Start Layout .xml

[Huntbiss5]

Ok so I have been working on this problem for almost two weeks now, I'm entry level and my boss is having me do this while he is busy upgrading some of our servers. I've posted a few different questions here, and have gotten some answers, but after having worked on it for so long now I think I'll be able to pose my question better.

Currently we have two domains, a production domain, and a development domain. The production domain is the one all our employees computers and IP phones are on. The dev domain is a somewhat replica of the production domain and it is our experimental environment.

I've been tasked with replicating the Group Policy of our production DC in our dev DC. I've gotten almost all of it, which has been quite the project because like I said it is a somewhat replica so I have had to alter some things to fit the dev environment.

Now this may not come as a surprise to you but the thing that has been giving me the most trouble has been dictating the Start Layout with group policy. I have set up folder redirection to point to a list of apps, and I also have an xml file that I had exported on a test computer and used that on the DC.

The problem is this, when a new user logs into the computer, it doesn't load the xml file correctly. No matter how many gpupdate /force, restarts, etc. I do it doesn't matter, it won't load it. It has Notepad in one of the groups I have, and also all the apps in the taskbar that I have, but nothing else that is supposed to be there is there.

But then if I add 1 line of white space onto the xml file and save that, then log off and log in on the test computer, boom the start layout looks exactly like it is supposed to.

This happens with multiple different users, on multiple different test computers. They are all in the correct OU with the same policies being applied and the same permissions, I have removed all other polices to see if any are conflicting, and nothing.

I have scoured the internet over the past couple weeks, I have asked friends, I have posted here multiple times, I cannot find a solution to this problem. If anyone can think of a solution I will take any suggestion.

<LayoutModificationTemplate
Version="1"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
>
<LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" />
<DefaultLayoutOverride>
<StartLayoutCollection>
<defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6" xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout">
<start:Group Name="Applications" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout">
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Latitude.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Internet Explorer.lnk" />
</start:Group>
<start:Group Name="Microsoft Office" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout">
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Outlook 2013.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Skype.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Excel 2013.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Word 2013.lnk" />
</start:Group>
<start:Group Name="Tools" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout">
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\notepad.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Calculator.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Snippingtool.lnk" />
</start:Group>
</defaultlayout:StartLayout>
</StartLayoutCollection>
</DefaultLayoutOverride>
<CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
<defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
<taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
<taskbaresktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\File Explorer.lnk" />
<taskbaresktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Internet Explorer.lnk" />
<taskbaresktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\CRM.website" />
<taskbaresktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Sharepoint.website" />
<taskbaresktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Report Manager.website" />
<taskbaresktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="\\apr-dev-dc1\startmenus$\StartMenu\Outlook 2013.lnk" />
</taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
</defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
</CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>



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