Windows 10 Task Sequence

[darbyshire]

Hi all,

We are looking at using MDT when we roll out Windows 10 onto our network.

 

Just wondering what do you install in the task sequence?

At the moment we have got Office and .net 3.5

 

Do you add anything else or just leave GPO to do most of it?

 

Thanks

Edited March 17, 2016 by darbyshire

[bb12489]

The only other thing I have in our Task Sequence is a powershell script to remove specific modern apps from the system. Make for a a much cleaner start menu. Otherwise there is a lot that can be controlled by GPO. Recently found the GPO to disable automatic installing of Candy crush and twitter!

[tmoon-mint]

The only other thing I have in our Task Sequence is a powershell script to remove specific modern apps from the system. Make for a a much cleaner start menu. Otherwise there is a lot that can be controlled by GPO. Recently found the GPO to disable automatic installing of Candy crush and twitter!

 

Which ones do you remove specifically? And is the method the same as in Windows 8? (remove-appxpackage)

[Arthur]

And is the method the same as in Windows 8? (remove-appxpackage)

You might find the following script useful. The apps highlighted in red are the ones you want to keep (plus any other apps if required?). Everything else gets removed.

 

www.scconfigmgr.com/2016/03/01/remove-built-in-apps-when-creating-a-windows-10-reference-image

 

# Get a list of all apps
$AppArrayList = Get-AppxPackage -PackageTypeFilter Bundle | Select-Object -Property Name, PackageFullName | Sort-Object -Property Name

# Loop through the list of apps
foreach ($App in $AppArrayList) {
   # Exclude essential Windows apps
   if (($App.Name -in "[color="#FF0000"]Microsoft.WindowsCalculator[/color]","[color="#FF0000"]Microsoft.WindowsStore[/color]","[color="#FF0000"]Microsoft.Appconnector[/color]","[color="#FF0000"]Microsoft.WindowsCommunicationsApps[/color]","[color="#FF0000"]Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder[/color]")) {
       Write-Output -InputObject "Skipping essential Windows app: $($App.Name)"
   }
   # Remove AppxPackage and AppxProvisioningPackage
   else {
       # Gather package names
       $AppPackageFullName = Get-AppxPackage -Name $App.Name | Select-Object -ExpandProperty PackageFullName
       $AppProvisioningPackageName = Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like $App.Name } | Select-Object -ExpandProperty PackageName
       # Attempt to remove AppxPackage
       try {
           Write-Output -InputObject "Removing AppxPackage: $AppPackageFullName"
           Remove-AppxPackage -Package $AppPackageFullName -ErrorAction Stop
       }
       catch [system.Exception] {
           Write-Warning -Message $_.Exception.Message
       }
       # Attempt to remove AppxProvisioningPackage
       try {
           Write-Output -InputObject "Removing AppxProvisioningPackage: $AppProvisioningPackageName"
           Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -PackageName $AppProvisioningPackageName -Online -ErrorAction Stop
       }
       catch [system.Exception] {
           Write-Warning -Message $_.Exception.Message
       }
   }
}

Edited March 18, 2016 by Arthur

[tmoon-mint]

That's really helpful, thanks!

[Arthur]

Do you add anything else

This command in the task sequence (so that Candy Crush etc. doesn't get added to the Start Menu)...

 

REG ADD "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent" /v DisableWindowsConsumerFeatures /d 1 /t REG_DWORD /f

 

More details: www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-10/165029-how-get-rid-candy-crush-soda-saga-other-windows-10-start-menu-junk-good.html

[bb12489]

Which ones do you remove specifically? And is the method the same as in Windows 8? (remove-appxpackage)

 

These are the collection of scripts that I found in my searches....

 

https://github.com/W4RH4WK/Debloat-Windows-10

 

The only one I'm using at the moment is the one to remove modern apps. In the script you can comment out the apps that you want to keep. I've basically only kept Mail, Calendar, Calc, Weather, and maybe a couple others. Most bing apps have been removed.

[darbyshire]

Thanks for the reply we are using the Windows 10 LTSB which is on volume licensing. This already have e.g. xbox, edge etc removed.

[thimon]

You might find the following script useful. The apps highlighted in red are the ones you want to keep (plus any other apps if required?). Everything else gets removed.

 

www.scconfigmgr.com/2016/03/01/remove-built-in-apps-when-creating-a-windows-10-reference-image

 

I found that the script removes all the Apps for the currently signed in user, sign in as another user and all the Apps are still there

[timbo343]

I found that the script removes all the Apps for the currently signed in user, sign in as another user and all the Apps are still there

 

When we planned for edu we used the script and worked a treat. You have you enable the comsumer policy too which i forget where it is.

[zag]

I found that the script removes all the Apps for the currently signed in user, sign in as another user and all the Apps are still there

 

I'm having the same issue with the latest education edition. Any ideas how to fix? Does this script need to be run on each new user login?

[thimon]

I'm having the same issue with the latest education edition. Any ideas how to fix? Does this script need to be run on each new user login?

Found that this worked in the end. Just remove any app in the list at the beginning to leave it installed.

($AppsList = “Microsoft.Office.Onenote”,”Microsoft.BingFinance”,”Microsoft.BingNews”,”Microsoft.BingWeather”,”Microsoft.XboxApp”,”Microsoft.SkypeApp”,”Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection”,”Microsoft.BingSports”,”Microsoft.ZuneMusic”,”Microsoft.ZuneVideo”,”Microsoft.People”,”Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub”,”Microsoft.WindowsMaps”,”microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps”,”Microsoft.Getstarted”,”Microsoft.3DBuilder”,"Microsoft.CommsPhone","Microsoft.Messaging","Microsoft.Windows.FeatureOnDemand.InsiderHub""Microsoft.Windows.Cortana")ForEach ($App in $AppsList){$PackageFullName = (Get-AppxPackage $App).PackageFullName$ProPackageFullName = (Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -online | where {$_.Displayname -eq $App}).PackageNamewrite-host $PackageFullNameWrite-Host $ProPackageFullNameif ($PackageFullName){Write-Host “Removing Package: $App”remove-AppxPackage -package $PackageFullName}else{Write-Host “Unable to find package: $App”}if ($ProPackageFullName){Write-Host “Removing Provisioned Package: $ProPackageFullName”Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -online -packagename $ProPackageFullName}else{Write-Host “Unable to find provisioned package: $App”}}

[zag]

Found that this worked in the end. Just remove any app in the list at the beginning to leave it installed.

 

Just tried that and works fine for the logged in user, but I still get bloatware apps when I log on as a test student.

 

Is there any way to do it as a one off thing? rather than a login script?

 

Edited March 23, 2017 by zag

[thimon]

Is there any way to do it as a one off thing? rather than a login script?

We've got the script as a task sequence in MDT when we deploy Windows, then a custom start menu layout deployed through group policy. Hopefully through the All apps list the majority should be removed. If you deployed a custom start menu layout you wont have the bloatware apps appear.

[sparkeh]

With respect to the original question, we install:

• En-gb language pack
  
• .net 3.5
  
• Office
  
• Chrome
  
• PaperCut
  
• VLC
  
• Classic Shell
  
• Adobe Reader
  

 

The software installed is what every machine needs. After imaging the machine picks up any extra software it needs based on its location.

 

Oh and all metro apps are stripped out of the image beforehand.

[Chuckster]

With respect to the original question, we install:

• En-gb language pack
  
• .net 3.5
  
• Office
  
• Chrome
  
• PaperCut
  
• VLC
  
• Classic Shell
  
• Adobe Reader
  

 

The software installed is what every machine needs. After imaging the machine picks up any extra software it needs based on its location.

 

Oh and all metro apps are stripped out of the image beforehand.

@sparkeh, how do you install the .NET Framework 3.5 during the task sequence?

[sparkeh]

@sparkeh, how do you install the .NET Framework 3.5 during the task sequence?

There is an MDT step called "Install Roles and Features" where you can select to install .net 3.5

 

By default the step looks for the SXS installation folder in the deployment share where you are deploying the image from.

 

If you are using SCCM you can add a "Set Task Sequence Variable" step and create a variable called "WindowsSource" and set the value to the path of the SXS folder.

If you are using just MDT you can specify the "WindowsSource" variable in your Customsettings.ini

 

Edit: actually I think you can just do the same in MDT - sorry I haven't used MDT on its own for a long time.

https://blog.thomasmarcussen.com/installing-net-framework-3-5-with-mdt-2013-the-simple-way/

Edited March 23, 2017 by sparkeh