Symptoms
A published application does not start properly. The same application starts in a published desktop session for the same user. This affects new user profiles, when the profile on the Terminal Server (TS) is created by launching a published application. However, if the first time launch when the user profile is created is based on a published desktop session, no problems occur even if you launch the application as a published application thereafter.
Cause
If wfshell is not loaded, the default.profile is not created correctly. The behavior occurs because when the explorer shell is not loaded with the Run registry entry, the RunOnce registry entry and the startup applications are not loaded. If you start a published application which depends on wfshell, it might fail to load because of dependencies executed in the runonce command.
Workarounds
- Create the user profile by first launching a full desktop session.
- Start the Runonce.exe file together with the /AlternateShellStartup switch
a. In the server Group Policy Management Console, navigate to Local Computer Policy > User Configuration > Windows Settings.
b. Click Scripts (Logon/Logoff), and then double-click Logon.
c. Click Add.
d. In the Script name box, type runonce.exe.
e. In the Script parameters box, type /AlternateShellStartup.
f. Click OK two times.
- Another approach is to narrow down which exact run key needs to be executed to solve the profiling issue.
Caution! This procedure requires you to edit the registry. Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Citrix cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk. Back up the registry before you edit it.
Isolate the process by removing the values from the run key. Delete the profile and launch a published desktop session, then remove another value, delete the profile and launch a desktop session. Repeat the process until the application does not start even in published desktop mode. Once the required process is isolated, put back everything into the run key and modify the login script to execute only the one needed process instead of the runonce command.
More Information
The issue is a Microsoft by design problem thus not Citrix related, hence no solution can be provided from Citrix, please refer to any of the workarounds.
See also http://support.microsoft.com/kb/951048
This document applies to:
- Presentation Server 4.5 for Windows Server 2003
- XenApp 5.0 for Windows Server 2003 x86
- XenApp 5.0 for Windows Server 2008 x86
- XenApp 6.0 for Windows Server 2008 R2
Source: CTX127874 – Published Application Does Not Launch for a New User – Citrix Knowledge Center
