Modify a session host image

  • 6 minutes

This unit covers how to prepare and modify basic configuration options for apps and your image's registry.

Disable Automatic Updates

To disable Automatic Updates via local Group Policy:

  1. Open Local Group Policy Editor\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update.
  2. Right-click Configure Automatic Update and set it to Disabled.

You can also run the following command on a command prompt to disable Automatic Updates.

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" /v NoAutoUpdate /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Specify Start layout for Windows 10 computers

Run this command to specify a Start layout for Windows 10 computers.

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer" /v SpecialRoamingOverrideAllowed /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Set up time zone redirection

Time zone redirection can be enforced on Group Policy level since all VMs in a host pool are part of the same security group.

To redirect time zones:

  1. On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.
  2. Expand your domain and Group Policy Objects.
  3. Right-click the Group Policy Object that you created for the group policy settings and select Edit.
  4. In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Device and Resource Redirection.
  5. Enable the Allow time zone redirection setting.

You can also run this command on the master image to redirect time zones:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v fEnableTimeZoneRedirection /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Disable Storage Sense

For Azure Virtual Desktop session host that use Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session, we recommend disabling Storage Sense. You can disable Storage Sense in the Settings menu under Storage as displayed below.

A screenshot of the Storage menu under Settings. The Storage sense option is turned off.

You can also change the setting with the registry by running the following command:

reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StorageSense\Parameters\StoragePolicy" /v 01 /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f