Surface Pro start screen not applying (driving me nuts)

[robjduk]

I need to start off by saying I am not new to Windows 8. I have used it and pushed it out to my school from the moment it was new and am aware of many of its quirks when it comes to pushing start screens out but I have hit a problem which is annoying the hell out of me and hope someone can point out something I have missed.

 

We have 4 Surface Pro 3's in the building and rather than build from PxE (another story all together), I just join them to the domain as they come with Windows Pro and the first 3 of them worked as expected, all picking up the correct group policy and applying my customised start screen via xml. Now we got a 4th in and all went well until SIMS had to be installed and there was an issue. Knowing what I know about SIMS deployment issues I felt it just easier to restore the Surface and start again rather than trouble shoot Solus3.

Now since doing this, all the policy applies perfectly including logon pictures, software deployment etc.... however the customised start screen WILL NOT DEPLOY AND THIS SILLY THING HAS BEEN ON MY DESK FOR THREE WEEKS!

 

I know its applying something because it will not allow you to move the start tiles meaning it sees the group policy pointing it towards a custom start screen and I know it has permission because you can browse the xml from the user. Its driving me totally nuts because I have so much more to do than fanny about with a surface which should just work!

 

If I have missed a vital point or easy work around, please someone let me know!

 

Ta

[sted]

start screen customisation via gpo needs enterprise to work its not supported on professional so i suspect the you cant change policy works but the xml bit fails but you sysprepped it correctly so it looks like ot is

[robjduk]

Thanks for that. Its odd because I have 3 other surfaces which I am sure are customised however it was a while ago. That would at least explain the issue. Currently on plan F to get this to work now.

 

Thanks

[dubsdj]

It works only with enterprise... however if a user logs into an enterprise computer which then sets up the tiles, the changes will appear on pro machines. One thing though is that its quite unreliable and UNC shortcuts do not seem to work if you add them to the tile screen they only show up on an administrators login.

[robjduk]

That makes me feel better thanks. Explains why the first 3 surfaces worked correctly and the 4th had problems. Managed to make an enterprise USB key and build it from that and the start screen worked as intended again.