App Attach only working if the App is Installed Locally First
I am trying to use App Attach to provide an application to my virtual desktop environment. The environment is currently 100% Entra ID, no DS if possible. RemoteApp host pool with Standard_D4as_v6 VMs running Windows 11 24H2 multi-session (no office 365 apps). I am having troubles getting App Attach working as I understand it should. I packaged my app into MSIX on one of the session hosts via admin account. My app is self-signed with .PFX, each session host has the corresponding .CER file in Trusted People AND Trusted Root Certification Authorities (conflicting advice online led me to just do both). I converted .MSIX to .CIM disk via MSIXMGR on the same session host. msixmgr.exe -Unpack -packagePath "path\file.msix" -destination "path\file.cim" -applyACLs -create -fileType cim -rootDirectory apps I uploaded the .CIM file and the 6 supporting files to Azure Files Storage Account. All hosts have access to the azure storage account via access key, which I know is working because I’m using a different File Share in the same Storage Account to run FSLogix which has been working great. I haven't made any NTFS changes in my environment so far. On the storage account: Reader and Data Access is granted to Windows Virtual Desktop and Windows Virtual Desktop ARM Provider. Storage File Data SMB Share Reader is granted to each VM. Create App Attach resource, assigned it to the associated app group/workspace/host pool. I can see my app under the Apps tab in the Windows App/Remote Desktop app. Now into the Windows App: when I click my app, it will load forever on “Securing Remote Session…” and if I click “Show Details” to see the Windows login screen, it is always frozen on “Preparing Windows”. I’ve switched the host pool to “Desktop” mode and my user can log in to the full desktop with no issues, it is just the remote app that gets hung up. BUT if I log into the VM with my admin account, I launch my MSIX package, and approve the installation of my app, that makes it all work. Now I can go back to the Windows App and launch my remote app as a regular user, and it works perfectly. (Assuming I make the host pool assign the user to the session host where I manually installed the app) As far as I understand, this shouldn’t be a requirement to get App Attach working, so I’m looking for advice or information as to why manually installing the app would fix my problem. I am suspicious of the self-signed certificate; I’d rather not buy one but let me know if that’s what I’m stuck doing. I’m also curious if the “App-Attached” version of my app is running, or if its just targeting the locally installed version behind the scenes on me… I am going to do more testing and see if I can prove that. Thanks for the help!
Is there a best practice for using packaged MSIX apps for AVD VHDs, w/driver dependent apps
Problem symptoms: "The problem we are running into is with Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) using the feature MSIX App Attach. We have to unpack these MSIX files into a Virtual Disk, in this case a VHD. With testing, it just did not work right. File types would not open correct within the app itself. We did not really have the time to do some lengthy testing as we had to have a turnaround to deliver this app in AVD very quickly, so we opted to have it installed on the session hosts itself. The customer right now prefers we leverage MSIX App Attach for apps instead where possible." Initial recommended approach: "MSIX does not support drivers to be packaged in, it is intentional as the apps are supposed to be installed at a user level. What I would try is 1. see if there is a way to skip the driver's installation during packaging 2. package the app 3. later, on the user's machine, install the driver separately."
MSIX app attach, disks are mounted but shortcuts are not published
Hi Team, Till last two weeks all our MSIX app attach applications were working successfully. However, now we see the disks are mounted but the shortcuts are not published in start menu. In addition, for User 1 two app shortcuts are available out of 3 apps published, and for user 2 none of them are published. We did verify assignment in application groups and the state is active for the apps. Is there any pointers or log files we should be looking at to pinpoint the issue? We had raised an MS case, but no luck yet.
Windows Virtual Desktop, Lessons Learned from the Field
Today, at Microsoft Ignite | The tour 2020 in Prague, I'm presenting 2 sessions covering Windows Virtual Desktop and MSIX app attach. I'll share some of my lessons learned after doing a variety of different WVD deployments. In Prague? Join me: https://prague.myignitetour.techcommunity.microsoft.com/sessions/94813 https://prague.myignitetour.techcommunity.microsoft.com/sessions/94814
