Build your first MSIX Package using DAC

Microsoft is building up a MSIX Packaging Tool which we are expecting to be released pretty soon. Till then how to create a MSIX package? It's very easy. If you have used Desktop App Converter tool to create .appx package earlier then you are ready to create MSIX.

The steps to create MSIX are pretty same like how we create .appx using DAC. You can follow the below link to create your first MSIX package.

Project Centennial - First hands on Converting desktop apps to Universal Windows Platform (UWP)

There are some changes that needs to be followed regarding to requirements in the above link. Instead of writing those changes I have decided to share a link where it has been already well explained by Pascal Berger.

https://blog.basevision.ch/2018/07/how-to-create-an-msix-right-now-in-the-insider-preview-a-step-by-step-tutorial/

So why wait? Try out your first MSIX creation.

App-V 5.1 sequencer and earlier doesn't work on windows 10 version 1607

When trying to install App-V 5.1 and earlier version of sequencer in windows 10 version 1607, it fails with the below error.

Solution: You would need to download the latest SDK for windows 10 version 1607 which has sequencer along with it. Using this sequencer you can proceed virtualizing apps.


https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/windows-assessment-deployment-kit

Exploring App-V & Ue-V in Windows 10 Anniversary update 1607

As all would have heard about the inbuilt App-V and Ue-V available with Windows 10 Anniversary update 1607 which has been released on August 2nd 2016.It is available only with the Windows Enterprise and Education editions. They will also be included in-box in Windows Server 2016 Standard and Datacenter. If you are using Windows 10 Professional or earlier and plan to upgrade to the Windows 10 Anniversary release, you will need to deploy the Enterprise edition to use App-V and UE-V on those devices.


I have already blogged about this in my previous post when I tested App-V and Ue-V in windows 10 build 14316 and some common issues found. You can have a look here in the below link.


http://app2pack.blogspot.com/2016/04/app-v-ue-v-available-by-default-in-new.html
http://app2pack.blogspot.com/2016/04/windows-10-build-14327-enabling-or.html

By default App-V and Ue-V are disabled in the OS. You need to enable it to use them. It can be done by enabling in services,GPO or using Powershell commands.


Open services.msc from run command and enable the App-V client service.

GPO-  go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > App-V
Run Enables App-V Client and then select Enabled. Restart the machine.

To know list of available commands for App-V in powershell, follow the below step.

To enable App-V ,Open elevated powershell x86 or x64 and type Enable-Appv.This will enable the App-V client and show the output as successfully enabled.

To know the status of App-V, type in the below command.This will show the status of App-V client enabled or not and whether there is any reboot required.

To test bulk App-V 5.0 or App-V 5.1 packages use the below powershell command.


http://app2pack.blogspot.com/2015/08/powershell-to-automate-publishing-of.html
http://app2pack.blogspot.com/2015/08/powershell-to-automate-publishing-of_26.html


To disable App-V, type in Disable-AppV. This will require a reboot.

Also when checked for App-V version we can see that it is 5.2.

Tested by installing the .MSI file generated by the sequencer and it seems to fail which also earlier failed in build 14316.

For now removing the Launch condition from the MSI worked. To know more check here.Hope Microsoft will rectify this issue soon.


UPDATE (10/08/2016) - Microsoft has provided a official workaround for this issue. Check here for information.


https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/itpro/windows/manage/appv-release-notes-for-appv-for-windows


UPDATE (19/10/2016) - When following the above solution provided by Microsoft, there was still an issue stating that the Msidb.exe could not be located.To resolve this issue kindly look into the below useful links.


http://app2pack.blogspot.com/2016/10/solution-virtual-applications-packaged.html


http://packageology.com/2016/08/fix-app-v-sequencer-generated-msi-packages/


https://garytown.com/appv-for-windows-10-1607-update-packages-enable-in-windows


Update (26/10/2016) - Microsoft has provided a new working solution


https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/itpro/windows/manage/appv-release-notes-for-appv-for-windows


Ue-V:

To know list of available commands for Ue-V, follow the below step.

Open elevated powershell and type Enable-Uev.This will require a reboot.This can also be enabled via enabling in services.msc.

You can also use GPO to enable UEV.Goto Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > MicrosoftUser Experience Virtualization.Run Enable UEV. Restart is needed.

To know the status of Ue-V, type in the below command.This will show the status of Ue-V enabled or not and whether any reboot required.

To disable Ue-V, type the below command.



Resolution - App-V generated MSI shows Client version 5.0 or above needs to be installed even though App-V Client is enabled in Windows 10 Build 14316

Even though App-V client is installed and been enabled, running the App-V generated msi shows the below error.



Resolution: Create a transforms for the generated MSI and remove the highlighted Installed OR APPV_CLIENT_INSTALLED launch condition.This should fix the issue temporarily.
For a permanent fix we need to wait for Microsoft to release its updated OS.

App-V & Ue-V available by default in the new Windows 10 build 14316 - First hands on review

As everyone would have already known the earlier news that Microsoft has planned to incorporate App-V in its new windows 10 release Redstone 1. Recently Microsoft has released its insider preview release for Windows 10 Build 14316. I had an opportunity to test it. Below are some interesting findings.

1. We can see the App-V files present in the C:\windows\System32 folder. One can think why Microsoft has kept the files like this instead of keeping them in a separate folder?  (Ex: C:\windows\System32\App-V). Though we were not able to get answers, we have to wait for Microsoft to give its reason.


 

2. The same applies to Ue-V files. They are also present inside the same C:\windows\System32 folder and not in a separate folder (Ex: C:\windows\System32\Ue-V). .



3. Next we tested publishing some sample apps. it wasn't successful. The reason was that the App-V Client service was disabled by default. Turning the App-V client services manually ON worked for us. We can start the service manually to make the App-V client to work but we didn't want to. We wanted to try some other options.



4. Entering gcm -module AppVClient will return the available App-V commands.



We saw that there is a command Enable-App to enable the App-V client service. We opened elevated powershell and typed in Enable-AppV, but it didn't return anything.So we had a thought that the command didn't work.Checked the Appv client service and it seems to be have started.Reboot might be required for proper functionality.



Note: If it doesn't work, then we need to import the AppVClient first using the PS command Import-Module AppVClient to make it work. (Thanks to Roy Essers)

Also note that these commands need to be tested in x64 version of Powershell. If not it will show error.

Published an application and it works fine as expected.



You can also use the Disable-AppV command to disable the App-V Client.



So we can finally say that the Enable-AppV and Disable-AppV command works but it doesn't give any status output whether it is a success or failure. Hope Microsoft will fix this in its upcoming release.

Even though when App-V client is enabled, running the App-V sequenced windows installer (.msi) file generates the below error.





For now removing the Launch condition from the MSI worked. To know more check here.Hope Microsoft will rectify this issue too.

To Enable Ue-V, you need to use Enable-Uev command in an elevated powershell.




Note: If it doesn't work, then we need to import the UEV first using the PS command Import-Module UEV to make it work.

To disable Ue-V, you need to use Disable-Uev command in an elevated PS.



To finalize Windows 10 Redstone 1 will be a great one with in-build App-V & Ue-V.

Also check the below blogs by other App-V Gurus.

Blog by Aaron Parker.

http://stealthpuppy.com/enable-appv-uev-windows-10/

Blog by Ryan Bijkerk

http://www.logitblog.com/microsoft-app-v-built-in-windows-10/

Blog by Vinod Reddy

https://vinodreddy597.wordpress.com/2016/04/14/enable-appv-posh-in-build-14316/

Fixed: Importing Windows 10 drivers in ConfigMgr 2012 fails with “Driver is not applicable to any supported platforms. Code 0x80070661”

With the Cumulative Update 1 for System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Service Pack 1 and System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Service Pack 2, Windows 10 drivers can now be successfully imported into the DriverCatalog.log file for operating system deployment.


DriverCatalog.log file Information:


Initializing driver digest from '\\server\Windows10-x64\{Windows10-driver}.inf'\\server\Windows10-x64\{Windows10-driver}.inf is not applicable to any supported platforms.Driver is not applicable to any supported platforms. Code 0x80070661

This problem was due to the way version number recognition was performed prior to the CU1 update.


For more Information click Microsoft link here 

Download Microsoft E-books for free

Download Microsoft E-book for free. Including Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Office 2013, Office 365, SharePoint 2013, Dynamics CRM, PowerShell, Exchange Server, Lync 2013, System Center, Azure, Cloud, SQL Server etc.


So why wait, Go and grab your own copy.


Download Links:


Link1
Link2
Link3

Free ebook: Introducing Windows 10 for IT Professionals, Preview Edition

The Windows 10 Technical Preview offers anyone an opportunity to not just try out the next version of Windows but to provide feedback about the new operating system, in real time, to the team that is building it.


Author Name - Ed Bott.


Download the book from here

Installing Windows 10 using the media creation tool

The media creation tool can be used to upgrade your current PC to Windows 10 or to create a USB or DVD and installWindows 10 on a different PC.

To download the tool click on the below link.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10