Customizing Windows 8 Start Menu

stcatherines

New Member
Messages
1
Hi All,
Currently we setup or images by installing Windows and going into the machine via Audit mode making customizations and then creating the default user and then running sysprep.
But in Windows 8 Audit mode you only get the following items appear; Desktop, IE and Microsoft Store. This is fin as we do want these items on the start menu for all users but when you create a new user after sysprep you then get all the cool new Windows 8 metro applications. I can understand this but what I don't get is why they don't appear in Audit mode. The reaso we careabout this is we would like to unpin a number of these applications from the start menu. Items like News, Stocks, Weather etc. But we would like to keep items like Mail, Calendar, Photos, Music and Videos. Can anyone explain to me where these items come from and how I could customize what items actually appear in the start menu when a new user is then created.
Thanks
St Catherine's School
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Pro, Windows 8 Ent, Windows Server 2008 R2
Hello St Catherines. Welcome to the Eight Forums.

The reason we care about this is we would like to unpin a number of these applications from the start menu... Items like News, Stocks, Weather etc. But we would like to keep items like Mail, Calendar, Photos, Music and Videos. Can anyone explain to me where these items come from and how I could customize what items actually appear in the start menu when a new user is then created. Thanks. St Catherine's School

Audit Mode Overview

If I understand your question, you would like to add new users with a customized list of apps installed to the start screen. I would hazard a guess and say there are only a few sysprep and audit OOBE techs here. Depending on how many user accounts you need to set up, simply right clicking any tile to unpin or uninstall an app may suffice for the time being in lieu of a better solution. You can unpin a number of tiles at once by right clicking them, then select to unpin from the command bar - bottom left. Apps need to be uninstalled individually.

Windows 8 Tutorials
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4869-zoom-view-start-apps-screen-windows-8-a.html
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4870-start-screen-apps-organize-into-groups.html
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...unpin-app-folder-drive-windows-8-a.html?ltr=S

There is apparently some confusion about descriptive terms for use, as far as,
the start screen vs the start menu is concerned.

http://www.eightforums.com/general-discussion/9789-all-apps-new-start-menu.html
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4060-apps-screen-open-windows-8-a.html
Right click on the start screen - press enter or click bottom right or charms > search > apps
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Server 2012 / 8.0
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel i7 QuadCore 3770k
    Motherboard
    Asrock Extreme 4
    Memory
    16GB Crucial Ballistix
    Graphics Card(s)
    intel embedded gpu
    Sound Card
    Sound Blaster Z
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AOC / Westinghouse
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Plextor pcie msata
    PSU
    Rosewill Silent Night 500W Fanless / PicoPSU
    Case
    open bench - no case enclosure
    Cooling
    Silverstone HEO2 Passive Silent
    Keyboard
    logitech washable K310
    Mouse
    logitech wired
    Browser
    ie / maxthon
    Other Info
    Totally silent. No fans at all.
Back
Top