1709 How to remove ALL not-yet-installed apps with powershell?

Hi!

I'm trying to remove preprovisioned, not yet installed, apps / packages. I'm talking specifically about:
- 'Adobe Photoshop Express'
- 'Duolingo'
- 'Eclipse Manager'
- 'Network Speed Test'
- 'News'
- 'Power BI'
- 'Sway'

These apps are lurking in the start menu, but are not installed before a user actually clicks them.
They are not detected by 'Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online' or 'Get-AppxPackage',

Code:

[String[]] $Query = 'Adobe*Photoshop*Express','Duolingo','Eclipse*Manager','Network*Speed*Test','News','Power*BI','Sway'
Foreach ($Index in $Query) {
    Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | Select PackageName, InstallLocation | Where PackageName -Like "*$index*"
    Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers -Name '*' | Select Name, InstallLocation | Where Name -Like "*$index*"
}

and therefore I can't uninstall them with powershell. They are not listed as installed apps either.
- Are these preprovisioned packages? If not, what are they?
- Are there any powershell command to remove these, or their start menu shortcuts?

 

By 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Cloud Content\DisableWindowsConsumerFeatures' = 1?
I've tried that, but it does not remove them.

"or by using a LayoutModification.xml custom Start Menu layout"
Will that still allow users to modify start menu? I've read that customizing w10 start menu by xml mods locks it down.


Edit: Are these relevant?
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager\SuggestedApps

 

Thanks. I have the reg values figured out now. Do you have an example of a LayoutModification.xml where suggested apps are removed?
I'll take a look at it later when I have time. Heres a code snippet for setting reg values (if others need it)

Code:

#region Settings
    # ReadOnly true means the script won't change ANYTHING, only search for apps and registry values
    [Bool] $ReadOnly = $true
    [Bool] $DebugWinTemp = $false
    [Bool] $DebugConsole = $true
    If ($DebugWinTemp) {[String] $Global:DebugStr = [String]::Empty}
    [String] $WhatToConfig = 'Remove bloatware'
#endregion Settings


#region Functions
    #region Write-Output
    Function Out {
        param(
            [Parameter(Mandatory=$true, Position=0)]
            [String] $In
        )
        If ($DebugConsole) {
            Write-Output -InputObject $In
        }
        If ($DebugWinTemp) {
            $Global:DebugStr += $In + "`r`n"
        }
    }
    #endregion Write-Output

#region Create reg dir
    Function Check-RegistryDir {
        Param(
            [Parameter(Mandatory=$true, Position=0)]
            [String] $Dir
        )
        If (!(Test-Path $Dir)) {
                Out -In '   Reg dir does not exist, trying to create.'
                If(!($ReadOnly)) {
                    $null = New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $Dir 2>&1
                    If (!($?)) {
                        Out -In '      ERROR: Dir could not be created'
                    }
                    Else {
                        Out -In '      SUCCESS: Dir was created'
                    }
                }
                Else {Out -In '      ReadOnly mode'}
            } 
        Else {
            Out -In '   Reg dir does already exist.'
        } 
    }
    #endregion Create reg dir

    #region Write registry dword
    Function Write-RegistryValueDword {
        Param(
            [Parameter(Mandatory=$true, Position=0)]
            [String] $Dir,

            [Parameter(Mandatory=$true, Position=0)]
            [String] $Key,

            [Parameter(Mandatory=$true, Position=0)]
            [Int] $Val
        )
        Out -In ('Dir: ' + $Dir + ' | Key: ' + $Key + ' | Val: ' + $Val)
        # Check if path exists, create if doesn't
        Check-RegistryDir $Dir
        # Continue only if Dir exists or gets created successfully
        If (Test-Path $Dir) {
            # Check if key exists
            $Exists = Get-ItemProperty -Path ('{0}' -f $Dir) -Name ('{0}' -f $Key) -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
            # If key does not exist
            If (!($Exists)) {
                Out -In '   Key does not exist. Creating key and setting value'
                If (!($ReadOnly)) {
                    $null = Set-ItemProperty -Path $Dir -Name $Key -Value $Val 2>&1                       
                }
            }
            # If key does exist   
            Else {
                # Don't write new value if new key is the same
                If ($Exists.$Key -eq $Val) {
                    Out -In '   Key does exist, and value is the same as the new one'
                }
                # Write new key if key is not the same
                Else {
                    Out -In '   Key does exist, but is not equal to the new one. Trying to change it'
                    If (!($ReadOnly)) {
                        $null = Set-ItemProperty -Path $Dir -Name $Key -Value $Val 2>&1                 
                    }
                }
            }       
            # Final check
            If ($ReadOnly) {
                Out -In '      ReadOnly mode, succeeded in checking reg value'
                }
                Else {
                $Exists = Get-ItemProperty -Path ('{0}' -f $Dir) -Name ('{0}' -f $Key) -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
                If ($Exists) {
                    If ($Exists.$Key -eq $Val) {
                    Out -In '      SUCCESS: Key is correct'}
                    Else {Out -In '      ERROR: Key does exist | Val was not set'}
                }
                Else {Out -In '      ERROR: Key does not Exist | Val was not set'}
            }
        }
    }
    #endregion Write registry dword
#endregion Functions



#region Set Registry values
    #region Prevent "Suggested Applications" from returning
    Out ("`r`n`r`n" + '### Prevent apps from returning')
    [String] $RegPath = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Cloud Content'
    [String] $RegName = 'DisableWindowsConsumerFeatures'
    [Int]   $RegValue = 1
    Write-RegistryValueDword -Dir $RegPath -Key $RegName -Val $RegValue
    #endregion Prevent "Suggested Applications" from returning

    #region Disable suggestions on start menu
    Out ("`r`n" + '### Disable and remove suggested apps')
    [String]   $RegPath = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager'
    $RegValues = @(
        [PSCustomObject]@{Key = [String]'FeatureManagementEnabled'; Val = [Int]0}
        [PSCustomObject]@{Key = [String]'OemPreInstalledAppsEnabled'; Val = [Int]0}
        [PSCustomObject]@{Key = [String]'PreInstalledAppsEnabled'; Val = [Int]0}
        [PSCustomObject]@{Key = [String]'SilentInstalledAppsEnabled'; Val = [Int]0}
        [PSCustomObject]@{Key = [String]'SoftLandingEnabled'; Val = [Int]0}
        [PSCustomObject]@{Key = [String]'SystemPaneSuggestionsEnabled'; Val = [Int]0}
    )
    Foreach ($x in $RegValues) {
        Write-RegistryValueDword -Dir $RegPath -Key $x.Key -Val $x.Val
    }
    #endregion Disable suggestions on start menu
#endregion Set Registry Values



#region Debug
If ($DebugWinTemp) {
    If ([String]::IsNullOrEmpty($DebugStr)) {
        $DebugStr = 'Everything failed'
    }

    # Write Output
    $DebugPath = 'C:\Windows\Temp\'
    $CurDate = Get-Date -Uformat "%y%m%d"
    $CurTime = Get-Date -Format "HHmmss"
    $DebugFileName = ('Debug Powershell ' + $WhatToConfig + ' ' + $CurDate + $CurTime + '.txt')

    $DebugStr | Out-File -FilePath ($DebugPath + $DebugFileName) -Encoding 'utf8'
    If (!($?)) {
        $DebugStr | Out-File -FilePath ($env:TEMP + '\' + $DebugFileName) -Encoding 'utf8'
    }
}
#endregion Debug

 

Can you apply it to a already created profile? If you can: How? I tried writing it to the same path as DefaulLayouts.xml and rebooted, that obviously did not do the trick..

Edit: Import-StartLayout maybe. More testing later.