Windows 10 LTSB 2016, UEM and Roaming Profiles

[apelz]

Hi there,

i know there are severals thread with this problem, but i cant find any working solution for me and want to ask again in a seperate discussion. We are trying to roam userprofiles for Windows 10 with UEM. My problem is that the start menu is not working if youre trying to login to a different VDI. Has anyone a working concept which he can share with me? Ive followed different solutions:

Mysteriously Disappearing Start Menu Tiles and Roaming User Profiles | Ask Premier Field Engineering...

and

FIXED! Roam the Windows 10 Start Menu in your VDI environment.

but no ones is working for my ltsb.

Mostly i have 2 different problems. On some way the logout process is hanging, the vm does not log off the user after hours. In this case, the settings are complete unusable. The other case is that the logon is working fine until you trying to log on to a different machine. After that the start button does not show any menu.

At the moment im trying the follow settings with uem:

[IncludeRegistryTrees]

HKCU\SOFTWARE

[IncludeFolderTrees]

<AppData>

<LocalAppData>

<Desktop>

<Favorites>

[ExcludeFolderTrees]

<AppData>\Microsoft\Credentials

<AppData>\Microsoft\Installer

<AppData>\Microsoft\Protect

<AppData>\Microsoft\Windows

<LocalAppData>\ConnectedDevicesPlatform

<LocalAppData>\TileDataLayer

<LocalAppData>\Temp

<LocalAppData>\Packages

<LocalAppData>\VirtualStore

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\CLR_v2.0

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\CLR_v4.0

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Credentials

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\GameDVR

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Group Policy

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Input Personalization

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\PenWorkspace

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Vault

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Windows

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\WindowsApps

[ExcludeFiles]

*.tmp

i know its not the best practise, but firstly i want a way which is working. If its working i can work on optimization.

Thanks!

[apelz]

no one?

[Pim_van_de_Vis · Accepted solution]

The problem is that the Windows 10 Start Menu is stored in a database file which is locked and cannot be exported by UEM.

The answer is in this blog:

https://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2016/11/managing-windows-10-vmware-user-environment-manager.html

In short: you need to run a powershell script to export the StartMenu at logoff and put that exported file in the correct place.

UEM will import that file at logon again and Windows will pick it up to rebuild the Start Menu.

Let me know if this works for you.

This will become easier with Windows 10 1703 and later.

And you already mention it, but it's against all recommendations to capture the complete AppData and LocalAppData folders, since that will seriously impact you login and logoff times.

https://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2016/11/managing-windows-10-vmware-user-environment-manager.html

[apelz]

Hi,

sorry for the late response, I need several time to get it working, but its running with your blog post. Im using now 2 config files to roam startmenu and profile:

Start Menu:

#Sync Default Taskbar xml

[IncludeFiles]

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\LayoutModification.XML

# Expanded settings for Windows Common Setting 'Taskbar settings':

[IncludeRegistryTrees]

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartPage

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartPage2

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband

[IncludeIndividualRegistryValues]

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\TaskbarSizeMove

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\EnableAutoTray

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StuckRects2\Settings

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StuckRects3\Settings

[IncludeFolderTrees]

<AppData>\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

Profile:

[IncludeRegistryTrees]

HKCU\Control Panel

HKCU\Keyboard Layout

HKCU\Network

HKCU\Printers

HKCU\SOFTWARE

[ExcludeRegistryTrees]

HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows

HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT

HKCU\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft

[IncludeFolderTrees]

<AppData>

<LocalAppData>

<Desktop>

<Favorites>

[ExcludeFolderTrees]

<AppData>\Microsoft\Credentials

<AppData>\Microsoft\Installer

<AppData>\Microsoft\Protect

<AppData>\Microsoft\Windows

<LocalAppData>\ConnectedDevicesPlatform

<LocalAppData>\TileDataLayer

<LocalAppData>\Temp

<LocalAppData>\Packages

<LocalAppData>\VirtualStore

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\CLR_v2.0

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\CLR_v4.0

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Credentials

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\GameDVR

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Group Policy

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Input Personalization

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\PenWorkspace

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Vault

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Windows

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar

<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\WindowsApps

[ExcludeFiles]

*.tmp

Its important that you dont roam the HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows and HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT. If you roaming this keys its still not working with the LayoutModification.XML.

[apelz]

Sry guys, ive to push this topic again.

Im still using the configuration as i described in my last post. Mostly this is working, but on 1 of 3 login tries, the start button is still without function. In this case the login time is very long, over 30 seconds.

if im logout and login again, the startmenu is working again. Is someone with the same problem in this szenario? I would like to prefer to use Windows LTSB, but thinking about to change to 1703.

thanks!

best regards

Alex

[Pim_van_de_Vis]

When you go to 1703, roaming the Start Menu will become 100 times easier.

Just use this KB in that case:

How to roam Windows 10 Start Menu layout (2150422)

VMware Knowledge Base