Windows 10: Windows Store App broken - Win10 Pro V 1803 - After removing Store Apps with Powershell for...

In a recent RDSH VDI deployment I needed to sysprep a fresh build of Win 10 version 1803. I configured and installed all my software (which is a significant amount as we are a software development company) and installed all the available Windows Updates and then went to sysprep. I received the classic error pointing to some random Microsoft Store App (in my case the windows.calculator) that was not installed as "All Users."

To fix the issue I ran the Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage with the -Online switch. This removed the problem package and allowed me to sysprep and roll out my VDI pool. Shortly after getting users setup on the VDIs however I started to run into issues. Calc.exe wouldn't run even if launched from the system32 directory stating "you will need a new app to open this ms-windows-store" ... then I realized I can't even open the MS Windows Store App at all anymore ... getting the same dialogue with an "ok" button that I can't click. This only seems to be affecting half of my VDIs ... which makes it even more strange since they are all built off the same master image.


After a whole lot of searching and attempted fixes I had gotten to the point where nothing was working and I thought my only option was going to be to re-install windows and re-install all my software and settings and re-deploy all my VDIs ... UGH!!! I tried every solution out there. Ran Powershell scripts, removed SIDs from Registry, Tried fixing in the Apps and Features GUI, creating a new local user etc. Nothing worked. Every forum out there I found said to run ...


Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppxManifest.xml"}


I was receiving this error however ... "cannot find path 'c:/windows/winstore/appxmanifest.xml' because it does not exist." and when I ran "Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers" the windows store app wasn't listed, nor was it listed in the "Apps - Apps & Features" in the GUI. So I had given up. I started building my new VDI and installed the same release of Windows 10 (Version 1803), applied updates. After a fresh install I logged in and made sure I was a local admin and I decided to try something off the wall, and I'll be damned ... it worked! Could be a fluke, but just in case if it can help someone else out there, these are the steps I took.

1. First I had to change the permissions on the C:\Program Files\WindowsApps folder … make myself the owner and add me with full control and add “All Application Packages” full control from the Broken PC not the domain (a solution I saw on some random forum but can't recall ... I will post the link later if I can find it)
2. Look for Microsoft.WindowsStore_* (in my case it should have been at C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsStore_11808.1001.9.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe) … in the list of apps folders in the WindowsApps folder ... if it is not there (which it was not in my case) then do the same for the permissions in the C:\Program Files\WindowsApps folder on my newly built VDI and copy the folder(s) for the Microsoft.WindowsStore* and all of the contents of said folder(s) from this location on my fresh new VDI to the same location on my Broken production VDI
3. Then open an elevated powershell and run the following command, but make sure the folder name matches exactly what you copied and pasted in the previous step. In my case it was …
   
   Add-AppxPackage -register “C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsStore_11808.1001.9.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\AppxManifest.xml” –DisableDevelopmentMode

This fixed my problem where the above "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppxManifest.xml" did not work. This saved me from a re-install/re-build/re-fresh or in-place upgrade and several hours of work installing software, configuring settings and setting up a new VDI Pool, transferring users profiles etc. which would have really sucked. So, hopefully this helps you too.

:)

 

Microsoft is purging a lot of low quality apps from the Windows Store

"Microsoft is sending emails to some Windows Store developers informing them that their apps have been removed from the Store for violating its quality standards."

"Neowin reports that app developers have been receiving these emails over the past couple of days:

In its latest review of the Store, Microsoft is evaluating if the published apps are good enough to be listed in the Windows Store. This includes publicly available apps as well as private beta apps. Additionally, Microsoft is also asking developers to delete any promotional campaigns for their apps to prevent advertising charges. Similarly, app name reservations are also being nullified; which means that if your app is unpublished, there's no guarantee that you'll be able to republish it under the same name.

Officially, the policies for the Microsoft Store says that apps must have "distinct and informative metadata" and "provide a valuable and quality user experience". There are also some specific standards that must be in the apps, including having a name that is not similar to another app or device, along with offering a description that is accurate about its features and functions.

There have certainly been many Windows Store users who have complained over the years about the large number of apps published that are clones of other apps or ones that are simply poorly made. Hopefully, this new move by Microsoft will help to curb these issues, at least for now."

http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-purging-lot-low-quality-apps-windows-store

 

Microsoft is purging a lot of low quality apps from the Windows Store

Will they remove Windows Store too? It's a low quality app.

 

Microsoft is purging a lot of low quality apps from the Windows Store

Will they remove windows 10 too?