Windows 10 issues - Right click start button

[BACA]

Hi all,

 

for the last month or so I have been working on a way to deploy Win 10 Edu 1511 throughout my school. I have created a VM running SCCM 1511 with WSUS to manage updates. Created a task sequence in SCCM with the help of MDT 2013 update 2. Did not create my own master image, just used the Win 10 ISO. I am installing apps as part of the task sequence such as chrome, office 2016, antivirus, abtutor agent etc.

 

I have disabled all universal apps by disabling access to the store via GPO. SCCM has its own store that I can use to advertise packaged apps if necessary.

 

The staff are using roaming profiles on existing Win 7 desktops. In testing, the first login fails with error which I can't remember but subsequent logins create a v5 profile as expected alongside their v2 profiles. Login times for my test staff account are no slower than to be expected. We will be upgrading the desktops to 120 GB SSDs over time which will half login times. Edge browser crashes on loading with roaming profiles but I see that that this has been fixed on a recent Insider build, so it will filter through at some point. Both staff and students have folder redirection including desktop and start menu. On Win10, I have turned off start menu redirection. I have created custom xmls for both staff and pupils which are deployed via GPO. Getting IE11 to show up on the custom start was a pain but this is possible by modifying the xml and using a link instead of the default code.

 

The students are using mandatory Win 7 profiles. I tried creating a Win10 profile and then sanitizing it and this creates a profile which logs in quicker but with no start menu as seen elsewhere on the web so is no good. Using the copy profile method creates a working v5 mandatory profile which logs in slower 1 to 1min30 , because it has to prepare windows each time. This will speed up with SSDs.

 

My current issue is that I have found no way to disable the right click on start menu button which gives students access to all sorts of goodies, most of which are disabled, but I would prefer it if the temptation wasn't there. So in conclusion, if anyone knows a way to disable this function please let me know.

[Michael]

There are two ways - delete the contents (not the actual folders) of:

 

C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX\Group1

C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX\Group2

C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX\Group3

 

And/or implement/install Classic Shell.

 

If you implement Classic Shell correctly/optionally, when you login as a Domain Admin, you see the standard Windows 10 context menu and other end users either see a Classic Shell context menu, or nothing at all. Again it depends how you configure your setup, but all is possible.

[Michael]

With regards to Edge, I would recommend you disable it via AppLocker. It's just not Enterprise ready as yet and still has a long way to go in terms of development. IE11 or Chrome, both properly manageable via GPO is the way to go.

[BACA]

Thanks Michael for your help with this. I am trying the GPO files method using replace with the source files being \\baca-file1\redirect\winx\* where the source winx folder contains the 3 empty group folders and the destination is c:\users\%username%\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\winx\ . Currently this is deleting the 3 group folders in the user's winx folder leaving the destination winx folder empty. I have tried with the box for running in logged-on user's context. The empty winx folder does seem to work for the user.

 

The only other outstanding issues I need to control on the start menu is disabling right click on the customized start icons and changing the pinned icons above the power button, both via gpo or registry hack, any ideas?

 

Thanks in advance

[Michael]

This is how I delete the contents of the WinX folders.

 

As for your other queries, I use Classic Shell. Most current templates I use are here.

[Garacesh]

Anybody figured out putting stuff in to the right click menu? We've cleared out all the admin stuff, but it would be nice to put frequently used programs in there (calc, iexplore, etc)

 

Just putting a shortcut into the folders doesn't seem to have worked.

[Michael]

You're right you can't. There are probably registry entries and other requirements in the background.

 

If you Google search WinX Editor there are tools that can do it for you. As to whether this needs to be installed on every workstation or if it roams in your profile thereafter, I'm not sure to be honest.

 

The WinX menu works for me 'as is' with most tools I use already on there.