Group Policy Error: The Group Policy client-side extension Script failed to execute.

  • 7002696
  • 19-Feb-2009
  • 27-Apr-2012

Environment

Novell ZENworks 10 Configuration Management with Support Pack 1 - 10.1 Policies

Situation

Some Windows Group Policies generate the following error:
 
"The Group Policy client-side extension Scripts failed to execute.  Please look for any errors reported earlier by that extension."
 
 
Note:  These errors can be seen both in the EventViewer on the workstation as well as in the "Message Log"portion of the Policy Object in the ZCC.

Event ID: 1085 in the event viewer

Resolution

Edit the GPT.INI file in the Group Policy to remove the offending client-side extension script.
 
To do this:
  1. Open the GPO in the ZCC to be edited.
  2. Exit the GPO w/o making any changes.
  3. Press "Upload", but not "OK", when prompted to upload the changes to the ZENworks server.
  4. A Window will appear showing the path to the ZIP file containing the GPO that will be uploaded to the ZENworks server.
  5. Edit the GPT.INI file to remove the extensions that cause the problem and copy it back into the ZIP file.
  6. Press OK to Upload the File.
  7. Update the Version Number of the GPO in the ZCC.
The following picture may assist in following the steps above: https://support.microfocus.com/kb/knova/images/7002696_steps.jpg
 

Additional Information

There will be two entries in the GPT.INI that will be of primary concern:
"gPCMachineExtensionNames=" and "gPCUserExtensionNames="
Each entry will contain a series of extension names. A SINGLE extension will be contained in a set of [ ]s.
The following is an example of ONE extension: [{35378EAC-683F-11D2-A89A-00C04FBBCFA2}{0F6B957D-509E-11D1-A7CC-0000F87571E3}]
 
To test to see if a particular extension is causing the "The Group Policy client-side extension Scripts failed to execute." error:
  1. Open the GPT.INI on a machine that has the policy applied and is getting the error. (%WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\GroupPolicy\GPT.INI)
  2. Remove a single extension and resave the file.
  3. From the Command Prompt, Run "GPUPDATE" so that Windows re-applies the GPO.
  4. Launch EventViewer to see if NEW error entries matching the current time are created.
  5. If the error still exists, try removing another extension. (Note: Each Extension causing an error will generate at least one error message.)
  6. Continue until the Extension(s) causing the errors have been removed.
  7. Use an Internet Search Engine of the ExtensionName to try and determine what it does or simply verify which policies all policy settings are working.
  8. If the removal of an Extension fixes the problem but causes a setting to not work, one will need to research that extension to see why it is not properly parsing the defined settings.
Note: Some extensions do not properly handle having "Zero" settings applied so the removal of an Extension often will not have any negative impact.
 
Here is an example of a GPT.INI file before it is edited: (Note: The graphic is very wide and you may need to use the left-right scroll bar to see all if it.)
 
Here is an example of a GPT.INI file after it is edited: (Note: The graphic is very wide and you may need to use the left-right scroll bar to see all if it.)
 
Here is an example of how to run the "GPUPDATE"process: