Windows 8 Start Menu and Desktop redirection

[captainslow]

At my school we have redirect the Start Menu and Desktops for workstations a shared area on the server.

 

This way we can maintain a consistent experience for the users. Different groups have different icons available as appropriate.

 

This works fine for XP and Windows 7 workstations.

 

However, there does not appear to be a way of doing this in Windows 8 with the Start Screen. I was hoping Windows 8.1 would resolve this issue. I have just installed the preview version, and have been disappointed to find it doesn't seem to support this either.

 

I did find this article, but I want to be able to update things on the fly, not just for when a user first logs on.

 

Has anyone else found a way round this? Are there any 3rd party Start Menu replacements that support this?

[sted]

8.1 does you set up start screen run a powershell command to export the settings and there is a new gpo to set a standard screen

[FN-GM]

Can you redirect the All apps section?

[sted]

Can you redirect the All apps section?

 

iirc thats just you normal start menu so if you have a redirected start menu with say boo.exe on it it will appear in all apps yes gice me a min i will check

[sted]

right it shows what they have access to so if you hide common programs they cant see them and can only see whats in their start menu but it is a bit odd and atm my folder redirection seems to of died lol

[sted]

 

granted not the most exhaustive test but thats what it loos like. Any tifkam app seems to be all ways be there if installed.

 

Though as a 2nd test user some stuff came back like system tools but i havnt hidden them or changed permissions etc so when it creates a new start menu it would copy them. If you just redirect all users to a predefined one this shouldnt happen but for testing ive just redirected start to their user areas

[FN-GM]

Thanks, i did a quick test but it didn't work, need to investigate a little more. Thanks

[captainslow]

8.1 does you set up start screen run a powershell command to export the settings and there is a new gpo to set a standard screen

 

Thanks for the info.

 

This does set up a standard screen. However, I want to be able to update everyone's screen centrally. At the moment, if I drop a shortcut into the correct 'global' folder, all appropriate users can instantly see it.

[captainslow]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]19607[/ATTACH]

 

granted not the most exhaustive test but thats what it loos like. Any tifkam app seems to be all ways be there if installed.

 

Though as a 2nd test user some stuff came back like system tools but i havnt hidden them or changed permissions etc so when it creates a new start menu it would copy them. If you just redirect all users to a predefined one this shouldnt happen but for testing ive just redirected start to their user areas

 

Hmmm. This is more promising! Thanks for your help. I will have a quick play as well....

[sted]

Thanks for the info.

 

This does set up a standard screen. However, I want to be able to update everyone's screen centrally. At the moment, if I drop a shortcut into the correct 'global' folder, all appropriate users can instantly see it.

 

i think you will just have to wait until they log off and back on for it to update i doubt it will work on the fly but ive not tested it though all apps works on the fly