Windows Enterprise IoT write operations

Question

We are starting to use Thin clients running Windows Enterprise IoT. There is one application that cannot work without writing to local disk (multiple directories such as AppData, Program Files etc.). Questions are:

1. Is it possible for applications, in general. to write to the local disk?
2. Is it possible to prevent all applications except one to write to the local disk?

The organization wants to prevent users from accessing the local disk but at the same time, make that single application work.

Answer 1

If the thin client has Unified Write Filter (UWF) enabled, applications can read and write to the disk normally. Any saved data will be lost on a reboot.

If data needs to be preserved between reboots, you will have to open holes in the filter to allow writes through. For your application, you would have to open holes for the AppData folder, Program Files, etc. The uwfmgr.exe utility can be used to perform this task. The AppData folder will be a challange since it used account dependent.