Windows 10 Start Menu - A Working Solution

[newpersn]

Got a problem with redirected start menu. Sometimes it will load the menu and other times its "Empty" ?!

 

How do you set you pupils for the redirected start menu? Normal way (UserConfig > Policies > Windows settings) or via Classic Shell (Userconfig > Policies > Admin templates > Classic Shell > Classic Start Menu > Programs Folder) in GPO?

 

Also how can i disable the Classic Explorer and Classic IE?

[Michael]

I use the same method as I would Windows 7 for redirected Start Menu.

 

As for disabling Classic Explorer and Classic IE you have two choices -

 

Either install Classic Shell as part of a master image and exclude the above during a custom setup.

 

Uninstall Classic Shell (if installed via GPO), then re-install specifying the required parameters.

[newpersn]

I use the same method as I would Windows 7 for redirected Start Menu.

 

As for disabling Classic Explorer and Classic IE you have two choices -

 

Either install Classic Shell as part of a master image and exclude the above during a custom setup.

 

Uninstall Classic Shell (if installed via GPO), then re-install specifying the required parameters.

 

How would i go about it if im using GPO to install the MSI?

[Michael]

You'd have to install using a script, unless you successfully modify the real MSI.

[newpersn]

You'd have to install using a script, unless you successfully modify the real MSI.

 

Eek. Have you got any examples?

[Simcfc73]

I know I whamp on about PDQ Deploy a lot but I use this to deploy it with the switch

 

/qn ADDLOCAL=ClassicStartMenu /l* output.log NOSTART=1

[Michael]

Eek. Have you got any examples?

 

I'd suggest you deploy with the recommended switches rather than modify the MSI (personally). I wouldn't want to recommend something I am absolutely certain about

 

On newer builds (like Redstone), I've performed a manual custom install, then used Group Policies to control how the Start Menu itself behaves.

[altecsole]

How would i go about it if im using GPO to install the MSI?

 

We deploy via Group Policy using an mst file. I'm pretty sure all the mst file does is add the value 'ClassicStartMenu' to the Property 'ADDLOCAL'.

[Chuckster]

@altecsole, any chance you could share your MST file?

[altecsole]

@altecsole, any chance you could share your MST file?

 

No problem. Here you go.

ClassicShell.mst

[Chuckster]

@altecsole, thank you

[StevieM]

Thanks to @Michael and everyone else for their input on this topic. I've pretty much got W10 working exactly as I want in my test environment (apart from the inability to lock down Edge as much as I'd like). This will be great when we upgrade one of our suites in the New Year.

However, my test user GPOs don't apply properly to our current Windows 7 computers, which neither have nor need the Classic Shell Start Menu. Since logging on with a test user account, the desktop and start menu folders no longer redirect when new users log in. I've had to do a system restore to an earlier date in order to fix it.

 

So the question is, how do I apply GPOs so that they only affect computers in the W10 OU, but are also dependent upon the type of user that logs in, i.e. student, teacher, administrator?

 

Am I making sense?

[PyROm]

Put the user settings for windows 10 in a computer gpo, in the w10 ou, and enable loopback processing.

[StevieM]

Put the user settings for windows 10 in a computer gpo, in the w10 ou, and enable loopback processing.

Thanks, @PyROm. I've just looked into that, but I'm not sure that it would work. Wouldn't it apply the same user settings regardless of who logged on? Even if I used the merge option, the computer's GPO would always take priority in a conflict. For example, if I wanted Control Panel removed from the Classic Shell Start menu for students, it would also be removed for administrators.

 

Is there someway I could combine this with Security Filtering, perhaps?

 

(Just when I think I'm starting to get my head around AD/GP, I realise that I've got SOOOO much to learn. )

[sted]

just do theese start menu settings as their own policy and wmi filter it to only apply to windows 10

[StevieM]

Thanks, @sted. That sounds good. I'll look into it.

[altecsole]

just do theese start menu settings as their own policy and wmi filter it to only apply to windows 10

 

We do this so that Classic Shell settings are only applied when users logon to Windows 10 - we are only deploying 64bit.

 

[StevieM]

I'm learning all the time!

[sted]

We do this so that Classic Shell settings are only applied when users logon to Windows 10 - we are only deploying 64bit.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]40240[/ATTACH]

if you only deploy x64 why even check for it? isnt os version and product type enough?

[altecsole]

if you only deploy x64 why even check for it? isnt os version and product type enough?

 

We did some software testing with 32-bit, but then standardised on 64-bit - there seemed no point in changing this filter though?

[sted]

We did some software testing with 32-bit, but then standardised on 64-bit - there seemed no point in changing this filter though?

fair enough

[Dan_ATR]

Could somebody please just tell MS to fire their start menu designers and just hire the dude who wrote classic shell?

 

I use GPP Shourtcuts with Item level targeting. Works fine untill now each new users start menu shows everything but does not allow you to click untill next logon. Pan in the ass this. Want Windows7 or Windows 8 start menu.

[sparkeh]

Ok I've hit a snag with my method of using GPPs to add shortcuts to the pinned area. Once you pin enough apps to make the menu hit the top of the screen, the pins which should appear at the bottom of the screen do not appear. I kinda expected the menu to go to two columns or be scrollable.

 

Can't see any way to alter this behaviour, anyone else know? :S

[bondbill2k2]

This is great thanks! Just one problem I'm looking to accomplish two things:

 

Remove all Shutdown menu items besides Shutdown Restart and Logoff (GPO and GUI only have this option for Windows 7 style)

Remove RUN (GPO and Gui only have this option for Windows classic mode)

 

So its either loose 1 feature or the other depending on which style we go for unless anyone here has accomplished this with a registry setting?

[altecsole]

Sorry if I misunderstand what you're trying to do...

 

We just allow pupils to have Logoff and remove shutdown, restart, sleep and hibernate - you can still shutdown or restart once logged off from the logon screen. GP to do this is under User -> Admin Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar -> 'Remove and prevent access to Shut Down, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate commands'.

 

'Remove Run menu form Start Menu' is there too.