Redirected Start Menu for staff

[gshaw]

If only this were as simple as classroom machines

 

Basically what I want to have is a generic Start Menu that we issue to all admin staff users but that can also be added to as some teams need to install additional software etc. Thought about a couple of scenarios...

 

• folder redirection to central Start Menu
  
• personal redirected Start Menu (same as Documents etc)
  
• no redirection at all?
  

Option 1 means I'll have to update the central one each time someone needs a new piece of software, not fun

Option 2 is what I'm trying now but thinking about it most software installs shortcuts into C:\ProgramData so what value does the redirection actually have?

Option 3 I'm not sure what it will actually do with a new user account, blank Start Menu but just in the local profile folder rather than the network?

 

I think all I want is the Start Menu to show ProgramData shortcuts plus any personal ones. That should be Option 1 but at the moment I'm getting a blank Start Menu even if I disable the "hide common program groups" option, which I'm finding a bit odd?