As Windows 10 Vibranium Update (20H1) development winds down, Microsoft is now beginning the phase of checking in the final code to prepare for the final release of the Windows 10 20H1 Update. It's been almost a year now since I poked around ADMX files meaning it’s that time again to examine updated and new Group Policy settings. 

This blog post was shared with me by a colleague of mine, Daniel Dorner, a Microsoft Premier Field Engineer. It’s a really an interesting one because it highlights the creativity of my colleagues - a very, very broad range of personalities that have one thing in common: an absolute dedication to customer's success.

My customers often deal with unexpected Windows behavior and this case is no different. This particular one is especially interesting because it is common in infrastructures that use the "User Environment Virtualization" (UE-V) extension. UE-V provides capture of user-customized Windows and application settings as well as storage on a centrally managed network file share. This case opened when a customer mentioned during an on-site engagement that they experienced issues that in some cases personalized settings of logged-on users did not apply to their work session.

While I sometimes long for the day when I no longer have to deal with unexpected Windows 10 behavior, there’s something rewarding about quickly finding a solution. In the process, I often end up with an idea for a blog post I can share with thousands five regular readers. A couple of weeks ago I helped a customer solve a particularly weird case: the "legacy" printer management (meaning that Windows will not manage the default printer) was enabled and yet - for some reason - the default printer kept changing for end-users to "Microsoft Print to PDF". Obviously something was broken so I had to investigate.

A few days ago I began experiencing issues with built-in Windows apps where various apps would flash open and close straight away. Needless to say, this became very annoying very quickly. A few minutes with event viewer and PowerShell, however, and I not only determined the cause, but came up with a workaround.

Windows 10, version 1903 is now available via Windows Update for Business, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) and the Volume Licensing Servicing Center (VLSC). Windows 10, version 1603 is the seventh feature update released for Windows 10. As with the previous updates, Microsoft continues the trend of moving to more agile development and delivery models as part of the ongoing "Windows as a Service" efforts with Windows 10 1903 update making the base operating system better with new features to help IT pros more easily manage and better protect data and devices in their organizations.

The development of the Windows 10, version 1903 is finished and the update is now available for download from Visual Studio Subscriptions and the Software Download Center - as well as through Windows Server Update Services  and Windows Update for Business. I can't stress it  enough that you should start testing the newest features and functionality in this Semi-Annual Channel release as soon as possible in preparation for broad deployment to the devices in your organization. As part of this process, you should take a look at provisioned apps - most likely you want to ensure that only a choice selection of apps is being installed, whenever a user logs on either for the first time or after installing a feature update on a Windows 10 computer, since app installation directly impacts logon times.

After 4 years at Login Consultants, with long and careful contemplation, I have made a difficult and bittersweet but ultimately exciting decision to pursue the next chapter in my life and career and to trust the magic of the beginning.

These days a lot of my blog posts start off with a question on Twitter and this one is no different. At least, this time around the question was relatively simple: How do you restore a modern application which was fully deprovisioned from a Windows 10 installation during OS deployment? Assuming you have the necessary source files handy, the steps involved are relatively straight forward.

As Windows 10 April 2019 Update Update (codenamed 19H1) development winds down, it’s the grandiose time to examine updated and new Group Policy settings. There might be a few changes to Group Policy settings before Windows 10, version 1903 hits RTM, but it still can't hurt to poke around current ADMX files because there are truly several things duller in our line of work than comparing thousands of lines of text. Right?