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danielkrause
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AppStack Issues with Windows 10 Startmenu after Updating Agent to 2.18.0.25

We are using Windows 10 1803 at the moment.

After upgrading the agent to 2.18.0.25 the startmenu is not working anymore, when a appstack is attached even when we are creating new app stacks in the same version with the new templates.

We noticed in the agent version before that sometimes there was a delay when creating the startmenu.

Anyone know what to configure or to exclude in the snapvol.cfg to make the startmenu working?

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Ray_handels
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There are events being added into event viewer in which it states that all appstacks are merged.

Also, Ivanti and Appvolumes is not the best of all combinations.. I have heard of quite some issues getting those to work nicely together.

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Ray_handels
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Startmenu not working was mostly due to issue with modern apps not being able to be configured in the start menu,

What issues do you see in the event viewer?

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danielkrause
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I noticed that it was an issue with the Win10 Version.

We created a new capture machine on 1803 (same as our master).

Then the startmenu appears but still not very reliable. Sometimes the icons not appearing or only after a desktop refresh, sometimes it takes up to 10 Minutes.

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Ray_handels
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Are you using DEM??

Thing is that after every attachment of an appstack Appvolumes does a start menu refresh. If these refreshes have been done before the login is completely done it could be that a start menu refresh is not triggered. Using DEM you could do a start menu refresh after Appvolumes is done entirely thus showing the icons in the startmenu. Could you give that a try?

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danielkrause
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No, we are using AppSense (Ivanti Desktop Now).

At the moment we are doing a Explorer kill & restart action, this works sometimes...

But i would love to know the commands that are being used at the desktop refresh action.

I would need to check an reference if all appstacks are connected to find the right moment to refresh. Is there a trigger?

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Ray_handels
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There are events being added into event viewer in which it states that all appstacks are merged.

Also, Ivanti and Appvolumes is not the best of all combinations.. I have heard of quite some issues getting those to work nicely together.

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deep84
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Hey,

We are running into the same issue. What do you mean by the appstacks are merged?

Are you aware of a solution/workaround?

Thanks in advance

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danielkrause
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deep84​: Are you using VMware DEM / UWM for profile management? We are using Ivanti Enviroment Manager (former AppSense).

Normally the flexengine of VMware UWM can intiate a Refresh. But in our case is that no option to setup UWM.

i found a workaround if you are using no DEM.

It would be to restart the "StartmenuExperienceHost.exe" in a logon script if the desktop is created.

This will refresh the startmenu.

I noticed that depeding on the login time and number of appstacks the script is too early that's why i am running the script for a longer time and repeat the refresh serval times.

That fixed the issue for me. i know a workaround is not allways the best idea but we found no other option without using Vmware

Powershell Script (after Desktop Created)

Stop-Process -Name "StartMenuExperienceHost" -Force

Start-Sleep -s 10

Stop-Process -Name "StartMenuExperienceHost" -Force

Start-Sleep -s 10

Stop-Process -Name "StartMenuExperienceHost" -Force

Start-Sleep -s 60

Stop-Process -Name "StartMenuExperienceHost" -Force

exit 0

CMD

taskkill /f /im StartMenuExperienceHost.exe

Powershell

Stop-Process -Name "StartMenuExperienceHost" -Force

deep84
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Thanks for the response and info.

I submitted a ticket to VMware and they mentioned they should be releasing a new Agent 2.18.50 which should should fix the issue.

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danielkrause
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Waiting years for that. Version 4.1 has the same issue by the way.

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deep84
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Yeah kinda suprised its taken this long.

I was looking at your workaround, I cant seem to locate "StartMenuExperienceHost". Maybe its not on Windows 10 1809......

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danielkrause
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Ah i see we switched to 1909, i guess maybe in 1809 its not present?

Its not the sexiest way to do it, but it worked for us in 1803 to get the startmenu working.

Logon Script after AppVolumes Attached

Taskkill /F /IM explorer.exe & start explorer.exe

exit

Maybe you can trigger it with a task on a  Post App Volumes Attachement event?

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deep84
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lol nothing sexy about this!

Yeah i tried killing explorer.exe and had no luck.

Maybe we are having a different issue.

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danielkrause
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ok, some more tipps:

- You are using a fully patched capturing machine in same state as the master with the same agent version?

- Managementserver and Client Version is identically?

- On Capturing Machine you used the VMware optmizing tools (OSAT) or deactivate Antimailware/Firewall?

- You set the user account control?

- After capture process on the capture machine you revert to a snapshot before any application capturing was done to get a clean machine again?

- Have you used the right capture template / upload to the datastore after updating your management server?

- Did you install the basic Windows System tools like MS dot.net / C++ Redistributable e.g. 2015-2019 on the capture machine before capturing? This sometimes helps.

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