Set Network Location Dialog after user logon to linked-clone

[admin]

Hey All,

VMware View 4.6

Windows Vista SP2 (32-bit), Sysprep Customization with Domain Join

After a user logs on to a freshly provisioned VM, they get the Windows Vista Set Network location (Work Network, Home Network, Public Network).  I have read in the past that Windows tries to see if it is joined to the domain, and if it can't tell this box pops up.

Has anyone seen this issue with View?  My VM's are correctly joined to the domain.  Maybe there is a GPO somewhere that I could set to automatically assume it is a domain network?

I found a registry entry for it:

http://invendows.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/disable-the-%E2%80%9Cset-network-location%E2%80%9D-dialog-...

Thanks

Andrew

[vLarus]

http://blogs.technet.com/b/networking/archive/2010/09/08/network-location-awareness-nla-and-how-it-r...

This is a great post about how the Service that controls the Network dialog (Network location awareness) relates to all kinds of stuff.

But you can always disable the service and turn of the firewall in the Main-View-Image and you shouldn't see that error message again.

Good luck.

[admin]

vLarus,

Thank you so much for the reply!  That article is way better than any I found through searching.  I'll mark your answer as helpful for now, and I'll mark it correct if it totally solves the issue!

Andrew

[admin]

Just replying back -- after disabling the service I lost all network connectivity to the VM.  We have Windows Firewall: Protect All Network Connections turned off in GPO.

I need to research this some more and find a way to turn it off.  I know it is possible in the registry, perhaps I'll setup a Group Policy Preference.

Drew

[milton123]

Which service you are using?

Cheers, Yours Udin

[admin]

I disabled the Network Location Awareness service and that killed my networking somehow.  I am not too concerned though, because I have been testing a registry setting for disabling the Network Location Window and that seems to be working well.  I can deploy that to my VM's using a Group Policy Preference.

Thanks

Drew

[admin]

Just updating status---

I ended up using the registry key to disable the Network Location pop-up.  I deployed it using a Group Policy Preference.  That was the best solution for me.

Drew