Joanne Posted July 1, 2014 Posted July 1, 2014 So guys, I'm a scripting n00b. (Done switch programming and some bits of drive mappings, printer assignments and KMS, but not confident). I've been looking at exporting my Windows 8.1 metro screen, because I've stuck all the programs on it, which will make it easy for the little darlings to access all relevant programs. I've been looking at this: Start Screen Cmdlets in Windows PowerShell No idea about PowerShell though... do I have to download it? Any help much appreciated!
Joanne Posted July 1, 2014 Author Posted July 1, 2014 found powershell in the start menu! Everything makes a little more sense now...
Joanne Posted July 1, 2014 Author Posted July 1, 2014 OK! Notes for anyone else trying this... 1) Run PowerShell as administrator 2) Export-StartLayout -Path "C:\Start.xml" -As XML XML file will then be on C: Phew. 2
Joanne Posted July 1, 2014 Author Posted July 1, 2014 Damnit this doesn't work! I get a partial start screen when I log on as a pupil.... Exported Start: Pupil Start: XML file is boring and reads: XML file is saved in a place where pupil has read access. Same happens when I log on with a staff account too.
X-13 Posted July 1, 2014 Posted July 1, 2014 Do they have the right permissions for the missing ones? And is it just the .lnk ones that are missing? 1
Joanne Posted July 2, 2014 Author Posted July 2, 2014 (edited) It's a mix of .exe and .lnk. I got most of the shortcuts from the start menu, so would have thought permissions would be fine. The bunch of flash links are on a share on the server that pupils have access to. I might try doing the layout on a pupil account though to see if it is that.... Thanks for the ideas. JUST NOTICED: the programs that are missing are not on the start menu for the pupil. I wasn't paying much attention when installing... hmmm Edited July 2, 2014 by Joanne
Joanne Posted July 2, 2014 Author Posted July 2, 2014 re-installed Penpals, years 1,2,3,4. Copied shortcuts to public desktop, then added shortcut to start... I now get year 1 on there, but not 2,3,4. It's a very odd behaviour... MORE DIGGING! Might have to set the start menu locally if that's even possible.
Arthur Posted July 2, 2014 Posted July 2, 2014 I now get year 1 on there, but not 2,3,4. Has it got something to do with the EXEs all being named Penpals.exe? This sounds similar to the issue @FN-GM had in this thread.
Joanne Posted July 2, 2014 Author Posted July 2, 2014 Good point @Arthur , I didn't clock that. I'll rename the exe's, get some different shortcuts and see what happens. There aren't many things I want Windows 8 to do, but this is one of them. It will help me to sell it across the school. It will be so much easier for kids to click on a tile. Although to be fair, I have redirected desktop, so if all else fails.........
robjduk Posted July 2, 2014 Posted July 2, 2014 I used to have a lot of links go missing for different users too however solved this by creating a new link to the .exe, copying it to the following folder "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories" and using that shortcut on the start screen. Now works 100% of the time. Also just to add although you may just be adding Windows 8 now for the tiles, as time goes on you will find a lot of things which make your days (and the users) easier. Tons of new stuff in GP to play with. 1
Joanne Posted July 2, 2014 Author Posted July 2, 2014 (edited) Gonna try dat! Renaming the exe files did not work and has caused other issues :-/ ARGH! My favourite bit of Windows 8 is how fast it is to boot Edited July 2, 2014 by Joanne
rickjames Posted July 11, 2014 Posted July 11, 2014 Anyone have any idea why I can't get our network drives to boot into our start screen? They're set to point in the right direction but I'm not getting a peep out of it.
robjduk Posted July 11, 2014 Posted July 11, 2014 Anyone have any idea why I can't get our network drives to boot into our start screen? They're set to point in the right direction but I'm not getting a peep out of it. Im a little confused. Do you mean pin them to your start screen? With me I made a shortcut to say N: (my users network drive), put that in the desktop/accessories folder and pinned that. As long as the desktop has that file in the same location, it pins it.
rickjames Posted July 11, 2014 Posted July 11, 2014 I do indeed mean that, sorry. I've right clicked each one and pinned it to the start screen accordingly, but after exporting my layout and doing a gpupdate /force on my test machine I'm not getting anything.
Joanne Posted July 11, 2014 Author Posted July 11, 2014 I think it's a permissions thing. To be honest, I've given up on it this week, been busy doing other tasks. What user did you create the shortcuts with? I'm an admin and because only a few showed I figure it's related to that...
rickjames Posted July 11, 2014 Posted July 11, 2014 Permissions seem absolutely fine. I do my layouts logged in as admin on my own machine then try them on a test one. Worked fine after fiddling but now I cant get these network folders up!
Joanne Posted July 11, 2014 Author Posted July 11, 2014 Have you tried copying the shortcuts to an accessible place by all users? eg/ c:\users\public\desktop and THEN pinning them?
rickjames Posted July 14, 2014 Posted July 14, 2014 Yeah, done that and nothing helpful there either. This is driving me mad now as I can't really image 150 machines without having the correct layout. ARGH.
rickjames Posted July 14, 2014 Posted July 14, 2014 Oh and here's the XML file for old times sake. The rest of them are fine, just the network drives!
Joanne Posted July 14, 2014 Author Posted July 14, 2014 I might have another look at this today or tomorrow... I'd really like to use Windows 8.1 on machines. There's this one kid that keeps harassing me about it too... kinda want to get it working beautifully to show him. Damn kids! Hahahaha.
sted Posted July 14, 2014 Posted July 14, 2014 on the user you use to set up your start screen give them a redirected start menu (to the same location that it will eventually reside preferably and give auth users (or whatever you need read access)). Add all your shortcuts to this redirected start menu then try exporting your start screen. Notes win 8.1 dosent seem that happy with shortcuts pointing to non local drives they work BUT slow down logon considerably (and cause a black screen to sit there doing nowt on login) (using some very pcs with ssd's in start menu with only local apps seconds with remote network apps a minute or so) simple solution to that one at least temporaraily folder on desktop for network programs
Joanne Posted July 14, 2014 Author Posted July 14, 2014 Yeah @sted having the programs on the desktop is my backup plan. That all works fine. I just really want to get metro working because I think it would be really handy for the Early Years classes that have touch screen computers...
sted Posted July 14, 2014 Posted July 14, 2014 doing the above has always worked for me i think a lot of problems stem from people using an admin account to set up the start screen with a local non redirected start menu then users not having access to it. The only yimes ive found metro shortcuts missing is if the pc dosent have say word installed
robjduk Posted July 14, 2014 Posted July 14, 2014 oh one thing to mention is have the XML on the local machine rather than a UNC path. I know it claims it will work but never seen it happen yet.
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