💾 About The Project

Local Group Policy Manager

Local Group Policy Manager is a PowerShell script that provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for backing up, restoring, and managing the Local Group Policy (LGP) on a Windows computer. It simplifies the process of saving and restoring policy settings, which is useful for system administrators and power users.

Built by: Zachary Whiteman & Google Gemini Ai.

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🔰 Getting Started

This script provides essential tools for managing your Local Group Policy.

🕰️ Prerequisites

To run this script, you will need:

Windows Operating System: (Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions that include the Group Policy Editor).
PowerShell 5.1 or newer.
Administrator Privileges: The script must be run as an administrator to access and modify the Group Policy files.

💽 Installation & Execution

Download: Download the LocalGroupPolicyBackup-Inator.PS1 script file.
Unblock: Right-click the file, go to Properties, and click Unblock if the file was downloaded from the internet.
Run as Administrator: Right-click the script and select "Run with PowerShell" or execute it from a PowerShell console that is running as an administrator.
```
.\LocalGroupPolicyBackup-Inator.PS1
```

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🚀 Usage

The application provides a straightforward interface for managing your Local Group Policy.

Backup/Restore Path:
- Specify the root directory where your Local Group Policy backups will be stored.
Actions:
- Backup Local GPO: Creates a timestamped backup of your current Local Group Policy settings in the specified directory.
- Restore Local GPO: Allows you to browse for and select a previously created backup folder to restore your policy settings.
- Restore Local GPO Defaults: Deletes the current policy settings, effectively resetting your Local Group Policy to its default state.
- Open Local Group Policy Editor: Launches the gpedit.msc console.
- View Current Policy Files: Opens the system folders containing the Local Group Policy files in Windows Explorer.

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✨ Key Features

GUI for Policy Management: Simplifies the process of backing up and restoring Local Group Policy settings.
Timestamped Backups: Creates uniquely named backup folders with a timestamp for easy identification.
One-Click Restore: Easily restore from a previously created backup.
Reset to Defaults: Provides a safe way to reset all local policies to their original state.
Integrated Tools: Includes shortcuts to launch the Group Policy Editor and view the underlying policy files.
Automatic Policy Refresh: Automatically runs gpupdate /force after a restore or reset to ensure changes are applied immediately.

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🛠️ Technology Stack

Scripting Language: PowerShell
GUI Framework: .NET Windows Forms (WinForms).
Core Logic: Interacts directly with the file system by copying, deleting, and restoring the policy files located in C:\Windows\System32\GroupPolicy and C:\Windows\System32\GroupPolicyUsers.

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📐 Architecture & Security Notes

Local Group Policy Manager directly manages the files that constitute the Local Group Policy.

Administrator Privileges: This script requires administrator access to read and write to the system's Group Policy folders.
File-Based Operation: The backup and restore process is based on copying and replacing files and folders. This is a standard method for managing Local Group Policy.
gpedit.msc Requirement: The "Open Local Group Policy Editor" button will only work on editions of Windows that include gpedit.msc (e.g., Pro, Enterprise).

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