Many organizations do not want their start screen to remain as it was given by the manufacturer. To also avoid confusion when migrating from one Windows version to another e.g. Windows 7 to Windows 10, they would like the Start Menu and Task Bar and the rest of the interface to look as similar as possible.
This article outlines for IT Professionals how to customize the Start Menu and Task Bar to help their end users adapt to changes in their IT ecosystem.
Step 1: Install Windows on a Virtual Machine
Installing on a virtual machine allows for easier configuration and customization without the need for hardware.
Step 2: Customize and Export the Start Menu Configuration (startmenu.xml)
export-startlayout -path c:\startmenu.xml
Step 3: Create your unattend.xml file
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<settings pass="specialize">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
<RegisteredOwner />
<RegisteredOrganization />
</component>
</settings>
<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:D:/sources/install.wim#Windows 10 ENTERPRISE" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>
** Important Note **: Modify the cpi:offlineImage section of the unattend.xml file to suit your environment. That includes both the Windows version and also if your wim file is in different drive location.
I saved my unattend.xml file in the c:\windows\sys32\sysprep folder but you can save it to any location.
Step 4: Create your answer file (unattend.xml)
In this step, you build a catalog and a new blank answer file (unattend.xml). A catalog file (.clg) is a binary file that contains the state of all the settings and the packages in a Windows image. Install windows AIK for windows 10 on technician computer.
In this step, you define basic disk configuration and Windows Welcome settings.
Step 5: Import the Start Menu Configuration
Now the Start Menu needs to be set via Group Policy. This can be set either via the machine's Local Group Policy OR via your company's Domain Group Policy.
Note: Domain Policies will always overwrite any Local Policies.
In my case, I've used the Local Policy.
You can find the area to configure the Start Menu by running gpedit.msc from the Run dialog.
In the Policy Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration => Administrative Tools => Start Menu and Taskbar
In the right hand pane, click on Start Layout and click edit. Enable the setting and enter the location of your startmenu.xml.
Step 6: Sysprepping
Open an Administrative command prompt and change directory to c:\windows\system32\sysprep.
Execute the following comment and the VM will finish sysprep and reboot.
sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /Reboot /unattend:c\windows\system32\sysprep\unattend.xml
After booting it will ask to create a user profile. Go ahead and create one and log on.
Step 7: Customizing the Task Bar
To unpin the Edge Browser and instead pin Internet Explorer (IE) on the Task Bar, add the XML below to the startmenu.xml file. If we want Firefox or any other browser add the shortcut link location to the xml file.
<CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
<defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
<taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
<taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Internet Explorer.lnk" />
<taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\File Explorer.lnk" />
</taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
</defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
</CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
Finally: Find the below XML for full layout. This
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LayoutModificationTemplate
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
Version="1">
<LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" />
<DefaultLayoutOverride>
<StartLayoutCollection>
<defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6" xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout">
<start:Group Name="Accessories" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout">
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Snipping Tool.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="1" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Paint.lnk" />
<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="2" Row="0" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="0" Row="1" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="1" Row="1" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Internet Explorer.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="3" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Notepad.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="2" Row="1" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Wordpad.lnk" />
</start:Group>
<start:Group Name="System" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout">
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\computer.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="1" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\File Explorer.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\Command Prompt.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="3" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\Run.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="0" Row="1" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Remote Desktop Connection.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="1" Row="1" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\Control Panel.lnk" />
</start:Group>
<start:Group Name="Office" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout">
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Access 2016.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Excel 2016.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="0" Row="1" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\OneNote 2016.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="1" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\PowerPoint 2016.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="1" Row="1" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Publisher 2016.lnk" />
<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="3" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Word 2016.lnk" />
</start:Group>
</defaultlayout:StartLayout>
</StartLayoutCollection>
</DefaultLayoutOverride>
<CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
<defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
<taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
<taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Internet Explorer.lnk" />
<taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\File Explorer.lnk" />
</taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
</defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
</CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>
If there is no office installed it will still take the other settings e.g. exchanging Edge for IE on the Task Bar
Setting up an image like this saved so much time. Hope this helps you as much as it did for me!!!
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