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KB - AppStack not excluded from Writables

· One min read
Guy Klages
Guy Klages
Ex-Meta Technical Writer, Co-founder FindFit

Symptoms​

Exclusions added to AppStack snapvol.cfg files are not excluded from Writables Volumes.

Writable Volumes still capture files that could be excluded in AppStack snapvol.cfg files. This could cause potential conflicts and unexpected behaviors.

Resolution​

These symptoms are caused because writable policy affects the whole system while AppStack policy affects only AppStacks.

Since AppStack exclusions will not apply to a writable, those exclusions need to be listed in snapvol.cfg files in order to prevent core applications and services from being broken. So, it’s necessary to list the same exclusions in both AppStacks AND writable snapvol.cfg files when attaching a writable.

To exclude a location, edit the snapvol.cfg file to add the full path that is to be excluded. Paths can be listed in any order, for example:

# File system exclusions

exclude_path=\ProgramData\ntuser.pol
exclude_path=\ProgramData\tempntuser.pol
exclude_path=\ProgramData\VMware

For more information about the snapvol.cfg file, see http://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2016/03/app-volumes-snapvol-cfg-writable-volume-customize-configure.html.

Note: Introducing a writable volume without the explicit exclusions added, re-breaks the same core apps and services. Re-adding the exclusions to the writable via the zip file method fixes this.