Below is how we stopped modifying the Start Menu & Task Bar shortcuts on our Default Image (GOLD IMAGE) using MDT 2013 Task Sequence. This applies to Windows 7 and I’m sure it could be modified to work with Windows 8.1. Check it out below and let me know if you have any questions.

To do this, you are going to need the following scripts in a folder on your MDT 2013 Server.

Copy_To_Default_User_Startup.cmd

copy "\\mdtserver01\DeploymentShare$\Applications\Set_TaskBar_&_StartMenu_Shortcuts\RunDefaultUserStartupScripts.vbs" "C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" /Y copy "\\mdtserver01\DeploymentShare$\Applications\Set_TaskBar_&_StartMenu_Shortcuts\SetTaskBar.vbs" "C:\Users\Public\Downloads" /Y copy "\\mdtserver01\DeploymentShare$\Applications\Set_TaskBar_&_StartMenu_Shortcuts\PinStartMenuShortcuts.bat" "C:\Users\Public\Downloads" /Y copy "\\mdtserver01\DeploymentShare$\Applications\Set_TaskBar_&_StartMenu_Shortcuts\PinItem.vbs" "C:\Users\Public\Downloads" /Y

RunDefaultUserStartupScript.vbs

'HideCMDWindow Script CreateObject("Wscript.Shell").Run "C:\Users\Public\Downloads\SetTaskBar.vbs", 0, True CreateObject("Wscript.Shell").Run "C:\Users\Public\Downloads\PinStartMenuShortcuts.bat", 0, true

SetTaskBar.vbs (I got this from somewhere online and modified it a bit, sorry I can’t give credit where credit is due)

Option Explicit Const CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS = &H17 Const CSIDL_PROGRAMS = &H2 Const CSIDL_STARTMENU = &HB Dim objShell, objFSO Dim objCurrentUserStartFolder Dim strCurrentUserStartFolderPath Dim objAllUsersProgramsFolder Dim strAllUsersProgramsPath Dim objFolder Dim objFolderItem Dim colVerbs Dim objVerb Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application") Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject") Set objCurrentUserStartFolder = objShell.NameSpace (CSIDL_STARTMENU) strCurrentUserStartFolderPath = objCurrentUserStartFolder.Self.Path Set objAllUsersProgramsFolder = objShell.NameSpace(CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS) strAllUsersProgramsPath = objAllUsersProgramsFolder.Self.Path ' - Remove pinned items - 'Internet Explorer If objFSO.FileExists(strCurrentUserStartFolderPath & "\Programs\Internet Explorer.lnk") Then Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strCurrentUserStartFolderPath & "\Programs") Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Internet Explorer.lnk") Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs For Each objVerb in colVerbs If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Unpin from Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt Next End If 'Windows Explorer If objFSO.FileExists(strCurrentUserStartFolderPath & "\Programs\Accessories\Windows Explorer.lnk") Then Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strCurrentUserStartFolderPath & "\Programs\Accessories") Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Windows Explorer.lnk") Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs For Each objVerb in colVerbs If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Unpin from Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt Next End If 'Windows Media Player If objFSO.FileExists(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Windows Media Player.lnk") Then Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strAllUsersProgramsPath) Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Windows Media Player.lnk") Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs For Each objVerb in colVerbs If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Unpin from Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt Next End If ' - Pin to Taskbar - 'Google Chrome C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Google Chrome If objFSO.FileExists(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Google Chrome\Google Chrome.lnk") Then Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Google Chrome") Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Google Chrome.lnk") Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs For Each objVerb in colVerbs If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt Next End If 'Mozilla Firefox If objFSO.FileExists(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Mozilla Firefox.lnk") Then Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strAllUsersProgramsPath) Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Mozilla Firefox.lnk") Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs For Each objVerb in colVerbs If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt Next End If 'Internet Explorer If objFSO.FileExists(strCurrentUserStartFolderPath & "\Programs\Internet Explorer.lnk") Then Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strCurrentUserStartFolderPath & "\Programs") Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Internet Explorer.lnk") Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs For Each objVerb in colVerbs If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt Next End If 'Microsoft Outlook 2013 If objFSO.FileExists(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Microsoft Office 2013\Outlook 2013.lnk") Then Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Microsoft Office 2013") Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Outlook 2013.lnk") Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs For Each objVerb in colVerbs If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt Next End If 'Microsoft Word 2013 If objFSO.FileExists(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Microsoft Office 2013\Word 2013.lnk") Then Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Microsoft Office 2013") Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Word 2013.lnk") Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs For Each objVerb in colVerbs If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt Next End If 'Microsoft Excel 2013 If objFSO.FileExists(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Microsoft Office 2013\Excel 2013.lnk") Then Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Microsoft Office 2013") Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Excel 2013.lnk") Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs For Each objVerb in colVerbs If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt Next End If 'Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 If objFSO.FileExists(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Microsoft Office 2013\PowerPoint 2013.lnk") Then Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Microsoft Office 2013") Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("PowerPoint 2013.lnk") Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs For Each objVerb in colVerbs If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt Next End If 'Delete the script DeleteSelf Sub DeleteSelf() End Sub

PinStartMenuShortcuts.bat

cscript C:\Users\Public\Downloads\PinItem.vbs /item:"C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\Outlook 2013.lnk" cscript C:\Users\Public\Downloads\PinItem.vbs /item:"C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\Mozilla Firefox.lnk" cscript C:\Users\Public\Downloads\PinItem.vbs /item:"C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\Excel 2013.lnk" cscript C:\Users\Public\Downloads\PinItem.vbs /item:"C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\PowerPoint 2013.lnk" cscript C:\Users\Public\Downloads\PinItem.vbs /item:"C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\Word 2013.lnk" cscript C:\Users\Public\Downloads\PinItem.vbs /item:"C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\Publisher 2013.lnk" cscript C:\Users\Public\Downloads\PinItem.vbs /item:"C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\iTunes.lnk"

PinItem.vbs (same with this one, I can’t remember where I found it but who ever they are, they are awesome!)

' Windows Script Host Sample Script ' ' ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ' Copyright (C) 2009 Microsoft Corporation ' ' You have a royalty-free right to use, modify, reproduce and distribute ' the Sample Application Files (and/or any modified version) in any way ' you find useful, provided that you agree that Microsoft and the author ' have no warranty, obligations or liability for any Sample Application Files. ' ------------------------------------------------------------------------ '******************************************************************** '* '* File: PinItem.vbs '* Date: 03/04/2009 '* Version: 1.0.2 '* '* Main Function: VBScipt to pin an item to the Start Menu or Taskbar '* '* Usage: cscript PinItem.vbs /item:<path to exe> '* [/taskbar] [/?] '* '* Copyright (C) 2009 Microsoft Corporation '* '* Revisions: '* '* 1.0.0 - 04/03/2008 - Created. '* 1.0.1 - 03/02/2009 - Used Replace in PinItem function to remove "&" '* from verb. '* 1.0.2 - 03/04/2009 - Script name was PinToStartMenu.vbs. Added '* /taskbar switch to pin items to taskbar on '* Win7. '* '******************************************************************** '***************************************************************************** '* Declare Variables '***************************************************************************** Option Explicit 'On Error Resume Next Dim blnPinned Dim blnTaskbar Dim i Dim intOpMode Dim objWshShell Dim objFSO Dim objShell Dim strPath Dim strArguments Dim strOptionsMessage ' Define constants Const CONST_ERROR = 0 Const CONST_WSCRIPT = 1 Const CONST_CSCRIPT = 2 Const CONST_SHOW_USAGE = 3 Const CONST_PROCEED = 4 Const CONST_STRING_NOT_FOUND = -1 Const CONST_FOR_READING = 1 Const CONST_FOR_WRITING = 2 Const CONST_FOR_APPENDING = 8 Const CONST_Success = 0 Const CONST_Failure = 1 Const TRISTATE_USE_DEFAULT = -2 Const TRISTATE_TRUE = -1 'Open the file as Unicode. Const TRISTATE_FALSE = 0 'Open the file as ASCII. blnTaskbar = False '***************************************************************************** '* Create Objects '***************************************************************************** Set objWshShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell") Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject") Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application") '******************************************************************** '* Check script host exe and parse command line '******************************************************************** 'Get the command line arguments For i = 0 to Wscript.arguments.count - 1 ReDim Preserve arrArguments(i) arrArguments(i) = Wscript.arguments.item(i) Next 'Check whether the script is run using CScript Select Case intChkProgram() Case CONST_CSCRIPT 'Do Nothing Case CONST_WSCRIPT WScript.Echo "Please run this script using CScript." & vbCRLF & _ "This can be achieved by" & vbCRLF & _ "1. Using ""CScript MODIFYUSERS.vbs arguments"" for Windows 95/98 or" & VbCrLf & _ "2. Changing the default Windows Scripting Host setting to CScript" & vbCRLF & _ " using ""CScript //H:CScript //S"" and running the script using" & vbCRLF & _ " ""MODIFYUSERS.vbs arguments"" for Windows NT." WScript.Quit Case Else WScript.Quit End Select 'Parse the command line Err.Clear() intOpMode = intParseCmdLine(arrArguments, strPath, blnTaskbar, strOptionsMessage) If Err.Number Then Wscript.Echo "Error 0X" & CStr(Hex(Err.Number)) & " occurred in parsing the command line." If Err.Description <> "" Then Wscript.Echo "Error description: " & Err.Description & "." End If 'WScript.quit End If Select Case intOpMode Case CONST_SHOW_USAGE Call ShowUsage() WScript.quit Case CONST_PROCEED 'Do nothing. Case CONST_ERROR WScript.quit Case Else Wscript.Echo "Error occurred in passing parameters." End Select '******************************************************************** '* Main Script '******************************************************************** WScript.Echo strOptionsMessage blnPinned = PinItem(strPath, blnTaskbar) WScript.Echo "Item pinned: " & CStr(blnPinned) If blnPinned Then WScript.Quit(0) Else WScript.Quit(1) End If '******************************************************************** '* '* Function intChkProgram() '* '* Purpose: Determines which program is used to run this script. '* '* Input: None '* '* Returns: intChkProgram is set to one of CONST_ERROR, CONST_WSCRIPT, '* and CONST_CSCRIPT. '* '******************************************************************** Private Function intChkProgram() ON ERROR RESUME NEXT Dim i Dim j Dim strFullName Dim strCommand 'strFullName should be something like C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\CSCRIPT.EXE strFullName = WScript.FullName If Err.Number then Wscript.Echo "Error 0x" & CStr(Hex(Err.Number)) & " occurred." If Err.Description <> "" Then Wscript.Echo "Error description: " & Err.Description & "." End If intChkProgram = CONST_ERROR Exit Function End If i = InStr(1, strFullName, ".exe", 1) If i = 0 Then intChkProgram = CONST_ERROR Exit Function Else j = InStrRev(strFullName, "\", i, 1) If j = 0 Then intChkProgram = CONST_ERROR Exit Function Else strCommand = Mid(strFullName, j+1, i-j-1) Select Case LCase(strCommand) Case "cscript" intChkProgram = CONST_CSCRIPT Case "wscript" intChkProgram = CONST_WSCRIPT Case Else 'should never happen Wscript.Echo "An unexpected program is used to run this script." Wscript.Echo "Only CScript.Exe or WScript.Exe can be used to run this script." intChkProgram = CONST_ERROR End Select End If End If End Function '******************************************************************** '* '* Function intParseCmdLine() '* '* Purpose: Parses the command line. '* '* Input: arrArguments An array containing input from the command line '* '* Input: strPath Path of exe to pin '* strOptionsMessage String containing options selected '* '* Returns: intParseCmdLine is set to one of CONST_ERROR, CONST_SHOW_USAGE, '* and CONST_PROCEED. '* '******************************************************************** Private Function intParseCmdLine(arrArguments, strPath, blnTaskbar, strOptionsMessage) ON ERROR RESUME NEXT Dim i Dim strFlag Dim strSwitchValue strFlag = arrArguments(0) Err.Clear() 'Help is needed If (strFlag = "") OR (strFlag="help") OR (strFlag="/h") OR (strFlag="\h") OR (strFlag="-h") _ OR (strFlag = "\?") OR (strFlag = "/?") OR (strFlag = "?") OR (strFlag="h") Then intParseCmdLine = CONST_SHOW_USAGE Exit Function End If strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "" & VbCrLf strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & WScript.ScriptName & VbCrLf strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "" & VbCrLf strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "Command Line Options:" & vbCrLf strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "=======================================" & VbCrLf For i = 0 to UBound(arrArguments) strFlag = Left(arrArguments(i), InStr(1, arrArguments(i), ":")-1) If Err.Number Then 'An error occurs if there is no : in the string Err.Clear Select Case LCase(arrArguments(i)) Case "/q" blnQuiet = True strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "Supress Console Output: " & blnQuiet & VbCrLf Case "/taskbar" blnTaskbar = True strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "Pin to Taskbar instead of Start Menu: " & blnTaskbar & VbCrLf Case Else Wscript.Echo arrArguments(i) & " is not recognized as a valid input." intParseCmdLine = CONST_ERROR Exit Function End Select Else strSwitchValue = Right(arrArguments(i), Len(arrArguments(i))-(Len(strFlag)+1)) Select Case LCase(strFlag) Case "/item" strPath = strSwitchValue strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "Item to pin to Start Menu or Taskbar: " & strPath & VbCrLf Case else Wscript.Echo "Invalid flag " & strFlag & "." Wscript.Echo "Please check the input and try again." intParseCmdLine = CONST_ERROR Exit Function End Select End If Next If (strPath = "") Then Wscript.Echo "The /item switch is required" Wscript.Echo "Please check the input and try again." intParseCmdLine = CONST_ERROR Exit Function End If intParseCmdLine = CONST_PROCEED End Function '******************************************************************** '* '* Function PinItem() '* '* Purpose: Pin item to the Start Menu. '* '* Input: strlPath Path of exe to pin '* blnTaskbar Pin item to Taskbar instead of Start Menu if true '* '* Dependencies: objShell Shell.Application object '* objFSO File System object '* '* Returns: True if the shortcut is created, else false '* '******************************************************************** Function PinItem(strlPath, blnTaskbar) On Error Resume Next Dim colVerbs Dim itemverb Dim objFolder Dim objFolderItem Dim strFolder Dim strFile If objFSO.FileExists(strlPath) Then '***** Do nothing, folder exists Else '***** Folder does not exist PinItem = False WScript.Echo "File to pin does not exist." WScript.Echo "Please check the input and try again." Exit Function End If strFolder = objFSO.GetParentFolderName(strlPath) strFile = objFSO.GetFileName(strlPath) WScript.Echo "Folder: " & strFolder WScript.Echo "File: " & strFile Err.Clear Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strFolder) Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName(strFile) ' ***** InvokeVerb for this does not work on Vista/WS2008 'objFolderItem.InvokeVerb("P&in to Start Menu") ' ***** This code works on Vista/WS2008 Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs If blnTaskbar Then For each itemverb in objFolderItem.verbs If Replace(itemverb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then itemverb.DoIt Next Else For each itemverb in objFolderItem.verbs If Replace(itemverb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Start Menu" Then itemverb.DoIt Next End If If Err.Number = 0 Then PinItem = True Else PinItem = False End If End Function '******************************************************************** '* '* Sub ShowUsage() '* '* Purpose: Shows the correct usage to the user. '* '* Input: None '* '* Output: Help messages are displayed on screen. '* '******************************************************************** Sub ShowUsage() WScript.Echo "This script is used to Pin items to the Start Menu or Taskbar." WScript.Echo "" WScript.Echo "Usage: cscript " & WScript.ScriptName & " [options]" WScript.Echo "" WScript.Echo "Options:" WScript.Echo "" WScript.Echo " /item:<PathName> Path of item to pin." WScript.Echo "" WScript.Echo " /taskbar (Optional) Pin to Taskbar instead of Start Menu." WScript.Echo "" WScript.Echo " /? (Optional) Displays this help text." WScript.Echo "" WScript.Echo "" WScript.Echo "" End Sub

MDT 2013:

On your MDT 2013 DeploymentShare$, add an application by right clicking the “Applications” node and selecting “New Application”

In the new dialogue box, select “Application without source files or elsewhere on the network” radius button.

Select Next and fill out the information as you would like it to appear (I choose to name my Application as “Set_TaskBar_&_StartMenu_Shortcuts” but it’s up to you. If you use something else, then change the first script above accordingly)

Select Next, then in the Command Line field type “Copy_To_Default_User_Startup.cmd”

In the “Working directory” field, type: “.\Applications\Set_TaskBar_&_StartMenu_Shortcuts”

Select Next, then Finish.

Now, right click your newly created application and select properties

Select the check box on the bottom left hand corner of the “General” tab that says “Hide this application in the Deployment Wizard”

Next, add all the scripts above to your %DeployRoot%\Applications\Set_TaskBar_&_StartMenu_Shortcuts folder.

After adding the scripts to this folder, go back to the Deployment Workbench and right click your Task Sequence for Windows 7 and select Properties

Under the State Restore section of the Task Sequence, add a “Custom Task” after your “Install Applications” item in the Task Sequence.

You can add the “Custom Task” in many different ways but I like to create a “New Group” after either my “Install Applications” or “Windows Update (Post-Application Installation)”: Please see below:

After creating the “New Group” you can name it anything but I choose to name mine as “Custom Task”.

Next, you need to add the application to your Task Sequence by selecting the “New Group” and clicking on Add->General->Install Application.

Configure your new Application as the screenshot

Press Apply, then Ok.

When ever I make changes to my DeploymentShare I always update my Deployment Share for safe measures. It’s also because I never want to forgot to do it when I really need too.

You should now have a new application that will set the Task Bar and your Start Menu Shortcuts without having to set them in your base image.

Enjoy!

p.s. I know there is probably a better way of organizing these scripts but in a pinch they worked and I haven’t gone back to look at other ways of doing it.