Problem setting registry value under HKCU with FSLogix

Tommy Stylsvig Würtz Rasmussen (Holstebro Kommune) 1 Reputation point
2021-04-21T17:19:51.637+00:00

I am trying to define the users default IM app by using FSLogix to force DefaultIMApp to a specific value. The reason for this is that we use Cisco Jabber as our primary IM App. However, every time a user starts MS Teams to participate in a Teams meeting, Pinky and Brain tries to dominate the world and sets Teams as Default IM App. Though Teams do have a setting to prevent this it never really works. Firstly, if I try to change that parameter in the json-file holding the configuration (and of course MS has chosen not to provide any useful GPO options for this app), Teams will reset its settings and start over at next launch. If the user changes the setting from the GUI, it only lasts until next time Teams decides to reset to defaults (which it seems to do quite often) and then we are back with Pinky and Brain taking over the world...
Now back to my issue and the actual question - The default IM App is controlled by a simple registry value, DefaultIMApp, which resides under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\IM Providers. I could set this value by i.e. a login script but that would only last until Teams is launched. This is where FSLogix usually earns its worth by continuously keeping something hidden, redirected or set. So I created a new Specify Value Rule that would set Cisco Jabber as value on HKCU\SOFTWARE\IM Providers\DefaultIMApp. However exactly THAT value seemed to be ignored by FSLogix. Using Process Monitor I discovered that if the IM Providers key was present in HKEY_USERS.Default\Software FSLogix would change the DefaultIMApp here but nowhere else but if it wasn't, the value would be updated under HKCU for all the logged on users (which is what I wanted).
Can anyone explain why this I so and if there might be a better solution than to delete the HKEY_USERS.Default\Software\IM Providers key? I have tried using HKU__USER_SID__ but that only seems to apply to Redirection rules (which isn't at all clear from https://video2.skills-academy.com/en-us/fslogix/application-masking-rules-ht). In the Process Monitor trace I can see that USER_SID is not being translated when used with Specify Value Rules

Thanks

FSLogix
FSLogix
A set of solutions that enhance, enable, and simplify non-persistent Windows computing environments and may also be used to create more portable computing sessions when using physical devices.
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  1. Leila Kong 3,696 Reputation points
    2021-04-22T03:28:36.18+00:00

    Hello @Tommy Stylsvig Würtz Rasmussen (Holstebro Kommune) ,

    1.How did you configure fslogix? What DefaultIMApp did you set? Can you offer any screenshot for the issue?
    2.Redirecting to the Current User Registry (HKCU): https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/sqlserver/en-US/c73eee5f-6b10-45b6-bda2-445037d52d32/redirecting-to-the-current-user-registry-hkcu?forum=FSLogix

    Best regards,
    Leila

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  2. Tommy Stylsvig Würtz Rasmussen (Holstebro Kommune) 1 Reputation point
    2021-04-22T15:26:47.357+00:00

    The rule is pretty simple:
    90395-image.png

    90330-image.png

    90339-image.png

    In regards to "Redirecting to the Current User Registry" - This is NOT a redirection rule and using HKU and the USER SID variable do not apply to "Specify Value Rule" (if it does, there is a bug in 2009!)

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  3. Leila Kong 3,696 Reputation points
    2021-04-27T07:59:50.07+00:00

    Hello @TommyStylsvigWürtz Rasmussen (Holstebro Kommune)

    Thanks for your information. Hope the following document may give you any help:
    http://blog.petersenit.co.uk/2019/04/outlook-presence-issues-with-skype-for.html
    https://www.lee-ford.co.uk/change-teams-to-the-default-im-app-by-using-a-script/

    Please understand due to security policy and from our professional level, we do not provide dump/log analysis. In addition, if this problem is more urgent for you, I still recommend that you open a case to Microsoft for further professional help.
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4341255/support-for-busines

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  4. Leila Kong 3,696 Reputation points
    2021-05-13T09:53:06.067+00:00

    Hello @Tommy Stylsvig Würtz Rasmussen (Holstebro Kommune) ,

    How are things going there on this issue?
    Please let me know if you would like further assistance.

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  5. Tommy Stylsvig Würtz Rasmussen (Holstebro Kommune) 1 Reputation point
    2021-05-17T13:32:46.48+00:00

    Hello @Leila Kong ,

    I appreciate your effort on solving my issue. Unfortunately, none of the links provided the solution. Moreover, the key issue in my question was to understand the "Specify Value Rule" in FSLogix using the Default IM app as an example to explain my challenges with the FSLogix rule.
    I have another example where I tried to control the value of OUTLOOK.EXE under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\FEATURE_BROWSER_EMULATION trying to solve the issue described in https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX232021 without breaking Outlook Today (I was hoping I could use FSLogix to trick Citrix Files into seeing one value and Outlook another). When trying to set that value with FSLogix a rule the value simply disappears.
    Also it has struck me as odd that the "Specify Value Rule" does not have a type setting (REG_SZ, REG_DWORD, etc.) - how does it know what to select if the value does not exist in the first place!? As previously stated, the documentation on "Specify Value Rule" is not exactly elaborate...
    Thanks

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