Client Package installs unruly shortcuts!

[Ocelaris]

So I'm not quite happy that SCCM installs a shortcut in the start menu for "Microsoft System Center 2012/Configuration Manager/Software Center" as well as "Silverlight"... I normally maintain a pretty strict start menu folder structure for my environment, and with the automated installation it seems the only way to fix this is to modify the package on the site server... Has anyone had any luck with this?

 

I opened up the Client.msi package with Wise Package Editor on the site system, but I can't see in the msi any shortcuts...

 

 

[Peter33]

I would not suggest to modify the source packages. Just create a hidden application which deletes the shortcuts if they are present. Quick, easy and dirty.

[Ocelaris]

Yeah, that's what my team lead was saying. I guess I'll just write a VBScript that checks for the CM 2012 client, and if it is installed, delete the shortcut and move it to our " - Utilities" folder where it can live happily. We've already done a transform for the Silverlight so it moves the shortcut to it's appropriate place (nowhere!) but I'll have to check on that shortcut as well. I'd rather not have a scheduled task run, but I suppose I can run it after the client install package. I'm just wondering about when I do client rollout, if I'm targeting it via SUP, how that works... but that's more my ignorance of SUP custom packages than anything else.

 

Thanks, when I finish the script I'll post back.

[Peter33]

You can simply use cmd /c rd "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft Silverlight" /S /Q as command line.

 

.. And this Powershell script as detection rule.

 

if(!(Test-Path -Path "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft Silverlight")){
echo $true
}

For operating systems older than Windows 7 you will need a second deployment type with custom path.

[Ocelaris]

Apparently (so my coworker tells me) if you delete that shortcut, it comes back... so unless you're doing some logon script check every time, it seems that may not be a complete solution. Still looking for a better solution. I find it hard to believe Microsoft made such nefarious links without a way to move them. In 2007 it was well integrated into the control panel!

[Peter33]

Well, don't know if the Client health check will restore the shortcuts, which i find hard to believe. I will try that tomorrow.

You could still create a compliance rule for your Clients wich deletes the shortcuts if they are present.

[Peter33]

The health check doesn't restore the shortcuts. It's probably a silverlight update, which is always a full installer. So the silverlight shortcuts will be back after every security update.

[sixinabox]

I leave the windows folder options set to the default to not show hidden files/folders and then do this in a computer startup script:

 

md "%allusersprofile%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft System Center 2012 R2"

attrib +h "%allusersprofile%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft System Center 2012 R2"

icacls "%allusersprofile%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft System Center 2012 R2" /reset

icacls "%allusersprofile%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft System Center 2012 R2" /inheritance:r

This sets the current folder hidden or if not already installed, adds it and sets it hidden and then strips the security so the installer can't overwrite it.