So we are going to do a write-up based around the management of the Start Menu and Start Tiles based around the Windows 10 and Server 2016 versions, fully patched as of. Additionally, the methods for managing this have also evolved. Originally, they utilized a database called vedatamodel.edb, but have now eschewed this in favour of a Registry and filesystem approach. Naturally, Microsoft have even evolved their approach to handling the Start Tiles area of the Start Menu further as Windows 10 feature updates have progressed. And in true Windows 10 fashion, we now have a mish-mash of the two, a combination of filesystem entries and the mysteries that compose the “Start Tiles”. Windows 8 introduced the “Start Screen”, which was handled by binary files called emdata-ms*, which made things infinitely harder. The management on Windows 7 was easy, because it was simply done with flat filesystem entries backed up by GPOs. ….followed by the “halfway house” between old and new that we now have in Windows 10/Server 2016. We all loved Windows 7/2008 R2…Īnd then came the abomination that was Windows 8/2012… Microsoft’s decision to remove the Start Menu in Windows 8 and 8.1 and then replace it with a hybrid of Start Menu and Live Tiles in Windows 10/Server 2016 remains a contentious maneouvre in the UI space. I feel like I’ve written tons of articles and delivered loads of presentations around this particular subject. Another subject that needs a “final word”.

Tile creator windows 10