Backup and Restore Start Layout in Windows 10  

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  1. Posts : 20
    Windows 10 Pro - what ever the latest Insider build is
       #10

    I tried this about 4 months ago on an Insider build and it didn't work. Have you tried this on any of the latest builds (currently 16199)?
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  2. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #11

    Hello @vijer,

    It doesn't appear to be working in my build 16215 either. I'll have to do some more testing to see what is going on.

    If folks don't mind, please post if it still works for you or not along with what Windows 10 build you have installed.
    Last edited by Brink; 10 Jun 2017 at 15:33.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 7
    Windows 10
       #12

    Could it be it is not working with Creative Update anymore? I tried it, but it didn*t work.
    What I also tried is:
    Deleting the folder, then only 3 items were left (Office).
    I copied over again, still only those 3 items

    Next I tried, moving those buttons around.
    Deleting the folder again.
    After another login, again, those 3 buttons where here, same arrangement.

    So it seems, it is saved somehow different.

    Not sure what I could be doing wrong, as copyiing this directory is straight forward...

    Thanks
    Patrick
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #13

    Hello Patrick,

    I was hoping it may have just been an issue in a few builds, but it appears to no longer work since build 16215.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 2
    Win 10
       #14

    Brink said:
    I was hoping it may have just been an issue in a few builds, but it appears to no longer work since build 16215.
    I've been messing with this in 1709 (mostly because I'm testing some customized start layouts and it's kind of hard when you cant see the results of applying a new menu)

    Anyway, there is a reg key;

    HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CloudStore\Store\Cache\DefaultAccount


    This has a lot of subkeys so I'm not sure which one is responsible for the start menu. Maybe it's more than 1? All i know is if I delete the entire "DefaultAccount" key, on the next reboot the start menu will be rebuilt. In my case I'm using a customized start layout but if I wasn't I'm guessing it would revert to whatever layout is saved in AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell. For most people that will be the DefaultLayouts.xml file.

    If you want it to be something else, you can run export-startlayout –path <path><file name>.xml to export your layout. Then you can run Import-StartLayout -LayoutPath .\the_xml_you_exported.xml -MountPath C:\ and that will re import it. But you need to be careful, that command will only import it into the default user profile (to be used if a new user account is created). If you want it in your own user profile you'll need to go into AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell for the default user profile and copy LayoutModifications.xml into the same folder in your user profile. Once the LayoutModifications.xml file exists in your AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell, forcing a rebuild by deleting that registry key above will make it use your modified layout instead of DefaultLayouts.xml



    edit:
    Just did a bit more testing. If you delete that reg key, you don't need to reboot. Killing and restarting explorer is enough to make the start menu use the backup config.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #15

    Thank you geoken2, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

    I'll have to give this a play with.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 2
    Win 10
       #16

    Brink said:
    Thank you geoken2, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)
    I'll have to give this a play with.
    No problem. The tutorials you posted have helped me a lot while configuring a baseline image to use for deployment. Especially with disabling start suggestions, this was the only place I could find updated instructions that worked on 1709. I Appreciate the efforts in keeping the tutorials up to date so I hoped to be able to give back a bit.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 5,833
    Dual boot Windows 10 FCU Pro x 64 & current Insider 10 Pro
       #17

    geoken2 said:
    I've been messing with this in 1709 (mostly because I'm testing some customized start layouts and it's kind of hard when you cant see the results of applying a new menu)
    Hello, geoken2. Welcome to TenForums. :)

    Thanks so much for this information! As a huge fan of the Start (Start Screen in 8/8.1 > full screen in 10 with "Show extra tiles") and since Brink's tutorial here no longer works, I've been searching for a way to backup and migrate the layout for quite some time.

    Brink said:
    I'll have to give this a play with.
    If it be any help to both of you, I found this older tutorial by a gentleman that gets into using Group Policy Editor. I've tried it, but so far as I know it no longer works.

    How to backup or reset the start menu in Windows 10 - gHacks Tech News

    It will be a glorious day to have a method of importing a layout! Here's what I have to assemble upon a clean install. This is approximately 90% finished.


    Attachment 164896
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #18

    Ok. Here's what's working for me now streamlined from what @geoken2 posted above to backup and restore your Start layout.

    Please test @HippsieGypsie and others, and let me know if you're seeing the same before I update the tutorial with it.

    To Backup:

    1) Export HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CloudStore\Store\Cache\DefaultAccount registry key.

    2) Copy DefaultLayouts.xml file in the %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Shell folder.

    3) Keep these two items saved somewhere as your backup.


    To Restore:

    1) Delete current HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CloudStore\Store\Cache\DefaultAccount registry key.

    2) Merge .reg file from backup above to restore the backed up HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CloudStore\Store\Cache\DefaultAccount registry key.

    3) Open the %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Shell folder, and copy the backup DefaultLayouts.xml file into this folder to replace the current one.

    4) Sign out and sign in to apply.
      My Computers


  10. Posts : 5,833
    Dual boot Windows 10 FCU Pro x 64 & current Insider 10 Pro
       #19

    Thanks, Shawn. I'll get on this asap. :)
      My Computers


 

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