How to import Start Layout xml into the Default user profile

[axshun]

Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019

Mandatory profiles

UEM 9.8

Horizon View 7.8

I've been reading a lot of the threads and articles on how to get Start menu settings to be retained with UEM. All of the threads have been so helpful, but I'm stuck on one part. I believe I know the right registry/file paths to set in the Import/Export tab of UEM. My question is how do I tell UEM to use a specific StartLayout.XML file and push it out to the users.

I read on Pim van de Vis' blog (Managing Windows 10 with VMware User Environment Manager), that you can use Import-StartLayout -LayoutPath C:\StartLayout.xml -MountPath $env:SystemDrive\ command to import a Start Layout XML file into the Default profile. But I don't understand how to do that.

You can't login as the Default user right? So do you login as any local admin and run that command then do the 'Copy To' process again, copying it into the Mandatory profile?

Any steps or info would be helpful! Thanks!

Pim_van_de_Vis​ ijdemes​

[cbaptiste · Accepted solution]

You can customize the layout the way you wish it to look.

Use the Export-StartLayout command in powershell to export it and use the -Path to tell it where to save it.
Example:  Export-StartLayout –path <path><file name>.xml

Create a GPO either in AD or local to the computer to specify the start menu for all users

To configure Start Layout policy settings in Local Group Policy Editor

1. On the test computer, press the Windows key, type gpedit, and then select Edit group policy (Control panel).
2. Go to User Configuration or Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates >Start Menu and Taskbar.
3. Start Layout > Enabled > Start Layout File > Type the path the the exported layout

All the details are here

Manage Windows 10 Start and taskbar layout (Windows 10) | Microsoft Docs

You don't really need to follow the steps on that article anymore. In UEM, Select > Create Config File > Use a Windows Common Setting > Windows 10 Start Menu - Windows 10 Version 1703 and higher

Suggestion: Name it "Windows 1803 Start Menu" or whatever the version of Windows 10 it is. I noticed using multiple version of Windows 10 with the same UEM profile breaks the start menu since Microsoft, in each version has changed thing in the start menu that isn't compatible with other versions of Windows 10. You will need to set a condition so that UEM knows to only apply this specific start menu with this specific version.

Condition Tab > Registry Value > HKLM \ SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion \ ReleaseId  Is equal to 1803

Hope that helps.

[axshun]

Perfection! Thank you for the info! I was making it way too hard.