Customize Windows 10 Image in Audit Mode with Sysprep  

Kari said:

Yes, since build 14393 that has been possible. I'll wait until Creators Update version 1703 has been launched (April11th) and will then update the tutorial with all changes in this process.

Here's how to do it:

In Audit Mode, edit Start as you prefer. In PowerShell, export current Start layout to file C:\Windows\System32\MyStart.xml (file name and path my suggestion, exported XML must be accessible to all users):

Code:

Export-StartLayout C:\Windows\System32\MyStart.xml

Now edit the exported XML in Notepad, add your Taskbar customizations. When done open Group Policy Editor (WIN + R, type gpedit.msc). Browse to Local Computer Policy > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar on left pane, double click Start Layout on right pane.

Enable policy, enter C:\Windows\System32\MyStart.xml as Start Layout File, click OK to save policy.

Kari

Thanks for the fast answer! I'm working in a computer shop and we're installing both Windows 10 Home and Pro on our end users computers. I guess this method is not supported in the Home-version due to lack of gpedit.msc? Is there a workaround?

Kari said:

Yes, since build 14393 that has been possible. I'll wait until Creators Update version 1703 has been launched (April11th) and will then update the tutorial with all changes in this process.

Here's how to do it:

In Audit Mode, edit Start as you prefer. In PowerShell, export current Start layout to file C:\Windows\System32\MyStart.xml (file name and path my suggestion, exported XML must be accessible to all users):

Code:

Export-StartLayout C:\Windows\System32\MyStart.xml

Now edit the exported XML in Notepad, add your Taskbar customizations. When done open Group Policy Editor (WIN + R, type gpedit.msc). Browse to Local Computer Policy > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar on left pane, double click Start Layout on right pane.

Enable policy, enter C:\Windows\System32\MyStart.xml as Start Layout File, click OK to save policy.

Kari

When creating an answerfile one is able to modify the value "TaskbarLinks". To link to a UWP app I need to enter the AppID i.e. <Link2>AppID1</Link2>

If I for instance what to link to the Microsoft Solitaire Collection app, how do I get the correct AppID for that app?

Kari said:

Step 1: Pin that app to Start:


Step 2: Export Start layout to an XML file:


Step 3: Open XML in any text editor, search for your app, note the ID string:


In this case now the AppID for Solitaire had been Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App

Step 4: Unpin app from Start and its entry from XML if no longer needed.

Kari

Thank you!

Kari said:

You are welcome.

Hi again Kari. I've encountered a small problem with CopyProfile in the Creators Update.

I am installing W10P v1703 from a Microsoft ISO in Hyper-V. At the first OOBE I enter Audit mode and downloads all updates from WIndows Update, and adds a few default icons to the desktop. Then I run the command

Code:

sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /reboot /unattend:D:\unattend.xml

The unattend.xml only containd the <copyprofile>true</copyprofile> command under the pass "specialize".

After going through the OOBE and entering the desktop most of the startmenu tiles are not updated and are have a downfacing arrow showing that it's downloading the app. But the app never shows up, for days with Internet access.

Doing the same steps without using the /unattend switch the startmenu is fully populated directly after the OOBE.

For some reason using CopyProfile breaks my startmenu's in the Creators Update. Doing the exact same thing in v1607 with the same unattend.xml gives me no startmenu issues.

Would you know how to fix this?

I'm trying to sysprep the latest release (Creators Update, 1703) with copyprofile set to true and I'm experiencing few minor issues with Microsoft Edge. This all happens also with clean sysprep and nothing but copyprofile set to true - right out-of-the-box nothing installed and sysprepped right away in audit mode.

1. I can't change default seach provider in Edge. It always returns with "We couldn’t set Google Search as your default in Edge browser. Try again later." It's same with other search providers too.
2. Edge won't clear it's cache and always returns "Some data could not be cleared. Please try again later." No matter what cache checkboxes I select

I have also tried to reset Edge but these issues are still there. It seems that sysprep with copyprofile set to true messes something up. If I install 1703 without sysprepping these issues with Edge are gone and everything works.

Is anyone else experiencing these issues with Edge and sysprepping with copyprofile set to true?

minority said:

I'm trying to sysprep the latest release (Creators Update, 1703) with copyprofile set to true and I'm experiencing few minor issues with Microsoft Edge. This all happens also with clean sysprep and nothing but copyprofile set to true - right out-of-the-box nothing installed and sysprepped right away in audit mode.

1. I can't change default seach provider in Edge. It always returns with "We couldn’t set Google Search as your default in Edge browser. Try again later." It's same with other search providers too.
2. Edge won't clear it's cache and always returns "Some data could not be cleared. Please try again later." No matter what cache checkboxes I select

I have also tried to reset Edge but these issues are still there. It seems that sysprep with copyprofile set to true messes something up. If I install 1703 without sysprepping these issues with Edge are gone and everything works.

Is anyone else experiencing these issues with Edge and sysprepping with copyprofile set to true?

I'm also having issues with CopyProfile set to True in 1703. In my case, after deploying my new image and logging in, Edge freezes on open, IE never opens, and Cortana never returns any search results. The built in Administrator account who the copied profile came from works just fine.

Hi All! Just registered cause reading about same errors...
I'm confirming these issues with Audit Mode and CopyProfile set to True in 1703. Installing clean MSDN Win10 Pro x64 1703, entering audit and just customize some tiles in Start Menu, syspreping with CopyProfile and after OOBE and first logon of local account or M$ account I've same troubles with Edge (can't clean cache or change Search Provider) and many errors in system logs for Bing.Weather (this applet won't show dynamic tile with weather for me after syspreping in that way)
P.S. Remebered also issue with OneDrive - entering audit and syspreping with CopyProfile leads to missing it installed status from every new created account after OOBE - structure of OneDrive folders present in %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive but it won't autostarting after user logon (neither clickin' on OneDrive icon in Start do nothing...)