Hi all,
I am currently using MDT 2013 to deploy Windows 10 on several systems. In the task sequence is a custom task to remove the default Windows apps.
All default apps are uninstalled after deployment, but the icons/names still appear in the start menu and seem to be broken. Clicking these apps does nothing and in most cases the icon image is blank.
Is this a known issue and is there a solution?
The custom task contains the following script:
# ***************************************************************************
#
# File: RemoveApps.ps1
#
# Version: 1.2
#
# Author: Michael Niehaus
#
# Purpose: Removes some or all of the in-box apps on Windows 8, Windows 8.1,
# or Windows 10 systems. The script supports both offline and
# online removal. By default it will remove all apps, but you can
# provide a separate RemoveApps.xml file with a list of apps that
# you want to instead remove. If this file doesn't exist, the
# script will recreate one in the log or temp folder, so you can
# run the script once, grab the file, make whatever changes you
# want, then put the file alongside the script and it will remove
# only the apps you specified.
#
# Usage: This script can be added into any MDT or ConfigMgr task sequences.
# It has a few dependencies:
# 1. For offline use in Windows PE, the .NET Framework,
# PowerShell, DISM Cmdlets, and Storage cmdlets must be
# included in the boot image.
# 2. Script execution must be enabled, e.g. "Set-ExecutionPolicy
# Bypass". This can be done via a separate task sequence
# step if needed, see http://blogs.technet.com/mniehaus for
# more information.
#
# ------------- DISCLAIMER -------------------------------------------------
# This script code is provided as is with no guarantee or waranty concerning
# the usability or impact on systems and may be used, distributed, and
# modified in any way provided the parties agree and acknowledge the
# Microsoft or Microsoft Partners have neither accountabilty or
# responsibility for results produced by use of this script.
#
# Microsoft will not provide any support through any means.
# ------------- DISCLAIMER -------------------------------------------------
#
# ***************************************************************************
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Initialization
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
if ($env:SYSTEMDRIVE -eq "X:")
{
$script:Offline = $true
# Find Windows
$drives = get-volume | ? {-not [String]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.DriveLetter) } | ? {$_.DriveType -eq 'Fixed'} | ? {$_.DriveLetter -ne 'X'}
$drives | ? { Test-Path "$($_.DriveLetter):\Windows\System32"} | % { $script:OfflinePath = "$($_.DriveLetter):\" }
Write-Verbose "Eligible offline drive found: $script:OfflinePath"
}
else
{
Write-Verbose "Running in the full OS."
$script:Offline = $false
}
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Get-LogDir: Return the location for logs and output files
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
function Get-LogDir
{
try
{
$ts = New-Object -ComObject Microsoft.SMS.TSEnvironment -ErrorAction Stop
if ($ts.Value("LogPath") -ne "")
{
$logDir = $ts.Value("LogPath")
}
else
{
$logDir = $ts.Value("_SMSTSLogPath")
}
}
catch
{
$logDir = $env:TEMP
}
return $logDir
}
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Get-AppList: Return the list of apps to be removed
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
function Get-AppList
{
begin
{
# Look for a config file.
$configFile = "$PSScriptRoot\RemoveApps.xml"
if (Test-Path -Path $configFile)
{
# Read the list
Write-Verbose "Reading list of apps from $configFile"
$list = Get-Content $configFile
}
else
{
# No list? Build one with all apps.
Write-Verbose "Building list of provisioned apps"
$list = @()
if ($script:Offline)
{
Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Path $script:OfflinePath | % { $list += $_.DisplayName }
}
else
{
Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | % { $list += $_.DisplayName }
}
# Write the list to the log path
$logDir = Get-LogDir
$configFile = "$logDir\RemoveApps.xml"
$list | Set-Content $configFile
Write-Information "Wrote list of apps to $logDir\RemoveApps.xml, edit and place in the same folder as the script to use that list for future script executions"
}
Write-Information "Apps selected for removal: $list.Count"
}
process
{
$list
}
}
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Remove-App: Remove the specified app (online or offline)
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
function Remove-App
{
[CmdletBinding()]
param (
[parameter(Mandatory=$true,ValueFromPipeline=$true)]
[string] $appName
)
begin
{
# Determine offline or online
if ($script:Offline)
{
$script:Provisioned = Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Path $script:OfflinePath
}
else
{
$script:Provisioned = Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online
$script:AppxPackages = Get-AppxPackage
}
}
process
{
$app = $_
# Remove the provisioned package
Write-Information "Removing provisioned package $_"
$current = $script:Provisioned | ? { $_.DisplayName -eq $app }
if ($current)
{
if ($script:Offline)
{
$a = Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Path $script:OfflinePath -PackageName $current.PackageName
}
else
{
$a = Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -PackageName $current.PackageName
}
}
else
{
Write-Warning "Unable to find provisioned package $_"
}
# If online, remove installed apps too
if (-not $script:Offline)
{
Write-Information "Removing installed package $_"
$current = $script:AppxPackages | ? {$_.Name -eq $app }
if ($current)
{
$current | Remove-AppxPackage
}
else
{
Write-Warning "Unable to find installed app $_"
}
}
}
}
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Main logic
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
$logDir = Get-LogDir
Start-Transcript "$logDir\RemoveApps.log"
Get-AppList | Remove-App
Stop-Transcript