FragglePete Posted August 2, 2016 Posted August 2, 2016 Just got our image ready, and noticed that the File Explorer icon is missing from the Start Menu. When I looked at the Insider Preview a while back, I noticed that it had changed but on this release.... .it's just not there! I can right click the start menu and select File Explorer there or press Windows + E, but that's not exactly straight forward! More worrying, logged in locally to the machine (just to rule out a GPO issue) and again no File Explorer but this time I get an error when I try to get to the File Explorer any other way. Most worrying. Pete
mavhc Posted August 2, 2016 Posted August 2, 2016 By default it's off, you can go into Settings and enable it, as a one time thing, not sure about globally 1
FragglePete Posted August 2, 2016 Author Posted August 2, 2016 By default it's off, you can go into Settings and enable it, as a one time thing, not sure about globally Oh crap! Ok, any ideas on how to set this ON by default!!! FFS !! Why, why, why?????!!!!! Pete
mavhc Posted August 2, 2016 Posted August 2, 2016 I don't see any new admx files, so probably the xml layout thing from https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/itpro/windows/manage/windows-10-start-layout-options-and-policies I was going to install Win10 more widely, but seems like they're trying to screw over Pro users, and have to pay for Education version, back to my linux testing
DJ-1701 Posted August 2, 2016 Posted August 2, 2016 By default it's off, you can go into Settings and enable it, as a one time thing, not sure about globally To provide more detail (in case anyone else finds this missing) Settings -> Personalization -> Start -> Choose which folders appear on Start. It didn't disappear when I upgraded my Windows 10 Education Admin PC, so I assume upgrades may be fine, just fresh installations. I'll try and see if this corresponds to a reg key.
DalekSec Posted August 2, 2016 Posted August 2, 2016 I've just updated to 1607 edu on my PC and i have an icon
FragglePete Posted August 2, 2016 Author Posted August 2, 2016 I can see what there doing with all of this, and I understand its all about letting the end user customise their own experience. However, I believe some things should be left on by default (ie. File Explorer on Start Menu) or at least let us centrally control what the default is via GPO, Reg Tweak, etc to fit with our end users (ie. school kids). The problem is, I've disabled the Immersive Control Panel via Applocker.... so students can't access this and add it themselves. My reason being is that a standard user with the immersive control panel can completely fubar a machine by using the Recovery Options in the Settings App. It's not end of the world just yet..... right click start menu and File Explorer is there. And I've added a shortcut into the Start Menu (we using Burconix to do this) so I can do this centrally. I'm just frustrated we can't make this change centrally. Pete
Michael Posted August 2, 2016 Posted August 2, 2016 I agree it's odd that Microsoft have made this the default, seeing as (in a network environment) users in Education and Enterprise will want to access their files via Explorer. Unless an updated ADMX template or a customised Start Menu (via XML) allows you to do this, then as I say Classic Shell allows you to control the lot centrally as you require. Will be interesting to see whether the redirected XML Start Menu issue is now fixed or if the issue persists. As I've mentioned in other posts, since deploying Classic Shell, support requests such as Logging Off, Shutting down, Restarting and accessing File Explorer have literally gone down to zero.
FragglePete Posted August 2, 2016 Author Posted August 2, 2016 I agree it's odd that Microsoft have made this the default, seeing as (in a network environment) users in Education and Enterprise will want to access their files via Explorer. Unless an updated ADMX template or a customised Start Menu (via XML) allows you to do this, then as I say Classic Shell allows you to control the lot centrally as you require. Will be interesting to see whether the redirected XML Start Menu issue is now fixed or if the issue persists. As I've mentioned in other posts, since deploying Classic Shell, support requests such as Logging Off, Shutting down, Restarting and accessing File Explorer have literally gone down to zero. We're using Burconnix so we can control the start menu centrally determined on User, PC, apps installed, etc. I gave up on the start layout xml file thingy a while back, and just decided to let it be. Life is too short. But, I'm just so puzzled by this change and it's something we can't control (yet). Still - pushing ahead with deployment. Everything else seems to work ok. Pete
Michael Posted August 2, 2016 Posted August 2, 2016 Well as I say, the Start Layout XML issue might be fixed, we don't know yet. I'm sure (if you haven't already) Burconnix if you ask will probably make such a feature possible (adding Explorer to the Start Menu), but I can't help but think they 'must' be using the XML method as it is, there's no other way of doing it. Classic Shell of course replaces the whole thing, (on top) and it also uses XML to support Start Menu layouts but in a much better fashion. Not sure why Microsoft didn't adopt the same method.
mavhc Posted August 2, 2016 Posted August 2, 2016 I can see what there doing with all of this, and I understand its all about letting the end user customise their own experience. However, I believe some things should be left on by default (ie. File Explorer on Start Menu) or at least let us centrally control what the default is via GPO, Reg Tweak, etc to fit with our end users (ie. school kids). The problem is, I've disabled the Immersive Control Panel via Applocker.... so students can't access this and add it themselves. My reason being is that a standard user with the immersive control panel can completely fubar a machine by using the Recovery Options in the Settings App. It's not end of the world just yet..... right click start menu and File Explorer is there. And I've added a shortcut into the Start Menu (we using Burconix to do this) so I can do this centrally. I'm just frustrated we can't make this change centrally. Pete If MS bothered to make a GPO for PC Settings it would be a start. It's even worse than that now, can't even block PC Settings with GPO without also blocking Control Panel, which has granular policies. Are you saying a user without admin rights can run Recovery? That's insane.
Michael Posted August 2, 2016 Posted August 2, 2016 If MS bothered to make a GPO for PC Settings it would be a start. It's even worse than that now, can't even block PC Settings with GPO without also blocking Control Panel, which has granular policies. Are you saying a user without admin rights can run Recovery? That's insane. That's another reason I use Classic Shell - you can make Control Panel available - either the whole lot, or specific CP items by GPO but you can't do the same with PC Settings. You can at least hide the PC Settings link with Classic Shell, which then makes it incredibly difficult to launch it; if you factor in blocked access to the Command Prompt, Powershell, Start Context Menu and the Run command. As far as I'm aware, there's no other way to launch it.
perak Posted August 2, 2016 Posted August 2, 2016 Has anyone been able to pin 'This PC' to the start menu and deploy it via the xml file/group policy? I was under the impression that it should work as long as I have a 'This PC.lnk' shortcut in '%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\' but it doesn't seem to want to appear... Failing that, any other ideas on restoring the file explorer shortcut on 1607?
free780 Posted August 2, 2016 Posted August 2, 2016 If you are pushing out the start layout. You have to push out any shortcuts via GPP. I use the file setting to the all users start menu. I've not had chance to try 1607 yet.
mavhc Posted August 3, 2016 Posted August 3, 2016 Classic shell hacked https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12215449
DJ-1701 Posted August 24, 2016 Posted August 24, 2016 In the end with the Modern Start Menu, I added the File Explorer to the start menu on one profile, then copied the profiles %LocalAppData%\TileDataLayer folder to C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\TileDataLayer and new profiles on that machine include the File Explorer on Start Menu.
FreelanceX Posted August 24, 2016 Posted August 24, 2016 (edited) If anyone is interested, I have a powershell script/xml file which deploys a custom start and taskbar layout. It works on 1607 and, as it isn't applied via GPO, "should" apply to Pro versions too (and also makes it a default layout, but not mandatory). It can either be deployed in a MDT/SCCM task sequence, or as a Start Up script. It will apply to all new logins. I don't use roaming profiles, so not sure how they would be effected. Screencap: Edit: Apologies for the RDP Inception. On my SP4 at home, connected to my office PC, connected to a customer server, connected to a VM. lol Edited August 24, 2016 by FreelanceX apologies
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