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Is it possible to control Mouse Pointer Schemes via GPO without tampering with the registry?

I have Windows 7 / Windows Server 2008, I need to be able to control the Mouse Pointer Schemes for certain users on the domain, not sure how.

Many thanks for your advice.

Toast

ToastMan
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2 Answers2

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Since all (mainly) GP does is tamper with the registry I wouldn't be afraid of that. :)

There's no specific GPO for the mouse cursors that I know of, but you can figure out what cursor set you want, and then create a login script that you can apply to certain users -- same effect in the end.

Here's a suggested/example script (found here) that should get you started:

------------8<---------------

Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
strComputer = "." 
Set Shell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell") 

Set objRegistry = GetObject ("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv") 
strKeyPath = "Control Panel\Cursors" 

strValueName = Array("Arrow", "Help", "AppStarting", "Wait","Crosshair", "IBeam","NWPen", "No","SizeNS", "SizeWE","SizeNWSE","SizeNESW", "SizeAll","UpArrow") 
strDescription = Array("%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\arrow_rl.cur", "%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\help_rl.cur","%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\wait_rl.cur","%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\busy_rl.cur","%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\cross_rl.cur","%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\beam_rl.cur","%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\pen_rl.cur","%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\no_rl.cur","%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\size4_rl.cur","%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\size3_rl.cur","%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\size2_rl.cur", "%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\size1_rl.cur","%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\move_rl.cur","%SYSTEMROOT%\cursors\up_rl.cur")

For i = 0 to 13
objRegistry.SetStringValue HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath, strValueName(i), strDescription(i)
Next

------------8<---------------

HTH

techie007
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  • techie007, do you know of any executable that will change the mouse scheme? – ToastMan Feb 03 '10 at 16:59
  • A VBS script is (basically) 'executable' :) Try "C:\>.vbs" to run it with the default script processor (usualy WScript) or "C:\>cscript .vbs" to make it only use the console for output. – techie007 Feb 03 '10 at 17:47
  • BTW: you can specify .VBS scripts directly as logon or logoff (etc.) scripts via GP. – techie007 Feb 03 '10 at 17:48
  • Oh yes I know, what I was referring to is FILE.EXE, I think i've seen something like that in Windows 98, you run that executable and it changed your mouse settings instantly. I was wondering if something like that exists for Windows 7 :| Thanks :) – ToastMan Feb 03 '10 at 17:54
  • Not familliar with FILE.EXE, so there MAY be something that does it for Windows 7, but I dunno. ;) – techie007 Feb 03 '10 at 18:22
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Yes, you do still have to use the registry - but you can set up a machine as a template and then just retrieve the values using a GPO Preferences registry wizard!

I walk through how to do this on video here: https://youtu.be/WjdKPtog5QY and step by step in my blog here: http://majorbacon.blogspot.com/2016/04/customizing-your-mouse-cursor-using.html

David Makogon
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Jacob Moran
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  • Please include relevant details/quotes in your answer here. Not doing so puts your answer at risk to be considered as a link-only answer (and hence be deleted via moderation). Just a suggestion ... – Pierre.Vriens Apr 21 '16 at 18:50
  • Also: You don't need to include justification for posting your answer, even with a 6-year-old question. – David Makogon Apr 21 '16 at 23:43