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App-V: Hide the Q: drive in Windows Explorer

Originally published Last updated 3 comments

The Microsoft App-V client publishes virtual applications to users. It stores application packages in a local cache file called sftfs.fsd. On Windows 7, this file is in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Application Virtualization Client\SoftGrid Client. During sequencing, a special drive is used as the destination for the installation files. The default drive is Q:\.

Installing the App-V client on a computer also mounts the Q:\ drive and displays it in Windows Explorer. You can choose a different drive letter during installation, but that drive will still appear in Explorer.

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Neither a regular user nor an administrator can open Q:\ directly in Windows Explorer. Both receive an access denied message.

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Location is not available. Q:\ is not accessible. Access is denied.

After starting a published application, you can access its package directory and view its contents. Other package folders remain inaccessible unless they are linked through DSC (Dynamic Suite Composition).

Hide the App-V client drive

You can create the required DWORD values with VBScript, a registry file or GPO Preferences. I found that a regular Windows 7 user could not add them. As an administrator, locate the user’s SID under HKEY_USERS and add the values there.

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 Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDrives"=dword:00010000
 "NoViewOnDrive"=dword:00010000

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After restarting Explorer.exe or the computer, the Q:\ drive is hidden from the Windows Explorer list. For enterprise deployment, add the REG file through a user configuration GPO preference.

The result:

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References

3 comments

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  2. Ivan Versluis

    Hi knev,

    App-V = Microsoft Application Virtualization (MS App-V) platform allows applications to be deployed in real-time to any client from a virtual application server. It removes the need for local installation of the applications.

    If you are migrating to Windows 7 and you have Microsoft Software Assurance then you can purchase MDOP (Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack). App-V is part of that. I have been very succesful with this application virtualization infrastructure and virtualized over 100 packages in the last year.

    Please check out my App-V article here( https://networknet.nl/apps/wp/app-v).