Hello,
I'm working on certifying notebooks with Windows 8 image for corporate use and have faced some issues with Windows 8 sideloading.
Lenovo provides "Lenovo Settings" application for its notebooks. It's additional software to handle battery, wireless, etc. and it's implemented as Metro-style app. It could be found in Windows Store, however, Lenovo also provies stand-alone solution for enterprise in .appx format that could be sideloaded. Unfortunately, Lenovo do not provide instructions on how to load and instead points to Microsoft documentation.
When I try to sideload application to user/machine after OOBE with dism or powershell - everything works great. Application appears to users and could be used.
I was also able to inject the application to .wim file in offline mode. I'm aware of necessary group policies and pre-set both of them:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Appx]
"AllowAllTrustedApps"=dword:00000001
"AllowDeploymentInSpecialProfiles"=dword:00000001
But the real problem comes when I try to deploy image to the fresh PC (I use SCCM 2012 SP1, OSD feature). I can list all loaded apps with (DISM /online /Get-ProvisionedAppxPackages) and Lenovo Settings app lists as installed during any action in task sequence in FullOS mode. But when I first logon to the machine after deployment, application do not appear to user (I know about built-in Administrator restriction and I'm using custom account that is admin on the PC). Using the same command to view installed W8 applications, Lenovo Settings do not appear any more in the list.
I was able to find one entry in the logs (Event Viewer -> Applications and Services Logs -> Microsoft -> Windows > AppxDeployment-Server -> Microsoft-Windows-AppXDeploymentServer/Operational):
Package(s) with the following package full names were not registered due to sideloading policy restrictions:
LenovoCorporation.LenovoSettings_1.1.0.11169_x86__4642shxvsv8s2
Image - Windows 8 Enterprise x64.And It's joined to the domain during OSD (Apply Network Settings step, before I've used DISM to add W8 app). All sideloading requirements are met.
I've tried to reapply AllowAllTrustedApps and AllowDeploymentInSpecialProfiles policies in Task sequence from using gpedit.msc, then I've tried to reapply Lenovo settings using dism - it says that import is successfull and application could be listed as installed. But the same problem appears when I logon to the deployed PC.
So, my question is whether Microsoft supports Windows 8 metro-application sideloading during OS deployment. And if so, what would be the correct procedure to overcome described issue?
As for now, I've tested all cases that I can think of, so any suggestions are welcome.
Thank you!