No Start Screen customising via GPO if you are on an EES licence? [Solved]

[Tricky]

Hi,

 

Hopefully this is not a duplicate topic. My impression is that the new Start screen control in Windows 8.1 will only be available on the Enterprise edition, and our EES licence will only give us the Pro edition. I can only hope this is a mistake, because paying for an EES academic licence and then to hear your not getting one of the features our environment requires is very concerning.

 

Unfortunately I'm in the position of wanting to prep some Windows 8 hybrid laptops and get them in use asap. I held back for 8.1 knowing how much simpler it was going to make the deployment.

 

Any one have further insight?

 

 

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/enterprise/products-and-technologies/windows-8-1/compare/default.aspx

 

Thanks

Edited October 9, 2013 by Tricky

[sted]

dosent ees cover enterprise thats what all my ees covered schools run?

 

if it helps it definitely runs in enterprise i have a few pcs running it in a school as a test (dual boot to win7 win8.1 is a vhd) but have not tried it on pro

[Tricky]

Well to be clear, we have the Microsoft Open Value Subscription-Education Solutions Agreement which is the EES offering for small to medium academic customers - to use their words. On the Microsoft licensing website we only have the Pro edition of Windows 7 and windows 8. This didn't used to be the case, but I think it must have been when we changed to the EES licence.

[Quackers]

We have Enterprise on all 4 EES licences i am the Administrator for, it could just be an error, phone up Microsoft Licensing help desk. I could not see server 2012 Standard last week on 1 account yet could access the data centre edition was a glitch they fixed.

[carnforthhigh]

We have the OVS EES scheme here and to get the enterprise version you have to activate the benefit under software assurance. That's what we did here

[3s-gtech]

Yup - check under the Software Assurance link - it doesn't show under 'Windows'!

[Tricky]

Thanks for the replies, I hope you are right!

 

I've had a quick look on the Software Assurance part of the site and can only see Windows 7, not 8 or 8.1. Although if it's not under 'Windows' as you say 3s-gtech, then maybe I'm in the wrong place.

[sted]

Thanks for the replies, I hope you are right!

 

I've had a quick look on the Software Assurance part of the site and can only see Windows 7, not 8 or 8.1. Although if it's not under 'Windows' as you say 3s-gtech, then maybe I'm in the wrong place.

 

it wont appear as such till 18th august but the keys are there somewhere under licensing tab

[Arthur]

Download 8.1 Enterprise through TechNet and use the 2012 R2 KMS key on VLSC to activate.

[sted]

Download 8.1 Enterprise through TechNet and use the 2012 R2 KMS key on VLSC to activate.

 

can you use 2008r2 or 2012r1 as a kms host for 8.1? if so how?

[glennda]

Software Assurance gives you access to the Enterprise installers as mentioned above.

[Arthur]

can you use 2008r2 or 2012r1 as a kms host for 8.1? if so how?

Unfortunately not. I tried the 2012 R2 key on a KMS host running Server 2012 but it didn't work. We'll probably have to wait for a hotfix to be released like last time (or create a 2012 R2 VM in the interim).

[sted]

Unfortunately not. I tried the 2012 R2 key on a KMS host running Server 2012 but it didn't work. We'll probably have to wait for a hotfix to be released like last time (or create a 2012 R2 VM in the interim).

 

win8.1 vm would be easier i suspect and less drain if all its doing is kms

[Arthur]

win8.1 vm would be easier i suspect and less drain if all its doing is kms

With 2012 R2, you have the advantage of removing the GUI.

[sted]

With 2012 R2, you have the advantage of removing the GUI.

 

and the disadvantage of having no gui though granted for just kms not much of an issue

[Tricky]

it wont appear as such till 18th august but the keys are there somewhere under licensing tab

 

Do you mean 18th October? but surely Windows 8 should be on there now? Had a good hunt but not luck.

 

Download 8.1 Enterprise through TechNet and use the 2012 R2 KMS key on VLSC to activate.

Tried this too but although my activated Technet account still says "There is no subscription associated with your Microsoft account". Could really do with a final build rather than the preview I've been testing with too!

 

In Software Assurance I have; 24x7 Problem Resolution Support, E-Learning – Applications, E-Learning – Servers , E-Learning – Systems , Home Use Program , Office Multi Language Pack , Planning Services , Problem Resolution Support (SAB 2.0) , TechNet Plus Direct , TechNet SA Subscription Services , Training Vouchers , Windows 7 Enterprise , Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs Media/Download , Windows Vista Enterprise Media/Download , Windows Vista Ultimate Media/Download

 

Should there be a Windows 8 benefit listed?

Edited October 9, 2013 by Tricky

[sted]

Do you mean 18th October? but surely Windows 8 should be on there now? Had a good hunt but not luck.

 

yup please insert brain

[Tricky]

NB. I put Solved in the thread title to avoid confusion for people searching the forum. Clearly I was wrong about EES access to the Enterprise edition. That said, I've not managed to get it via SA or Technet still. I've raised it with the company that provides our MS licensing and will see what they can do.

[RobBaxter]

I have started on a 8.1 Enterprise image now.

 

I downloaded 8 Enterprise out of my Licencing Service Center. I then upgraded that to 8.1 Enterprise Preview from Technet.

 

I can now build all my stuff i need to get a workable Image ready for WDS.

 

When 8.1 Enterprise (Release) comes out all i will have to do is install Windows 8 Enterprise / Upgrade KMS and will have all the manifests ready. I plan to roll out 8.1 site wide next term.

 

Currently, we are sitting on Windows 7 SP1 waiting for Windows 8 SP1 (8.1) since I like to wait for the first Service Pack or "CU" before rolling out a MS product in a alive environment.

[Tricky]

Managed to figure this out in the end - was getting tunnel vision and missing the Software Assurance filter on the downloads, kept going straight for Windows.

 

@RobBaxter That sounds very exciting, may I ask your motivations for going to Windows 8? Also if you have any resources collected to help with customising W8 for your environment I'd very interesting to see them. Some of the Metro features require the user to have a Microsoft account, do you have a way around that or just not using those features?

Edited October 10, 2013 by Tricky

[sted]

customize your start screen

 

Customize Windows 8.1 Start Screens by Using Group Policy

 

basically set up a reference pc. set up your start screena s you want it(icons pinned etc though i did find if you are using redirected start menus you need to copy the "desktop" shortcut thre as well) run a command

 

export-startlayout –path \\server\share\start1.xml -as xml

 

use a windows 8.1/2012r2 pc with gpmc installed . edit a USER policy user config\admin templates\start menu and taskbar\start screen layout. then paste your \\server\share\start1.xml into that

 

as to apps an ms accounts for the moment ive disabled the store. In theory you can sideload apps but ive not found any i want enough to look in to it

[Tricky]

Thanks sted, yeah I'm not expecting the Store to be a great loss. I was aware of how to customise the Start screen as that's how this whole thread came about. My query to Rob was thinking he might have discovered other tips and tricks I'd not heard of. Edited October 10, 2013 by Tricky

[RobBaxter]

For now if it requires a microsoft account its off.

 

As for resources. I tend to keep a "golden image" and back it up before i start messing with it again and again. Getting everything just right by a "Trial and Error Method".

 

Once i'm finished i will document it for you ( i need to document it for school anyway ) i will just publish a copy too.

 

Thanks

 

R

[OhDear]

I've been testing this for a few days. It seems to only work for 8.1 Enterprise and has no effect on Pro.

 

I can't seem to get it to show all of the tiles I've pinned if 'Remove common program groups from Start Menu' is enabled.

[Valyyn]

I've been testing this for a few days. It seems to only work for 8.1 Enterprise and has no effect on Pro.

 

Yeah the "Start screen control" is only in the Enterprise version:

Compare editions

 

Edit: Whoops and I only just noticed that this is from like two weeks ago