1909 Start Menu Changes - Issues

Question

Does anyone know how the underpinnings of the Start Menu have changed from 1803 to 1909? I created a new Win 10 1909 Image. The master looks great and I created and imported a custom start layout for the tiles. The image is used in VMware Horizon desktops.
The first time I recomposed the VM was great, everything fine. But a subsequent recompose for even the smallest change, like just extending the HD partition of something, and the start menu breaks, both the apps and the tiles. If the user profile is deleted, and recreated in a subsequent logon, then the start menu is great again.

In addition, we have two pools from the same image, the only difference being one pool is vGPU enabled. Login from the first pool, and everything is good. Logout. Login from the second pool and the start menu breaks.

This behavior did not happen previously with Win 1803.We have not changed any GPO or any other settings.

We are using Windows roaming profiles, because with redirected folders they have been working rock solid for us.
The issue is definitely something in the profile, because to fix the issue you delete the user profile and allow it to be recreated at next logon. Then it is fine until you recompose or login from a different machine that was created with the same image.
Thanks

Answer 1

this post is probably related: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/ad37cd15-315e-4f9b-ba34-bcbd987981fc/quotan-app-default-was-resetquot-error-newly-sysprep-windows-10-ltsc-2019-enterprise-image?forum=win10itprosetup

MS broke the defaultapplayout.xml process with 1903, and it's still broken in 1909. It's kind of hard to find info on it, but basically it works in up to 1809, but if you upgrade past that and apply, or apply by GPO, you get a flurry of default app reset messages and things like PDF, etc go back to default MS products. Supposedly it's rumored there should be a fix this patch tuesday, but there's nothing official I've been able to find. It's very likely related to the startlayout.xml issue as well.

Answer 2

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Platform.

Microsoft has announced that Roaming of taskbar settings is removed in Windows 10 1909.

Just replace the C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell defaultlayouts.xml with a custom xml and exported from powershell. Then apply it to your golden image, and that way any computer with it has this custom start menu by default and anyone can change their startmenu after logging in.

Have a try.

Check this similar case for a hint:

import-startlayout no longer working in 1909

https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/e70u4l/importstartlayout_no_longer_working_in_1909/

Please Note: Since the website is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.
Regards