The RunOnce script is not starting

[XerXes777]

I have removed my actual scripts to make this clearer. Online Config

The registry entry in the key “Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce” is written correctly in “NTUSER.DAT”. If I load it and look at the key and the value, it is correct. If I copy the value and execute it manually in cmd, the script is executed correctly.

However, the key is not copied to HKCU. When an admin logs on or when a user logs on. And therefore the script does not start automatically when a user logs on for the first time. I test the scripts in a VM with VMWare and without to have a Windows Key.

What am I doing wrong?

[cschneegans]

I have also experienced that modifying the default user's hive C:\Users\Default\NTUSER.DAT has the desired effect for some registry keys, but does not work for others. When adding new features I try to make them work by modifying the default users's hive first, and if that fails resort to the HKCU method.

For example, the per-user settings related to the Disable SmartScreen in Windows and Edge option work properly if applied to the default user's hive. On the other hand, the Use classic context (right-click) menu in Windows 11 option required adding a RunOnce script to set a value in HKCU.

I guess that the process to create new user accounts is more complex than simply copying the hive file, and Windows might use other data sources to populate certain registry keys.

[XerXes777]

I have also experienced that modifying the default user's hive C:\Users\Default\NTUSER.DAT has the desired effect for some registry keys, but does not work for others. When adding new features I try to make them work by modifying the default users's hive first, and if that fails resort to the HKCU method.

Thank you for your answer. I have also often had the problem that some keys and values from NTUSER.DAT are not transferred to HKCU. I can't recognize a pattern yet. I actually already also had the idea of first setting everything in NTUSER.DAT and then checking it with a first start script in HKCU :D I already suspected the permissions of the keys.

I have inserted a pause at the end of the script for the purpose of searching for errors. The script is executed, but has problems with the permissions. My script cannot create a logfile under C:. And all output is redirected to the log file. how stupid of me. that's why i thought that the script is not executed at all, because no logfile is created.

I would also like to mention that without your website i would never have thought of dealing with this topic and actually switching to win11.