Common Windows 10 config requests – via SCCM or group policy

A list of the more commonly requested modifications to Windows 10 builds that we get….

These are current as of 25/05/2016 – and work with Windows 10 1602 – it is possible they may not in newer versions.

 

Turn off the Windows Store

Group Policy:

Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Store/Turn off the Store application

 

Disable and/or remove one drive

Group Policy:

Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/OneDrive/Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage

or

Run command line in the Task Sequence:

%SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall

or

Run a batch file in the Task Sequence:

reg load “hku\Default” “%SystemRoot%\Users\Default\NTUSER.DAT”

reg delete HKU\default\software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /v OneDriveSetup /f

reg unload “hku\Default”

 

Disable Wifi Sense

Group policy preferences – registry

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WcmSvc\wifinetworkmanager\config\AutoConnectAllowedOEM
REG_DWORD = 0

 

Customise the start menu

  • Customise the start menu how you would like it to look
  • Run from powershell
    • export-startlayout –path C:\temp\Win10Start.xml
  • Copy the XML to your preferred SCCM package, distribute
  • Run a PowerShell command in your task sequence
    • Import-StartLayout -LayoutPath Win10Start.xml -MountPath $env:SystemDrive\
  • For some applications you may have to copy shortcuts into $env:AllUsersProfile’\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\’ prior to importing the xml. I cover this in a little detail here – http://www.hayesjupe.com/windows-8-1-customising-the-metro-tiles-ie-shortcuts/
  • I like the idea of having a script for this, such as

Copy-Item -Path $PSScriptRoot’\Internet Explorer.lnk’ -Destination $env:AllUsersProfile’\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Internet Explorer.lnk’
$StartMenuLayout = ‘W10StartMenuOffice2016.xml’
Import-StartLayout -LayoutPath “$PSScriptRoot\$StartMenuLayout” -MountPath $env:SystemDrive\

  • This allows different start menu’s to be imported based on scripted criteria

 

Removing default appx packages

Credit to Ben Hunter for the original script here – https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/deploymentguys/2013/10/21/removing-windows-8-1-built-in-applications/

The script attached is updated for Windows 10 1602, simply move apps into/out of the commented section as you see fit for your environment, the run the powershell script in your TS.

RemovePackages

Please note that certain things, such as Cortana, Windows store, Miracast (WTF?) cannot be removed

In order to get a list of applications (for newer versions) or just for fun

get-appxpackage | ft Name

 

Setting default file associations

A common request is open html in IE11 (not edge) and open PDF’s in acrobat (not edge) for example.

  • Set all of your file type associations the way you want them
    • This can be done by running “Default programs”
    • “Set your default programs” can help quickly set associations, e.g. Select “Internet explorer” then select “Set this program as the default”
    • “Associate a file type…” allows for more granular control, via file extension
  • Start an elevated command prompt
  • dism /online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:C:\Temp\FileAssociations.xml
  • I like then to open the xml and strip out anything I don’t want to change…. e.g. if im only interested in setting IE11 and Acrobat reader as the defaults, I strip out all other file extensions. This prevents possibly changing the file association for a new application that is installed in the future
  • Run a command line in your TS
    • dism /online /Import-DefaultAppAssociations:FileAssociations.xml

Removing edge from the taskbar/Pinning items to the taskbar

The powershell scripts we all used in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 don’t work in Windows 10 but as per
https://connect.microsoft.com/PowerShell/feedback/details/1609288/pin-to-taskbar-no-longer-working-in-windows-10 and the comment

Posted by Jason [MSFT] on 23/11/2015 at 2:02 PM
I’m resolving this as external because this is not a PowerShell bug – it is an intentional change in behavior by the Windows client team. I believe the Windows team is aware of the concerns, but you can provide feedback via the Windows 10 Feedback app.

would tend to indicate that Microsoft are continuing down the path of making Windows intentionally less configurable for admins…. for reasons best known to them.

There are a couple of options – neither of which are awesome – and both fall under the category of “harder than it needs to be”

http://ccmexec.com/2015/12/removing-the-edge-icon-from-the-taskbar-during-osd/

http://www.technosys.net/products/utils/pintotaskbar

 

Add a language pack(s) for Cortana

DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:%~DP0Microsoft-Windows-LanguageFeatures-TextToSpeech-en-au-Package.cab

DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:%~DP0Microsoft-Windows-LanguageFeatures-Speech-en-au-Package.cab

 REM ## Load Default User Registry

reg load HKU\DefaultTemp “%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Users\Default\NTUSER.DAT”

 REM ## Set Default SpeechRecognizer

reg add “HKU\DefaultTemp\Software\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Settings\SpeechRecognizer” /v RecognizedLanguage /t REG_SZ /d en-AU /F

REM ## Unload Default User Registry

reg unload HKU\DefaultTemp

 

 

 

Got something else that you think is a common win 10 request – feel free to submit it in the comments section.

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