Fix Start menu in Windows 2016 with Roaming profiles

rdsremote desktopremote-desktop-serviceswindows-server-2008-r2windows-server-2016

really need a hand down here.

I'm setting up a new RDS host, migrating from Windows Server 2008 R2 to 2016. The installation is brand new.

What I'm doing to replicate the old configuration is:

  • Login on RDS with a domain user;
  • Apply my configuration, customize Start and Taskbar, links to shared docs on desktop;
  • Using Copy Profile from Control Panel (with Windows Enabler).

So, I copy "User" to "Common user.v6" by Copy Profile.

Now, on our DC all domain user have a specified RDS path (SERVER\Users\Common user.v6).

Now, everything works fine, I can the the links on desktop for example, my user's folder gets deleted on logoff by a logoff script ecc ecc.

Start menu, taskbar, and calendar are totally unresponsive. Only application links on taskbar are working.

Does anyone know how to solve? Thanks.

Best Answer

Several possibilities.

There is an update for Server 2016 and 2019 for slow performance and unresponsive explorer process due to duplicate firewall rules created by the App packages in the User Profiles. It requires an registry key to be set (DeleteUserAppContainersOnLogoff) to enable cleanup of profile rules.
Server 2016: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4467684/windows-10-update-kb4467684
Server 2019: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4490481/windows-10-update-kb4490481

Compare the contents of %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Packages on servers/logons that work and do not work. For example I noticed on servers where the StartMenu freezes there are only 1 or 2 packages in that folder. On servers where the logon works there are 15.

Another possible cause is registry bloat: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Notifications https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3063843/registry-bloat-causes-slow-logons-or-insufficient-system-resources-err

Similarly, there is a new ACL for the APP packages on the RPC key in the registry. If this ACL is removed (for example by a GPO) it will cause this issue. (KEY) HKLM\Software\Microsoft\RPC (ACL) APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES

If you are using Roaming Profiles, do not include "Appdata\Local\Packages" or “AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat*" files/directories. ShellHostExperience.exe, which is responsible for Start Menu, is not able to use them properly when roamed and therefore Start Menu becomes unresponsive.

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