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Customizing the Windows 8.1 Start Screen Removing Built-in Applications from Windows 8.1 This procedure only works when you are building your Reference Golden Image.  The appx are removed and will not be installed for all new users who login in. If you want to remove all of the built-in applications then you can use the following simple PowerShell commands: Get-AppXProvisionedPackage -online | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage –online Get-AppXPackage | Remove-AppxPackage Once the apps are removed and the start screen is configured the way you want see my post on Exporting the layout and importing using powershell here. http://www.syswow64.co.uk/2013/11/customize-windows-81-start-screen.html

Customizing the Windows 8.1 Start Screen Removing Built-in Applications from Windows 8.1 This procedure only works when you are building your Reference Golden Image.  The appx are removed and will not be installed for all new users who login in. If you want to remove all of the built-in applications then you can use the following simple PowerShell commands: Get-AppXProvisionedPackage -online | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage –online Get-AppXPackage | Remove-AppxPackage Once the apps are removed and the start screen is configured the way you want see my post on Exporting the layout and importing using powershell here. http://www.syswow64.co.uk/2013/11/customize-windows-81-start-screen.html

Customize the Windows 8.1 Start Screen during MDT task sequence Enterprise deployment For enterprises, Windows 8.1 delivers the control around the Start Screen that should have been there in Windows 8.0, there’s still no programmatic way to pin or unpin shortcuts from the Start Screen. Windows 8.1 introduces a Group Policy method for distributing a Start Screen layout, but that’s a policy – i.e. it’s enforced that approach only makes sense in specific cases (e.g. schools, kiosks etc.). Note that Start Screen control is only available in Windows 8.1 Enterprise and Windows RT 8.1 Microsoft have an article available on TechNet that describes a number of ways that you can configure the default Start Screen experience that will work for Windows 8/8.1, Window Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2, but the choices are: 1.Create a reference image and use the CopyProfile setting in unattend.xml to customise the default profile including the Start Screen 2.Use the StartTiles setti

Customize the Windows 8.1 Start Screen during MDT task sequence Enterprise deployment For enterprises, Windows 8.1 delivers the control around the Start Screen that should have been there in Windows 8.0, there’s still no programmatic way to pin or unpin shortcuts from the Start Screen. Windows 8.1 introduces a Group Policy method for distributing a Start Screen layout, but that’s a policy – i.e. it’s enforced that approach only makes sense in specific cases (e.g. schools, kiosks etc.). Note that Start Screen control is only available in Windows 8.1 Enterprise and Windows RT 8.1 Microsoft have an article available on TechNet that describes a number of ways that you can configure the default Start Screen experience that will work for Windows 8/8.1, Window Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2, but the choices are: 1.Create a reference image and use the CopyProfile setting in unattend.xml to customise the default profile including the Start Screen 2.Use the Start

MDT 2012 and Windows 8.1 deployment Troubleshooting So when you attempt to create a Catlog file for Windows 8.1 it fails with the following message "Windows SIM was unable to generate a catalog. For troubleshooting assistance, see the topic: 'Windows System Image Manager Technical Reference' in the Windows ADK User's Guide." The log that pops up starts with: This application requires version 6.2.9200.16384 of the Windows ADK. Install this version to correct the problem Windows SIM was unable to generate a catalog. For troubleshooting assistance, see the topic: 'Windows System Image Manager Technical Reference' in the Windows ADK User's Guide. Even though version 6.2.9200.16384 of the Windows ADK is installed when you attempt to Generate a Catalog File the issue is there is a new version of ADK version 6.3.9600.16411 located here http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=39982 Once you have updated ADK you will need to update MD

MDT 2012 and Windows 8.1 deployment Troubleshooting So when you attempt to create a Catlog file for Windows 8.1 it fails with the following message "Windows SIM was unable to generate a catalog. For troubleshooting assistance, see the topic: 'Windows System Image Manager Technical Reference' in the Windows ADK User's Guide." The log that pops up starts with: This application requires version 6.2.9200.16384 of the Windows ADK. Install this version to correct the problem Windows SIM was unable to generate a catalog. For troubleshooting assistance, see the topic: 'Windows System Image Manager Technical Reference' in the Windows ADK User's Guide. Even though version 6.2.9200.16384 of the Windows ADK is installed when you attempt to Generate a Catalog File the issue is there is a new version of ADK version 6.3.9600.16411 located here http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=39982 Once you have updated ADK you will nee

Java 7 update 45 Enterprise deployment 1. Download the latest version of Java from the Windows Offline download page from the following URL http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp 2. From a Administrator command prompt launch the jre-7u45-windows-i586.exe and wait until the initial 'Welcome to Java' screen appears but do NOT press the 'Install' button. 3. At this stage Java will have expanded the installation files to C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\jre1.7.0_45 > Copy this folder and contents to C:\temp\jre1.7.0_45 There will be two files: jre1.7.0_45.msi and data1.cab (NOTE: it will be in the LocalLow directory of the user account used to run the command prompt, this example used a local admin account 'Administrator') 4. Use Orca to create an MST file which we can use to transform the MSI for enterprise deployment. Orca is part of the 'Microsoft Windows SDK' can be downloaded here http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dow

Java 7 update 45 Enterprise deployment 1. Download the latest version of Java from the Windows Offline download page from the following URL http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp 2. From a Administrator command prompt launch the jre-7u45-windows-i586.exe and wait until the initial 'Welcome to Java' screen appears but do NOT press the 'Install' button. 3. At this stage Java will have expanded the installation files to C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\jre1.7.0_45 > Copy this folder and contents to C:\temp\jre1.7.0_45 There will be two files: jre1.7.0_45.msi and data1.cab (NOTE: it will be in the LocalLow directory of the user account used to run the command prompt, this example used a local admin account 'Administrator') 4. Use Orca to create an MST file which we can use to transform the MSI for enterprise deployment. Orca is part of the 'Microsoft Windows SDK' can be downloaded here http://www.microsoft.com/

Latitude 10 Ste2 Enterprise Deployment with MDT 2012 and USB Media   The Latitude 10 uses a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). UEFI is meant to replace the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) firmware interface. The Latitude 10 does not have legacy support, so as a result SCCM 2007, MDT 2010, WinPE 3.0, and WDS (2008) infrastructure is not supported. To deploy a Windows 8 image without 2012 infrastructure the use of a standalone MDT 2012 deployment share to create USB stick media is neccessary. The finished media does not contain any sensitive credentials or product keys. The administrator is prompted for credentials to connect to the MDT database; it is here the Task Sequence is able to find/generate its computer name and join to the correct OU in AD. Post SCCM collections will target these Latitude tablets and activate Office and Windows respectively.   Step A: Boot mode: UEFI Options 1. Connect an Ethernet cable, USB keyboard, mouse and the USB media created to

Latitude 10 Ste2 Enterprise Deployment with MDT 2012 and USB Media   The Latitude 10 uses a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). UEFI is meant to replace the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) firmware interface. The Latitude 10 does not have legacy support, so as a result SCCM 2007, MDT 2010, WinPE 3.0, and WDS (2008) infrastructure is not supported. To deploy a Windows 8 image without 2012 infrastructure the use of a standalone MDT 2012 deployment share to create USB stick media is neccessary. The finished media does not contain any sensitive credentials or product keys. The administrator is prompted for credentials to connect to the MDT database; it is here the Task Sequence is able to find/generate its computer name and join to the correct OU in AD. Post SCCM collections will target these Latitude tablets and activate Office and Windows respectively.   Step A: Boot mode: UEFI Options 1. Connect an Ethernet cable, USB keyboard, mouse and the US