HOW TO: Configure a Domain Policy to Allow Background Saves in Word 2002 (307958)

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Word, you can specify whether files can be saved in the background while you continue working. To do this, you select the Allow background saves check box on the Save tab (click Options on the Tools menu). Alternately, you can configure a policy setting to perform this function.

This article describes how you can use the System Policy Editor that is included with the Microsoft Office XP Resource Kit (ORK) or the Group Policy Editor in Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP to configure a domain policy that allows background saves in Microsoft Word.

NOTE: You can download the System Policy Editor as part of the ORK from the following Microsoft Web site: back to the top

Configure a Domain Policy to Allow Background Saves

In a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me) environment, policies are enforced by *.pol files. These files are created by using the System Policy Editor. To create the policy by using the System Policy Editor:

1. Start the System Policy Editor:
   1. Click Start and point to Programs.
   2. Click Microsoft Office Tools.
   3. Click Microsoft Office XP Resource Kit Tools.
   4. Click System Policy Editor.
2. On the File menu, click New Policy.
3. Double-click the Default User policy profile icon.
4. Expand the Microsoft Word 2002 node by clicking the plus (+) sign or double-clicking Microsoft Word 2002.
5. Expand the Tools | Options node, and then expand the Save node.
6. Select the Allow background saves check box.
7. In the Settings for Allow background saves work area, select the Check to enforce setting on; uncheck to enforce setting off check box.
8. On the File menu, click Save As.
9. In the Save in box, specify the Netlogon folder on the Primary Domain Controller (PDC), for example:

   \\PDCServerName\netlogon

10. In the File name box, type NTconfig.pol (for Windows 98 clients, type Config.pol) and then click Save.

On a Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP domain, policies are configured via the Group Policy Editor on the domain controller.

To load Group Policy templates for Windows 2000 or Windows XP and configure the Allow background saves policy:

1. Start the Group Policy Editor:
   
   
   1. Click Start and then click Run.
   2. In the Open box, type gpedit.msc and then click OK.
   NOTE: The Group Policy file Gpedit.msc is installed to the C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 folder during a default installation of Windows 2000. If you create a shortcut to this file by using Windows Explorer, a Group Policy shortcut will be created on your desktop.
2. Select the Administrative Templates node from either the Computer Configuration branch or the User Configuration branch.
   
   NOTE: These two nodes of the Group Policy tree are parallel to the Default Computer and Default User policy profiles in the System Policy Editor.
3. Right-click the Administrative Templates branch, and then select All Tasks on the shortcut menu.
4. Click Add/Remove Templates.
5. Click Add.
6. Select the Word10.adm template, and then click Open. Word10 is now listed in the Current Policy Template window.
7. Click Close.
8. Expand the User Configuration node.
9. Expand Administrative Templates.
10. Expand Microsoft Word 2002.
11. Expand Tools | Options.
12. Click Save.
13. In the right pane of the Group Policy Editor, double-click the Allow Background Saves option.
14. On the Settings tab, click the Enabled button.
15. Select the Check to enforce setting on; uncheck to enforce setting off check box.
16. Click OK.

When users log on to the network, the logon process automatically enforces the settings found in the policy file to their computer. The information in the policy file is used to create the following string registry entry on users' computers: NOTE: When Word starts, it examines this registry setting and verifies whether a value is present. If the entry is "1", Word sets background saves to "on".

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Troubleshooting

Changes to some policy settings may cause an update to the Normal.dot template if the changes are persistent or are related to program settings that are stored in the template.

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