Backup and Restore Start Layout in Windows 10  

@Brink

To be sure before I import this.

HKCU is HKEY_CURRENT_USER yes?

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Shell is C:\Users\MyUserName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell yes?

Edit: Never mind. I see you have it updated.

Well, it was a no go importing into my Insider 17040, which I thought wouldn't work. Gave it a go anyway. Really didn't care for it's a messed up update via WU and need to clean install anyway. Interesting results, though. I had Start set to full screen with extra tiles and not to list apps as I always do. Import changed the Start settings. I forgot to take a screenshot of the original Start before importing, but it was similar to what I have in above prior post.

Also, strange thing is it reinstalled the unwanted apps I uninstalled. That's what those down arrows on the tiles are. I pressed on one and it said "New app coming soon" or similar to that. Hopefully it installs the wanted apps upon clean install. That would be great.

Attachment 164983

Went into the Settings app and changed the settings back and got this. By the time I came back it had the unwanted apps installed already. LOL!

Attachment 164984

Well, so much for that. I'm going to try it on the old Acer FCU to see how that goes. I have to install Office and some apps first. I'll clean install my FCU on my Asus here later to test. This is the OS I copied key and folder from.

Imported into my Acer FCU. Worked rather well. Forgot to take a before pic again, but I hardly had any tiles on this Start screen. Being that it's a smaller monitor, it placed what was the right column on the other PC at the bottom under another one. I placed text boxes of tiles that didn't work, although it placed tiles in the correct places. Even folder and drive tiles that belong to the other PC. The Drawboard PDF app that I didn't have installed had the down arrow on the tile, which I learned is or will install by clicking on the tile a the Tips app opened with an explanation. Rather ingenious.

Like I said, I'll clean install on my Asus FCU later, which is what we're really after. Overall, I think this is going to work, guys! :)

Right now it's nap time.

Attachment 165007

Attachment 165008

Attachment 165009

Clean install mission accomplished. This does indeed work on the same FCU PC. From default Start settings it reset it to full screen with extra tiles and no All Apps column as I had it. I went ahead and imported without installing apps to see what would happen. It set tiles and columns with their titles exactly as it was, but tiles were blank. As I installed Store/UWP apps and win32 programs the tiles filled out. Favorite Weather cities. favorite World Time cities, folders, drives, and Edge pages all need to be repinned, but all use the same tile. That I can live with.

I'm very happy how this works! Thank you, @Shawn and @geoken2!

Hopefully this works with each feature update.

Brink said:

Thank you for confirming Tony. :)

You're welcome, Shawn. I was so happy and excited after tapping the WinKey and seeing it I almost peed my pants!

Unless I made a mistake, this method did not work in a clean install of IP 17040.