In this article, I will walk you through how to fix an appropriate resource file could not be found for LAPS. Windows uses a Central Store to store Administrative Templates files. To take advantage of the benefits of .admx files. You must create a Central Store in the sysvol folder on a Windows domain controller. Please see how to create the central store for Group Policy Administrative Templates. How to fix LAPS password not showing up in GUI, and how to Fix error “You must specify user account name when adding a DC to an existing Forest“.

The Central Store is a file location that is checked by the Group Policy tools by default. The Group Policy tools use all .admx files that are in the Central Store.

Administrative Templates files are divided into .admx files and language-specific .adml files for use by Group Policy administrators. The changes that are implemented in these files let administrators configure the same set of policies by using two languages. Administrators can configure policies by using the language-specific .adml files and the language-neutral .admx files.

Here are some exciting articles: What are the differences between an ADM and ADMX file? How to fix Unable to find File Explorer in the Group Policy Editor when resolving the security tab missing under properties,

Reason for the error “an appropriate resource file could not be found for LAPS”

The error below is incorrect because it is referring to the .admx file as missing. While being present at the specified location. The error is prompted because the ADMX Policy file is present, but not the ADML file. Both files must exist for the policy to appear in the local group policy editor.

ADMX-An-appropriate-resource-file-could-not-be-found-for

Note: To reiterate further, to generate reports or edit the GPO. The .admx file MUST be loaded as well as the appropriate .adml language file. Depending on the native language user requesting the edit/reporting operation the .adml file is searched for in the appropriate language folder (en for en, de for de, and so on).

By default since the April 11 update, Windows installs LAPS.admx under %systemroot%\PolicyDefinitions. You are advised to copy the ADML file into the Central store in order to utilize it. Most times, the corresponding LAP.adml file is forgotten as it has not been expressly mentioned. It happens!!!

Please see how to fix LAPS password not showing up in GUI. How to Configure Windows LAPS Management with Microsoft Intune, and how to fix an appropriate resource file could not be found for the file: The system can not find the file specified for MDOP.

Resolution – To fix this issue ‘An appropriate resource file could not be found for LAPS”

Please copy the corresponding ADML file for Local Admin Password Solution from C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US to the central Store to the

 \\TECHDARCHIVEDC\sysvol\Techdirectarchive.local\Policies\PolicyDefinitions\

For instance, if the querying user wants English and the GPO central store only has the German .adml files installed such an error would also be prompted.

As you can see, the LAPS.adml file has been copied to the central store: \\TECHDARCHIVEDC\sysvol\Techdirectarchive.local\Policies\PolicyDefinitions\

When this is done, the error will be eliminated. Please see How to configure Windows LAPS, and how to fix the Error: Administrative templates retrieved from the local computer do not show up.

I hope you found this blog post helpful on how to fix an appropriate resource file could not be found for LAPS. Please let me know in the comment section if you have any questions.