Best way to force password policy on users within 1-2 weeks?

Question

We have a Server 2008 R2 domain.
I'd read that the password policy in GPO is only available for Computer Configuration, not User Configuration? Is that correct? 
If so, that's not very flexible and will make things trickier for us.  
And regarding enforcing a password policy with a GPO on our local domain, do you know of a way to force users to change their passwords within say 1 week?    (the only options I know of are on the AD User account properties check a box "User
must change password at next logon" (then you'd have to force them to log out) OR relying on AD's internal formula:
webactivedirectory.com/.../how-active-directory-calculates-account-password-expiration-dates .  The problem I see with the latter is if your user hasn't changed their pw for a year you'd have to wait a year+how many days you set for max password
age?
spnewbie

Answer 1

To add, the password policy is applied at the domain level and only works at the domain level. It's not the fact that it's at the "Computer Level" or "User Level" or not, it's the fact that it's only set at the domain level.
Account policies (Password, Lockout and Kerb), are all under the Computer Config because it forces it to apply to all user accounts that access all machines.
If you tried to create a password policy at any other level (any OU), it won't work. The only option is to use PSOs, as Mahdi pointed out.
As for that Spiceworks thread, I would suggest to post a question about a specific product to the product vendor's support forum for accurate responses.
Here's an excerpt from MOC 6425C Configuring and Troubleshooting Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, page 10-8 (and this applies to all versions of AD):
Active Directory supports one set of password and lockout policies for a domain. These policies are configured in a GPO that is scoped to the domain. A new domain contains a GPO called the Default Domain Policy that is linked to the domain and that includes
the default policy settings for password, account lockout, and Kerberos policies. You can change the settings by editing the Default Domain Policy GPO.
The best practice is to edit the Default Domain Policy GPO to specify the password policy settings for your organization. You should also use the Default Domain Policy GPO to specify account lockout policies and Kerberos policies. Do not use the Default
Domain Policy GPO to deploy any other custom policy settings. In other words, the Default Domain Policy GPO only defines the password, account lockout, and Kerberos policies for the domain. Additionally, do not define password, account lockout, or Kerberos
policies for the domain in any other GPO.
The password settings configured in the Default Domain Policy affect all user accounts in the domain. The settings can be overridden, however, by the password-related properties of the individual user accounts. On the Account tab of a user's Properties dialog
box, you can specify settings such as Password Never Expires or Store Passwords Using Reversible Encryption. For example, if five users have an application that requires direct access to their passwords, you can configure the accounts for those users to store
their passwords by using reversible encryption.
Ace Fekay
MVP, MCT, MCSE 2012, MCITP EA & MCTS Windows 2008/R2, Exchange 2013, 2010 EA & 2007, MCSE & MCSA 2003/2000, MCSA Messaging 2003
Microsoft Certified Trainer
Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
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