Provision default TileDataLayer with FSlogix profile containers for non-persistent

Since Microsoft released the Windows 10 Creators update on April 11th 2017 the TileDataLayer has been deprecated. The TileDataLayer is a database which exist of vedatamodel.edb base file, some checkfiles and transaction logfiles. This database contains the various settings around the startmenu like the tiles and customization settings as well.

Unfortunately, would you go for Server 2016 to provide users a shared desktop on XenApp, or RDSH, you’re screwed. Desktop Experience needs the Long Time Service Branche which currently is build 14393, and the next LSB is to be expected somewhere in 2019 whilst it is not clear what will happen on the TileDataLayer part.

on a shared box, which provides us with non-persistent profiles, we need a solution which can roam user settings. The well known workspace management products are know to have their challenges on ‘roaming’ settings with the latest flagship from Microsoft. More on that in the following nice article from James Rankin.

Settings Folder on Start.

With the following example, where we utilize Fslogix Profile Containers to redirect user profiles to a VHD(X), we create a ‘template’ TileDataLayer database to be provisioned in the default profile. That way new profiles are created with an initial Start Menu Layout based.

Prerequisites

Fslogix profile Containers need to be configured and working.

Although this example is based on a scenario where fslogix profile containers are being utilized the concept of copying a preconfigured TileDataLayer database to the default user profile remains the same.

Step one

Login with a dummy user on your Server 2016 target, and customize your Start Menu as you like. Provide the fancy colors, and configure the folders on start menu as shown in figure A. and logoff

Step two

use the following syntax on the target to mount the profile written in step one in browseable mode.

C:\windows\system32>”C:\Program Files\FSLogix\Apps\frx.exe” begin-edit-profile -filename ‘%Profilelocation%\%profilename.vhd(x)%’

Which should result in something similar as;

File Mount Point:
C:\Users\LOCAL_~2\Temp\4\FrxEditMount144b
Registry Mount Point:
FSL.VHD.144b
Cookie:
144b

Operation completed successfully!

Step Three

Copy %MountLOC%\Profile\AppData\Local\TileDataLayer to a shared location from where you can copy that folder to the default user profile on the various targets you need to manage. The final target location should be; ‘C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local’

Step Four

To unmount the dummy VHD(X), and remove the temp folder;

C:\windows\system32>”C:\Program Files\FSLogix\Apps\frx.exe” end-edit-profile -filename ‘%Profilelocation%\%profilename.vhd(x)%’ -cookie 144b

Operation completed successfully!

Step Five

Login with a user without any existing profile containers and Voila, your customizations are available as your new default! See figure B.

Note

keep in mind that users still be able to access the settings menu by it Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) Scheme shortcut; ‘ms-settings:’