Visual Effects - Windows 7 XenDesktop VDI Optimization - Group Policy

I encountered an issue after we build XenDesktop 7.6 Desktop OS Pooled (Random) and (Static) VDI Desktop. Users complained about slow performance. I searched for best practice and thanks alot to Terry, i applied the following settings in our GPO and it worked wonders. 

By default, performance options of Windows 7 is best appearance.

However, domain users cannot modify the performance settings. I should assign the Group Policy to modify performance options for all users.

1. At Domain Controller, log in as Domain Administrator.

2. Launch "Group Policy Management".

3. Right-click a group policy which is assigned to the users, select "Edit".

4. Expand "User Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization".

5. At right pane, double-click "Load a specific theme".

6. Select "Enabled".

7. Under "Path to theme file", type "%Systemroot%\Resources\Ease of Access Themes\basic.theme".

8. Click "OK".

9. At left pane, expand "Preferences > Windows Settings > Registry".

10. Right-click "Registry", select "Registry Item".

11. Next to "Action", select "Update".

12. Next to "Hive", select "HKEY_CURRENT_USER".

13. Next to "Key Path", type "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VisualEffects".

14. Under "Value name", type "VisualFXSetting".

15. Next to "Value type", select "REG_DWORD".

16. Next to "Value data", type "2".

17. Click "OK".

18. Close "Group Policy Management Editor".

As a result, when a domain user logs in the Windows, the user will be assigned best performance setting of performance options.

Remark: "Windows 7 basic theme" will be applied to a domain user who first logs in.

Remark: If the "Load a specific theme" setting is not applied correctly on a computer, please read the following web site and install the Hotfix.

The "Load a specific theme" Group Policy setting is not applied correctly on a computer that is running Windows or Windows Server 2008 R2

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/980628

Courtesy: http://terrytlslau.tls1.cc/2011/06/configuring-performance-options-of.html

McAfee Issue - Z drive Mapping Issue - Resolved - Citrix XenApp 6.5

Issue: We have 8 Citrix XenApp 6.5 Servers which a Published Desktop configured on it – A total of 75 production users connect to them daily. Users started to experience severe latency in their applications from published desktop and also unable to see z drive and also unable to log into desktop itself, getting access denied error as well.

Troubleshooting and Root Cause: Found out that Cyber Security Operations team installed/ pushed McAfee Virus Scan Enterprise (VSE) / McAfee Agent on all citrix servers

Resolution:

1.       Reached out to security operations team and co-ordinated the effort to uninstall McAfee VSE / McAfee Agent from all citrix servers

2.       While security operations team uninstalled McAfee VSE remotely from their console. I uninstalled Mcafee Agent manually from all the citrix servers as follows as I was getting error “McAfee Agent Cannot be removed while it is in managed mode”

3.       Stopped/ Disabled McAfee related services - Framework Service, McAfee McShield, McAfee Task Manager, McAfee Validation Trust Protection Service,

4.       Killed McAfee Service – McTray.exe *32 (Mc tray Application)

5.       Launched Command Prompt in Administrative Mode and went to the path: C:\Program Files (x86)\McAfee\Common Framework\ then type command “FrmInst.exe /remove=agent” (without quotes)

6.       That is how McAfee agent removed successfully from all machines. Now, I need to take care of Z drive issue which was resolved by going to registry location on each citrix xenapp 6.5 server - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Citrix\ICA Client\Engine\Configuration\Advanced\Modules\ClientDrive

7.       Changed the NativeDriveMapping Reg_sz from FALSE to TRUE

8.       Asked used to log off and log back now, they were able to see the Z Drive.

!!! Walla !!!!