Disable signed driver checking using group policy in Windows Server 2008

Users of the 32-bit version of Windows Server 2008 also have a documented and Microsoft-approved method of bypassing the signing requirement. (This technique will never work on the 64-bit version of the product.) In this case, you set a global policy that disables the requirement for the local machine (when made on the local machine) or the domain (when made on the domain controller). The following steps describe how to use the Global Policy Edit (GPEdit) console to perform this task.

1. Choose Start > Run. You see the Run dialog box.

2. Type GPEdit.MSC (for Group Policy Edit) in the Open field and click OK. Windows displays the Local Group Policy Editor window.

3. Locate the Local Computer Policy\User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Driver Installation folder.

4. Double-click the Code Signing for Device Drivers policy.

5. Select Enabled.

6. Choose Ignore (installs unsigned drivers without asking), Warn (displays a message asking whether you want to install the unsigned driver), or Block (disallows unsigned driver installation automatically) from the drop-down list.

7. Click OK. The Local Group Policy Editor console sets the new policy for installing device drivers.

8. Close the Local Group Policy Editor console.

9. Reboot the server.

Theoretically, the changes you made should take effect immediately after you log back in to the system. However, to make sure the policy takes effect for everyone, reboot the server.

Tags: drivers,group policy

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