Start Menu - Well, Well, Well

[garethEds]

Well well well - managed to get Windows 10 Enterprise to load in a previously exported .xml start menu from our central network store. Not sure what everyone is on about when they say it doesn't work. It does.

@rich_tech came up with our solution. It was all down to permissions. Simplest of things.

 

So I've been playing about with it and it's looking good. HOWEVER - despite setting it up with 3 columns it wants to revert to 6 - which isn't what I wanted.

 

More time to play - but at least the .xml is being imported in.

 

Gareth

[JRowley]

You have to manually change the .xml column count I seem to recall, these lines are relevant:

 

 

Specifically the first one will be set to 2 even if you set it up to only have 1.

Edited February 1, 2016 by JRowley

[ReverentCreature]

Still cant get it to work here at all.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by permissions?

Which GPO are you using?

We are using Windows 10 Education version which should also support this.

[Liam]

Remember that the start screen will only work if you are using the same os that you exported from. I made this mistake.

Things also only appear if they exist in the start menu .i pinned things using a redirected student start menu.. When I logged in as staff it didn't pull things in as they didn't appear in the staff start menu.

It's working for me now flawlessly. Only works with enterprise and education I think.. And also ensure you have the start layout set in GpO

[ReverentCreature]

Ive made slight progress. The XML layout is being applied but it seems to be an issue with shortcut delivery. I am testing with a basic layout for the moment. Users are getting the apps but not the exe shortcuts.

[sted]

Ive made slight progress. The XML layout is being applied but it seems to be an issue with shortcut delivery. I am testing with a basic layout for the moment. Users are getting the apps but not the exe shortcuts.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]34789[/ATTACH]

 

are you using the same redirected start menu when you create your layout as the users get? If you are pinning items for the all users start menu then disable that shortcuts wont appear (this is at least true of 8.1 not really tried 10 in anger yet). I just set up a user with the same redirected start menu as the kids/staff when I create my layout screen

[ReverentCreature]

Hmm not I don't think so. The Microsoft Office icons for definite were from a folder that the users get. We tested and they show up just fine for the affected users.

[jmak]

So many threads I don't know where to post...

 

I'm planning to create a windows 10 build over half term and aiming to get a customised start menu. Judging by threads on here, that will be enough of a challenge, but I always try and complicate things

 

I usually create a "slim" image, I.E. OS plus Office and a few utilities. Most of the curriculum software is deployed by Group Policy after the devices are added to the domain. If I've configured the start menu in the build, can I get tiles for programs added later?

[Michael]

Well well well - managed to get Windows 10 Enterprise to load in a previously exported .xml start menu from our central network store. Not sure what everyone is on about when they say it doesn't work. It does.

@rich_tech came up with our solution. It was all down to permissions. Simplest of things.

 

So I've been playing about with it and it's looking good. HOWEVER - despite setting it up with 3 columns it wants to revert to 6 - which isn't what I wanted.

 

More time to play - but at least the .xml is being imported in.

 

Gareth

 

I'm please you've had some success, and I agree permissions is part of the issue, but as you've clearly demonstrated, it still hasn't imported as you require. If you have this issue across hundreds of users, it just isn't viable to correct centrally.

 

Another consideration (please try it), once you have your perfect XML file, try updating it with a random application and you'll find you'll be back to square one. You've pretty much got to the stage where I was at. The XML works in some fashion when the device is deployed and added to the domain, but changing it after this proved problematic.

 

Classic Shell for example still has its advantages - you can change/update shortcuts in real time (without logging off) - you simply cannot do this with the default Start Menu.

[free780]

I'm please you've had some success, and I agree permissions is part of the issue, but as you've clearly demonstrated, it still hasn't imported as you require. If you have this issue across hundreds of users, it just isn't viable to correct centrally.

 

Another consideration (please try it), once you have your perfect XML file, try updating it with a random application and you'll find you'll be back to square one. You've pretty much got to the stage where I was at. The XML works in some fashion when the device is deployed and added to the domain, but changing it after this proved problematic.

 

Classic Shell for example still has its advantages - you can change/update shortcuts in real time (without logging off) - you simply cannot do this with the default Start Menu.

Strange I have folder redirection working. Shortcuts update after a few seconds. Different story for the tiles. Some app just won't uninstall. Cortana etc. Applocker can stop them though.