Application Compatibility Scripts

Application Compatibility Scripts are predefined or custom scripts provided by Microsoft or third-party vendors to address compatibility issues for certain applications when deployed in a Remote Desktop Services (RDS) environment on Windows Server 2022. These scripts ensure that applications work correctly in multi-user environments by modifying settings, permissions, or configurations that would otherwise cause conflicts.
Why Are Application Compatibility Scripts Needed?
Many applications are designed for single-user desktop environments, and running them on RDS can lead to:

• Profile conflicts: Multiple users attempting to access shared resources.
• Registry issues: Applications writing to shared registry keys instead of user-specific ones.
• File system conflicts: Apps attempting to write to shared folders or restricted directories.
• Performance bottlenecks: Improperly configured resource usage in multi-user environments.

Key Functions of Application Compatibility Scripts

1. Adjust File System Permissions
   • Modify access control lists (ACLs) for files or folders to ensure users have the necessary permissions.
   • Redirect application data to user-specific directories (e.g., %APPDATA% or %LOCALAPPDATA%) instead of shared locations.
2. Registry Configuration
   • Redirect shared registry entries to user-specific areas (e.g., HKEY_CURRENT_USER instead of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE).
   • Add or modify registry keys to enable multi-user compatibility.
3. Environment Customization
   • Set environment variables for user-specific sessions.
   • Configure temporary folders for each user to avoid conflicts.
4. Resource Optimization
   • Disable unnecessary background services or features for specific applications in the RDS environment.
   • Optimize application performance for shared resource use (e.g., memory, CPU).
5. User Profile Redirection
   • Ensure applications store user-specific data in redirected user profiles or network shares.
   • Prevent conflicts caused by multiple users accessing shared application data.

Examples of Popular Applications with Compatibility Scripts

1. Microsoft Office
   • Compatibility scripts ensure that Office applications like Word, Excel, and Outlook store user-specific settings and cache files in isolated locations.
   • Adjustments are made for activation and licensing in RDS environments (e.g., handling Microsoft 365 activation).
2. Adobe Acrobat
   • Scripts modify file system and registry settings to avoid conflicts with licensing and temporary file storage.
3. Web Browsers (e.g., Chrome, Firefox)
   • Compatibility scripts configure user-specific cache and profile directories to prevent shared resource access issues.
4. Custom Line-of-Business (LOB) Applications
   • For proprietary or legacy applications, custom scripts may be created to:
     • Redirect application logs and temporary files.
     • Adjust hardcoded paths to support multi-user access.

Implementing Application Compatibility Scripts on Windows Server 2022

1. Verify Application Requirements
   • Review the application's documentation or vendor recommendations for multi-user environments.
2. Locate Predefined Scripts
   • Microsoft provides scripts for popular applications through:
     • The Windows Server Resource Kit.
     • Specific application deployment guides.
3. Customize Scripts
   • Use PowerShell, batch files, or custom tools to tailor scripts for your environment.
   • Example PowerShell snippet to adjust folder permissions:
     

        $path = "C:\Program Files\Application"
        $acl = Get-Acl $path
        $permission = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.FileSystemAccessRule("Users", "Modify", "ContainerInherit,ObjectInherit", "None", "Allow")
        $acl.AddAccessRule($permission)
        Set-Acl $path $acl
        

4. Test and Deploy
   • Test the scripts in a staging environment before deploying them to production.
   • Use Group Policy or login scripts to automate script execution.
5. Monitor and Maintain
   • Periodically review and update the scripts to align with application updates or changes in the RDS environment.

Best Practices for Using Application Compatibility Scripts

• Use Vendor-Supported Scripts: Prefer scripts provided or approved by the application vendor.
• Document Changes: Keep a record of all modifications made to support troubleshooting and rollback.
• Test in Staging: Validate script functionality in a test environment to prevent production issues.
• Monitor Resource Usage: Continuously monitor application behavior to ensure the changes don't degrade performance in multi-user scenarios.

Remote Desktop Services includes application compatibility scripts for popular applications. These scripts modify applications to function well in a multiuser environment. The installation modifies the application's global registry settings and disables functions that could negatively impact system performance. For example, the Microsoft Office 97 compatibility script disables the FindFast utility and sets a number of file attributes to read-only to ensure that multiple users can open files simultaneously.

Many commonly used applications have been tested for compatibility with Remote Desktop Services. For maximum performance on a Terminal Server in application server mode, some applications require minor changes after installation. Scripts are available for these applications and must be run after the application installation is complete. The scripts are located in the

systemroot\Application CompatibilityScripts\Install 

folder.