Hi,
Just in case anyone trips over this post after having this issue and not finding the answer.
Here it is, it took a paid support call to MS but the answer is......... it's by design.
The key part here is Windows 8.1 Professional vs Windows 8.1 Enterprise
Prior to these updates, the policy to apply start screen layout via policy worked on Professional and Enterprise.
The fact it did work on Processional was a BUG, it was ONLY intended to work in Enterprise.
The update rollups fix the bug, and hence break a previously working solution for 8.1 Professional users.
The fixes are either the workaround I noted above (copying in file) or changing to 8.1 Enterprise.
Just an additional note on my workaround, if you are using a login script to copy the file, do it is a logoff script instead. The reason is that if you have it as a login script and a brand new user logs in, the profile creation process has a bit of a fit
as you have copied in part of a profile, so instead of seeing the 'Hi...... We're setting things up for you.....' part, the PC just sits for about 5-10 mins and then eventually logs in.
If you set it to a logoff script then the login processes normally, even for brand new users, and the file copies without a hitch on logoff. It takes an extra login for brand new users to see the screen layout but hey, its better than a 10min first login.
So, no fix from MS, as the fix is the reason for the break in functionality.
Yes, by the letter of the policy it is correct, but we have been robbed of a perfectly working piece of functionality that some people may have been using extensively.
Thanks
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Proposed as answer by
DonPick
Monday, February 23, 2015 8:44 AM