Custom logoff button in start screen

[TheGoodGuy]

I want to make a custom logoff button on the metro screen that I can be deployed with the gpo.

 

Anyone got one working? I know the file is logoff.exe but I would like it with a custom icon.

[LeMarchand]

Could you not just create a shortcut with an icon you like from a free icon site and deploy that?

[TheGoodGuy]

Well I copied the shortcut to C:\programdata\microsoft\windows\startmenu\shortcuts (have to create this folder) and for a shortcut you can set your own icon. I am then running a batch file to copy it from the network share, and it is pinned to the start in the xml file. The batch file doesn't seem to let me copy there though. Not sure if it will let me copy files to that directory as it is privileged? That is my only theory.

[LeMarchand]

Not had to use an XML to do Start Menu yet (was baked into image which has yet to change) but I thought that you just arranged the Start Menu to your liking and exported it as an XML. So you shouldn't need to use a batch file at all - just create your shortcut with a nice icon and pin it to the Start Menu before exporting it.

 

I may be totally misreading your last post, though!

 

If no-one else clears it up before then I do need to have a go at the XML thing on Friday, as we're deploying Scratch at that site.

[TheGoodGuy]

The XML part is working fine. The batch file isn't copying the shortcut into the C:\programdata\microsoft\windows\startmenu\ area. I just wondered if someone had another way of doing it. I am able to pin the logoff.exe to start menu and it works fine that way but doesn't have a nice key icon that it is easy for primary school children to find.

[TheGoodGuy]

I just worked out where the file is saving to, probably an instance of needing quotes, will look into it.

[LeMarchand]

Just tested this copying a shortcut to my own All Users:

 

xcopy "\\server\folder\Whatever.lnk" "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\" /y

 

Annoyingly it doesn't have the icon - though if I look at the properties, it's there. In my case, the icon file is on the network rather than local - maybe Win 8 doesn't like that. If add a line to stash the icon file locally (and alter the shortcut accordingly) it's all good.

 

P.S. Had to "Run as Administrator" to test, but have checked it works as Startup Script (at least it does on W7).

Edited June 4, 2014 by LeMarchand

[TheGoodGuy]

Gave up doing it that way, in the end I just added it via GPO shortcuts (Note: Must remove run in user context).

 

Onto the next job!