How to clear the group policy cache on a machine

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clear the group policy cache on a machine

This guide provides multiple methods to reset or clear Group Policy settings on a Windows computer. Please note that these operations can have significant impacts on your system configuration. It’s recommended to create a system restore point before proceeding and to have administrator privileges.

Option 1: Manually Delete Group Policy Folders

This method involves manually deleting the Group Policy folders and forcing a policy update.

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
  2. Type %windir%\system32\GroupPolicy and press Enter.
  3. In the opened File Explorer window, locate and delete the following folders:
  • Machine
  • User
  1. Next, open another Run dialog and enter %windir%\system32\GroupPolicyUsers.
  2. Delete all contents of this folder as well.
  3. Restart your computer to reapply the group policies.
  4. After restart, open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
   gpupdate /force

Alternative: Using PowerShell

For a quicker method, you can use PowerShell to remove the Group Policy folders:

  1. Open PowerShell as Administrator.
  2. Run the following commands:
   Remove-Item "$env:windir\system32\GroupPolicy" -Force -Recurse
   Remove-Item "$env:windir\system32\GroupPolicyUsers" -Force -Recurse
  1. Restart your computer and run gpupdate /force in an elevated Command Prompt.

Option 2: Delete Registry Keys

This method involves manually deleting specific registry keys related to Group Policy.

WARNING: Editing the registry can be risky. Make sure to back up your registry before proceeding.

  1. Press Windows Key + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open Registry Editor.
  2. Navigate to and delete the following keys:
  • HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft
  • HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft
  • HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy Objects
  • HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
  1. Restart your computer.
  2. After restart, open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
   gpupdate /force

Option 3: Domain-Related Method

If your computer is part of a domain and you’re still experiencing issues, you can try this method:

  1. Open System Properties (Right-click on ‘This PC’ or ‘My Computer’ and select ‘Properties’).
  2. Click on ‘Change settings’ next to the computer name.
  3. In the ‘Computer Name’ tab, click ‘Change’.
  4. Select ‘Workgroup’ and enter any name (e.g., ‘WORKGROUP’).
  5. Restart your computer when prompted.
  6. After restart, open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
   gpupdate /force
  1. Repeat steps 1-3, but this time rejoin your domain.
  2. Restart your computer again.

Additional Steps

After performing any of these methods, you may want to:

  1. Clear the Group Policy cache:
  • Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  • Run: RD /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicy"
  • Run: RD /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers"
  1. Reset Group Policy to default:
  • Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  • Run: secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose

Remember to always exercise caution when making system-level changes. If you’re unsure about any step, consult with your IT department or a qualified professional.

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