Anyone deploying Windows 8 now?

[SovietRussia]

so is that just an apply once policy? or do you only let users have a certain layout?

 

I use GPP Files to copy to Default Profile on the PC rather than applying on login. This then builds the profile around the 3 *.itemdata-ms files and the default set of programs. I have not tried your way but i was not aware there is a ms data file in %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs? I guess you meant the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows ?

 

I copy the 3 itemdata-ms files and then i copy the whole folder of %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs then when something installs now i just have a script to clear up the %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu location so it only displays what i want. That then sticks a link on the end of the students desktop when they login. That way i find its easier for students to find what they need, and also acts like it would at home.

 

The policy applies all the time, and because Staff only have Windows 8, it is sort of customised around them.

 

Yeah I ment itemdata-ms not msdata, Sorry!

 

Its location is C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows

Two files, appsFolder.itemdata-ms and appsFolder.itemdata-ms.bak.

 

Every time someone logs in, it copies that to their AppData - They then have to log off and back on again for the changes to take effect though, as GPP is applied after the start screen is.

Edited June 10, 2013 by SovietRussia

[jugglerjoe]

hmmm this seems weird to me SovietRussia. It sounds like you run a mandatory profile / start screen for staff?

Also does that mean you dont use the AppsFolderLayout.bin file?

 

If you do not want staff to edit their start screen it might be advantageous to folder redirect their start menu to a place with only read only access for them and keep the GPP copy of the 2 itemdata-ms files?

[SovietRussia]

hmmm this seems weird to me SovietRussia. It sounds like you run a mandatory profile / start screen for staff?

Also does that mean you dont use the AppsFolderLayout.bin file?

 

If you do not want staff to edit their start screen it might be advantageous to folder redirect their start menu to a place with only read only access for them and keep the GPP copy of the 2 itemdata-ms files?

 

Roaming for staff, Mandatory for the kids. Ah now we allow the staff to customize their start screen, the appData files just give links to shortcuts like Tabtip.exe for the keyboard and other usful links. We already redirect all our start menus for different areas of the school, and the staff using Windows 8 can view this by swiping up and tapping All apps.

 

Edit: Yeah, we don't use AppsFolderLayout.bin

[jugglerjoe]

I never managed to get a stable thing working without the AppsFolderLayout.bin. So congratz on that

 

We have roaming profiles for all here, except on staff laptops which it creates a local user account as they are used anywhere and everywhere.

 

On windows 7 we redirect our start menu however on windows 8 found this limited the users ability to customize their start screen so now just give them a profile as they would have that would be almost identical to home, only thing we dont let them do is change the lockscreen image which we have fun with One of our History rooms is an IT room with lovely pc's in and 24" monitors and is the windows 8 test room, we have the bayeux tapestry going around the classroom and in geography are planning to do some panorama shots spanning like 3pcs each xD

[SovietRussia]

I never managed to get a stable thing working without the AppsFolderLayout.bin. So congratz on that

 

We have roaming profiles for all here, except on staff laptops which it creates a local user account as they are used anywhere and everywhere.

 

On windows 7 we redirect our start menu however on windows 8 found this limited the users ability to customize their start screen so now just give them a profile as they would have that would be almost identical to home, only thing we dont let them do is change the lockscreen image which we have fun with One of our History rooms is an IT room with lovely pc's in and 24" monitors and is the windows 8 test room, we have the bayeux tapestry going around the classroom and in geography are planning to do some panorama shots spanning like 3pcs each xD

 

It is all witchcraft, who knows how it works.

 

Haha, lock screens are fun. Our's is just a picture of our logo with a lovely shade of blue

[jugglerjoe]

It is all witchcraft, who knows how it works.

 

that is sooo true hahaha xD Me and my boss have said that multiple times xD

 

I also got a friend to make us a little c# program that downloads the daily bing image and then we push that out to our computers for all other student and admin lockscreens so nice not to have to be in the silly 1536 resolution or whatever it is for windows 7 >_<

Edited June 10, 2013 by jugglerjoe

[Guest Guest]

Would you be willing to share the program that downloads the daily bing image? I really like the sound of it!

[reedstec]

Having a read through this, felt I had to comment. Yes, we have had our issues with it. The main being it kept dropping network drives when a user logs in, the second not being able to get a start menu customization I was happy with.

 

We have now however started rolling it out to anyone who wants it. The staff that are using it so far adore it, they've found it easy to adapt to and find it is quicker itself and for them to use as the start menu is "so much easier to navigate". The two SIMS.net users we have on it, also believe SIMS actually runs much better/quicker on W8 than anything they've used before - they've certainly been a lot quieter than when they were on W7.

 

A number of students started showing interest on it after seeing it on some of the IT staffs laptop's - so we stuck it on a classrooms worth of PC's. Once we got around the issue with start menu not showing, they loved it.

 

I hated it when I first used it, but after actually using it I've grown to like it too. You might not think it is well suited to a keyboard and mouse, but why isn't it?

The start menu is quicker and easier to use on every level, touch pads with the two-finger scroll work brilliantly with it - just as any mouse with a scroll wheel does.

Everyone seems reluctant to use it and keen to hate it without even giving it a good try. Everyone I've seen try it, has quickly grown to like it.

[robjduk]

Well said post there reedstec.

 

We rolled out Windows 8 to our all of our 800 computers and all of our admin staff (30-40) and they are all happy. Not one student computer problem so far and once you show them how to search and pin items, admin staff are fine.

 

It is strong, stable and easy to pick up and use. I would urge the haters to spend a week with it and doubt you will be going back once you have your little finger trained to hover over the windows key.

[JRowley]

Me and a colleague have installed it on our office machines to see how it would play with our existing GPOs. Happy to say it works as intended, no issues. The only difficulty I have experienced is SIMS dragging their feet on a patch to officially support Windows 8, though I managed to get it work by copying the connect.ini to a local folder regardless.

 

Once you get used to just hitting the start button on your keyboard and then clicking on the app you want, or hitting a letter to search for an app. You realise just how bulky and out dated the start menu was.

 

Oh and I have it at home, bought it when it was on offer at launch for £25 or something, what a bargain!

[robjduk]

I'm 99% sure SIMS supported windows 8 since the last Spring update but we had the same connect.ini issue here and used the same fix.

[JRowley]

I'm 99% sure SIMS supported windows 8 since the last Spring update but we had the same connect.ini issue here and used the same fix.

 

Well, what Capita call 'support' for Windows 8, definitely isn't what I call support for Windows 8, if I can't install it, then its not supported, simple as that lol

[robjduk]

Im my experience, what Capita call support in general isn't what I would call support

 

Back on topic though, Solus 3 installs SIMS / FMS very well if you havn't made the jump yet. I remember we used to have problems installing it but think it was because I wasn't running it as an admin or didn't have UAC at the time or something silly. Long story short, it was my settings.

[Pottsey]

It is strong, stable and easy to pick up and use. I would urge the haters to spend a week with it and doubt you will be going back once you have your little finger trained to hover over the windows key.

I agree the core OS is quick and stable but I am finding the UI anything but easy to use and quick. After over 6months have I rolled back to windows 7. I don’t know why people expect haters to like it after a week.

 

Almost everyone I have met in person who has win 8 dislikes the UI and our users on win8 keep asking to be changed back. I really dislike the new start screen as I find it far less efficient. But the core OS is nice.

[robjduk]

I think its because it takes about a week for the bones in your hand to bend enough to compensate the need for the windows key

[sted]

I think its because it takes about a week for the bones in your hand to bend enough to compensate the need for the windows key

 

wonder when we will see a windows key on mice?

[DrCheese]

I agree the core OS is quick and stable but I am finding the UI anything but easy to use and quick. After over 6months have I rolled back to windows 7. I don’t know why people expect haters to like it after a week.

 

Almost everyone I have met in person who has win 8 dislikes the UI and our users on win8 keep asking to be changed back. I really dislike the new start screen as I find it far less efficient. But the core OS is nice.

 

Throw start 8 on it and it's perfectly. It has GPO support as well. I really want to deploy it here....

[Norphy]

wonder when we will see a windows key on mice?

 

Microsoft are WAY ahead of you

[psydii]

Can anyone point me in the direction of documentation of equivalent depth and quality to the Windows Resource Kits for 8 (or 8.1)

[Corydon]

Hi Guys and girls

 

My first post here.

I´m in the process of pushing out 2000 pcs. Windows 8.1 HP Revolve on 2012 servers with 2012 R2 policy definitions.

Exactly the policy issue has been quite a challenge as we are still keeping around 2200 Windows 7 clients that has to keep functioning as they did.

Users should be able 2 use both platforms and access the same printers and shares from both.

Windows 7 and Windows 8 policies dont mix very well, so clearly we had to start over with a new OU structure for the 2000 new HP Revolve clients. Having win8 clients in the same structure as our Windows 7 clients rendered the win 8 lost in Metro with no tiles, no desktop, no control panel, no nothing. Utterly useless.F

or most part "user policies" held all these restrictions on the Win 8 clients,which was a mountain to climb.C

hanging user policies was not an option, so Loopback processing mode had to be applied and one-by-one examining policies step by step, for possible candidates for the win 8 lockdown.

Yesterday we´ve delivered the first 500 new clients(ended up with win8.1), mostly for teachers and except for minor wishes of loosening the grip a bit, policywise.

We´ve had no complaints, we havent even had a phonecall about those clients today. My log files tell me, that they use them heavily.I

´m a bit stumped, I thought Win 8 would drive them crazy. Ahhh, well, it´s still early, but looking good so far.

I´ve had a problem though with a certain searchocr.admx file, that ruins the group policy manager on the server.

The corrupt admx files are supposedly in all iso´s for win8 and server 2012 and 2012R2??? MS has no fix???

Maybe someone has run in to the same issue and solved it.

I need at least one of the settings in the R2 policy definitions, to control the new clients, so rolling back to the regular server 2012 definitions isn´t an option either.

[Arthur]

Having win 8 clients in the same structure as our Windows 7 clients rendered the win 8 lost in Metro with no tiles, no desktop, no control panel, no nothing.

Are you using roaming profiles?

 

Roaming Profile Compatibility: The Windows 7 to Windows 8 Challenge « Ask the Directory Services Team

[Corydon]

No we dont, but we have folder redirection on 3 folders. Desktop, Favorites, and Documents, so it sort of smells like it.

[Corydon]

The reason for the useless stuck win8, was the very strict policies we have on existing pc´s and users.

They are very locked down.

Keeps the workload down.

The new clients, will be more personal pc´s, they will bring them home and as such they have to function in a very different way, than our existing locked down clients. (Adding device drivers, printers, internet connections, changing wallpaper etc.)