[1903, au] Removing Edu 1903 stock start menu items (calculator, connect/miracast, edge, etc)

[Garacesh]

Using some fancy Powershell work I've put a step in SCCM's task sequence to remove most of the crud we don't need.

 

But not all of it, because some of it you just can't.

 

When a user first logs in, they get the proper redirected start menu, just with Settings and Bing.

The second time a user logs in, icons for Calculator, Camera, Connect, Microsoft Edge, Photos, Sticky Notes, Voice Recorder and Windows Security show up.

 

There's probably one or two I can still rip out of the image, but mostly I'm just concerned with getting rid of the default icons. I absolutely abhor 'unsorted' start menu icons and it just muddies finding the software you want when you want it.

e.g. Voice Recorder, Calculator, Camera, Snip & Sketch, and Photos I'm happy to keep, I just want to nix the default icons so I can move them into a more appropriate subfolder.

 

My Google-fu appears to be failing me today. Are there some reg keys I need to add/nuke or something?

 

(Also some tiles don't work despite being exactly the same as the others.. but one issue at a time)

[CHiLL]

Have you considered removing the apps from the WIM and deploying that? That's how I was doing it and didn't have issues with re-appearing apps. Take a look at the Removing Candy Crush sticky thread in this forum section.

 

It's important to note that removing the Solitaire Collection in 1903 can break other apps.

 

I have stopped removing apps from my deployment and use AppLocker to prevent them from being launched. Yes, they still appear in the Start Menu and it triggers me - but it's easier than fighting with removing apps every time I move to a new version of Windows 10.

[Garacesh]

I have, and I've followed (bits of) that thread, but the consensus (on her and elsewhere) seems to be removing apps from the WIM causes more problems than it solves, and using powershell to remove them during imaging is the 'safer' way.

 

I'm not really fussed if they stay in the image, I just want them gone from the start menu. Because Microsoft seem to have forgotten the point of start menu redirection...

[Warwick_Tech]

Yes, they still appear in the Start Menu and it triggers me

 

What I find frustrating is this didn't happen in 1607, they just weren't there!

[Oaktech]

My scripts: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AkzDYVebVuvGihkIK_hV9P7djXmj?e=kFqGcI They're modded from other freely available from GitHub

 

 

Sub in/Comment out the bits you want to remove/keep

 

Also removes edge if you want?

 

More reference https://www.scconfigmgr.com/2019/05/03/remove-built-in-apps-for-windows-10-version-1903/