[1607, au] Windows 10 1607 - Roaming Start layout?

[Trevelyan]

(For clarity - this is about the start layout and not the start menu. Start menu is not going to be redirected and we want to just do what we do with that anyway)

 

We're looking at deploying a custom start layout for users. Exporting a layout and deploying it via GPO looks like it works well, albeit a few programs not showing up, but of course people can't then customise the menu by unpinning and moving things about.

 

We really want to be able to give them a default menu that they can then customise if they want, but the partial start layout would probably be that bit too unintuitive for most users.

 

The key thing is, however; has anyone got a nice way to actually make the start layout roam with users? Is it stored in somewhere nice that folder redirection would be able to help with? Customising their tiles would be completely useless if they don't keep that layout when moving anywhere else!

 

One idea I had was a logoff script that exports their start menu to \\server\%username%\layout.xml and then have the Start Layout apply that file at login - but then they can't customise that in the first place.. seems a bit of a rubbish way to do it really.

 

If anyone has any ideas or tips for how to make a default layout that people can change work, that'd be ace. Or at least, one that roams with them!

Many thanks!

[PeterH]

Have a look at these two pages. This one talks about options for configuring the start menu layout, and allowing users to customize if you want to:

 

Everything you wanted to know about virtualizing, optimizing and managing Windows 10?but were afraid to ask ? part #5: THE START MENU - HTG | Howell Technology Group

 

And this one about issues with roaming the start menu layout:

 

Everything you wanted to know about virtualizing, optimizing and managing Windows 10...but were afraid to ask - part #6: ROAMING - HTG | Howell Technology Group

[kz20fl]

I wrote the two articles in the comment above, but if you want to be able to roam the Start Tiles properly, try this video I recorded, which discusses how to drop the Start Tiles into a traditional roaming profile

You may need to adapt it slightly for 1703, as per the comments

[FreelanceX]

If it helps, this is the default layout I use:

 

    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
   xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
   xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
   xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
   Version="1">

 
   
     
       
         
         
       
       
         
         
         
       
       
         
         
         
         
         
         
       
     
   
 

     
       
         
         
       
     
   

 

I apply it via GPO. All of this is enforced, but they can add their own below it. I don't redirect my start menu. If you do, this wont load the File Explorer or Office buttons. I also customise Office 2016 to dump the shortcuts into a single folder instead of Start Menu Root (Awful design!) so my code above reflects that.

 

If you want to roam it (I don't), The links the people above me have posted will help.

 

I did look into hosting the xml inside %HOMESHARE%%HOMEPATH% (GPP the default file there at user logon) and pointing the GPO to it. But never got around to testing it.

[Trevelyan]

If it helps, this is the default layout I use:

I apply it via GPO. All of this is enforced, but they can add their own below it. I don't redirect my start menu. If you do, this wont load the File Explorer or Office buttons. I also customise Office 2016 to dump the shortcuts into a single folder instead of Start Menu Root (Awful design!) so my code above reflects that.

 

If you want to roam it (I don't), The links the people above me have posted will help.

 

I did look into hosting the xml inside %HOMESHARE%%HOMEPATH% (GPP the default file there at user logon) and pointing the GPO to it. But never got around to testing it.

 

Unfortunately, if users make changes they wont travel with the user when they move, right?

[Trevelyan]

Overall, this sounds like a real pain to do. It clearly isn't something that Microsoft have given support for and it seems that theres a lot of scope for mess.

 

I think we will stick to fixed layouts or partial layouts. Unless it all changes later!

[FreelanceX]

Unfortunately, if users make changes they wont travel with the user when they move, right?

 

Personally unsure. As I said, never got around to testing it. I don't know if a user making a change would write back to the file in their home directory. If it did, then yeah it would travel with them.

 

If changes write back to another file (and Windows reads both) then, yeah it wouldn't travel. I decided to just push out the file above and allow users to add their own shortcuts per device.

 

I believe Microsoft's reasoning behind this (saw them discuss it somewhere, haven't got time to google source sorry) was due to them saying you may have different apps and preferences on different devices. This was in reference to it not following your Microsoft account on personal devices, unlike EVERY OTHER SETTING.

 

I don't think they took this into account though with Businesses and Schools.

[mikemcsharry]

I think this is related - page from microsoft a few weeks ago..

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/windows-10-start-layout-options-and-policies

 

I'm seeing a bit of success with it, but it refers to a MDM policy as being the way to configure some of these. I've downloaded and added latest (2015) windows 2012 admx pack but no reference to MDM in there.

 

Am I missing something? Is MDM policy a seperate admx pack? Or, does MDM mean it's only for tablets / phones?

[kz20fl]

MDM refers to management through Windows InTune, in this case

[mikemcsharry]

Thank you for quick reply on that - saved me going down a blind alley. I've got a small number (20) of win 10 pro machines in a primary school. Now i've just found this post from microsoft

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/group-policies-for-enterprise-and-education-editions

 

 

The school has a 365 subscription - is there an easy / in place way to swap from pro to education licence?

 

Just found the answer - need to get them into Azure AD first. Deep Joy.

Edited July 10, 2017 by mikemcsharry