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DublChen
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What is the proper way to create a stable Outlook profile for floating desktops using DEM 9.11?

Hello Community,

As you can see from my title, I am struggling with getting the Outlook profile to stay put when using a floating desktop pool.  Right now I have DEM set to redirect the OST file to an AppVolumes writable volume.  First boot goes great.  When I log back into a fresh desktop after a recompose, it starts everything all over again.  The Outlook first time set up.  The Office first time set up.  Everything.  Not even my desktop profile and customizations are being set or saved using DEM. I am a beginner with using DEM (AppVolumes too), so any advice would be very much appreciated.  I've followed a couple of guides I found on the interwebs and still can't get it to perform as intended.

Horizon 7.12

AppVolumes 4

DEM 9.11

Thanks,

Dubl aka Keith

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sjesse
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Make sure when your installing office to install all components, as that should prevent this in a lot of cases. Also if you have office plugins in different appstacks, they should be installed with office. Also if your users are install plugins and are using a writeble, this is unavoidable. I really suggest if office is used by 80% or more of your users, just install it in the parent image. The reinstall generally isn't a profile issue, more of an appvolumes issues.

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nburton935
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Keith,

Do you also have DEM persisting the user's Outlook configuration?

If not, under Personalization tab, create a new configuration, select Use an Application Template, choose your version of Office (I believe 2016 = 365). This will allow users to import/export Outlook settings at login/logoff. Also ensure you have a logging path configured via Group Policy so you can check to make sure all import/exports are completing as expected.

-Nick

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DublChen
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I do have the Office2016 configuration added, yet I am unsure of if it persists the configuration.  I know that when I log into my test desktop and re-launch Outlook, when it opens it is set the way I had it last, but the Office first-time configurator starts running again and every time.  I also have the user profiles being saved to the writeable volume, so customizations are there, just not for Office. 

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nburton935
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Do you have all of your DEM group policies configured correctly? Are you able to see your profile in your DEM share? The log location (configured in policy) should tell you if your profile is successfully imported/exported.

Here's a good blog on setting up OSTs into writables:

Managing OST Files with App Volumes & User Environment Manager

-Nick

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DublChen
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Yes, I have them set properly as far as App Volumes 4 and DEM 9.11 are concerned.  DEM 9.11 does not break down Office 2016 into individual applications as I am assuming UEM did.  Under DEM I do have a User Environment rule under App Volumes to "Store Offline Outlook Data File (.ost) on writable volume".  It points to the individuals' writable volume on the datastore.  What I can't find is how to tell DEM to not run the Configurator after every desktop refresh.  There is an Office 2016 configuration under Personalization, but when I click on it, it does not show any values whatsoever.  This was the template that was built-in to DEM.  Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place?

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DublChen
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I have been going through every DEM setting I know, but whenever I log into the floating pool, even though my profile does not need to be rebuilt, the below happens...

Office2016Configurator.PNG

That's all I need to stop from happening.  Smiley Happy

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nburton935
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Ahhh, I thought you have been talking about your Outlook profile this entire time.

I don't think this piece is related to DEM / Writable. Do you have Office delivered through an AppStack or on the image? If AppStack, try it on the image and see if the issue persists.

-Nick

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DublChen
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Yes, it is on the AppStack.  I found, after an eternity of digging, a registry hack from Microsoft.  I'm going to try it, but if it works, I'll have to rebuild my AppStack.  I'm going to work on that tonight and see.

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DublChen
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Scratch that, the registry entry is created by AppVolumes when you package the app.  I just checked one of my desktops' registry entries and it was everywhere it should have been.  Back to square one...

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sjesse
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Make sure when your installing office to install all components, as that should prevent this in a lot of cases. Also if you have office plugins in different appstacks, they should be installed with office. Also if your users are install plugins and are using a writeble, this is unavoidable. I really suggest if office is used by 80% or more of your users, just install it in the parent image. The reinstall generally isn't a profile issue, more of an appvolumes issues.

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DublChen
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Make sure when your installing office to install all components, as that should prevent this in a lot of cases. Also if you have office plugins in different appstacks, they should be installed with office. Also if your users are install plugins and are using a writeble, this is unavoidable. I really suggest if office is used by 80% or more of your users, just install it in the parent image. The reinstall generally isn't a profile issue, more of an appvolumes issues.

sjesse​, does this include floating desktops?  If so, that's a very simple answer.

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sjesse
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Yeah, any non-pesistent desktop, floating or dedicated.

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sjesse
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These issues mainly come from office trying to repair itself, and if appvolumes didn't capture everything, or an appstack overrides a specific office key it kicks off a repair . Even that no repair reg key doesn't seem to work. The best way to get it to work in an appstack is to make sure everything it needs is in the same one, and nothing else will touch that registry or files. Thats why I stopped putting it in app volumes, its a great feature when you can't give it to everyone, but if your assigning it to most of your users anyway why make things more complicated. Putting it in the parent image makes sure that all necessary files are where they are supposed to be.

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DublChen
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sjesse​ Thank you for all the advice!  Putting Office on the parent image and then using the following in the parent registry and in DEM's config for Office was a winning combination.  All the following additions were suggested by a VMware engineer.  See below:

[IncludeRegistryTrees]
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\FirstRun
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Registration
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\User Settings
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Common
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Proofing Tools
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\IntelliForms


[IncludeFolderTrees]
<AppData>\Microsoft\AddIns
<AppData>\Microsoft\Bibliography
<AppData>\Microsoft\Office
<AppData>\Microsoft\Proof
<AppData>\Microsoft\Spelling
<AppData>\Microsoft\UProof
<AppData>\Microsoft\Templates
<AppData>\Microsoft\Credentials
<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Credentials
<LocalAppData>\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Licensing


Following registry keys needs to be added in the base image:

Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\Configuration

REG_SZ: AutoActivate
Value: 1

REG_SZ: SharedComputerLicensing
Value: 1


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RachelW
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DublChen​,

Did you use the Office 2016 template in UEM?  One that looks like this?

UEM-Office2016_Template.bmp

  If so where did you put the "settings" listed below?

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