgramFiles(x86)%.
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Q: How can I quickly troubleshoot a Pak that appears not to be working?
A: To start troubleshoot you must confirm that the Pak is targeting to correct application. If it does not then please see this video about bypassing the internal item level targeting (ILT). https://www.policypak.com/videos/bypassing-internal-item-level-targeting-filters.html
And see if that works.
