solved the live tiles problem

scripts/cleanup-tiles.cmd

@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-@echo off
-
-echo ####### %0 #######
-
-echo starting powershell script ...
-powershell -command .\cleanup-tiles.ps1
-echo.
-
-echo ####### %0 #######
-

scripts/cleanup-tiles.ps1

@@ -1,66 +1,57 @@
-#
-# this script loads a tile layout for the
-# start menu with NO tiles at all!
-# ( = deletes all tiles )
-#
+#Requires -RunAsAdministrator
 
-$LAYOUT='C:\Windows\StartLayout.xml'
+$START_MENU_LAYOUT = @"
+<LayoutModificationTemplate xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout" Version="1" xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification">
+    <LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" />
+    <DefaultLayoutOverride>
+        <StartLayoutCollection>
+            <defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6" />
+        </StartLayoutCollection>
+    </DefaultLayoutOverride>
+</LayoutModificationTemplate>
+"@
 
-write-host '#######',(split-path $PSCommandPath -Leaf),'#######'
+$layoutFile="C:\Windows\StartMenuLayout.xml"
 
-echo "delete layout file if it already exists ..."
-If(Test-Path $LAYOUT) {
-  Remove-Item $LAYOUT
+#Delete layout file if it already exists
+If(Test-Path $layoutFile)
+{
+    Remove-Item $layoutFile
 }
 
-echo "create a blank layout file [ $LAYOUT ] ..."
-echo "<LayoutModificationTemplate xmlns:defaultlayout=""http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"" xmlns:start=""http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"" Version=""1"" xmlns=""http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"">" > $LAYOUT
-echo "  <LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth=""6"" />" >> $LAYOUT
-echo "  <DefaultLayoutOverride>" >> $LAYOUT
-echo "    <StartLayoutCollection>" >> $LAYOUT
-echo "      <defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth=""6"" />" >> $LAYOUT
-echo "    </StartLayoutCollection>" >> $LAYOUT
-echo "  </DefaultLayoutOverride>" >> $LAYOUT
-echo "</LayoutModificationTemplate>" >> $LAYOUT
+#Creates the blank layout file
+$START_MENU_LAYOUT | Out-File $layoutFile -Encoding ASCII
 
 $regAliases = @("HKLM", "HKCU")
 
-# assign the start layout and force it to apply with
-#   "LockedStartLayout" at both the machine and user level ...
-echo "assign the start layout AND apply it ..."
-foreach ($regAlias in $regAliases) {
-  $basePath = $regAlias + ":\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows"
-  $keyPath = $basePath + "\Explorer"
-  IF(!(Test-Path -Path $keyPath)) {
-      New-Item -Path $basePath -Name "Explorer"
-  }
-  Set-ItemProperty -Path $keyPath -Name "LockedStartLayout" -Value 1
-  Set-ItemProperty -Path $keyPath -Name "StartLayoutFile" -Value "$LAYOUT"
+#Assign the start layout and force it to apply with "LockedStartLayout" at both the machine and user level
+foreach ($regAlias in $regAliases){
+    $basePath = $regAlias + ":\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows"
+    $keyPath = $basePath + "\Explorer" 
+    IF(!(Test-Path -Path $keyPath)) { 
+        New-Item -Path $basePath -Name "Explorer"
+    }
+    Set-ItemProperty -Path $keyPath -Name "LockedStartLayout" -Value 1
+    Set-ItemProperty -Path $keyPath -Name "StartLayoutFile" -Value $layoutFile
 }
 
-# restart Explorer, open the start menu (necessary to load the new layout),
-#   and give it a few seconds to process ...
-echo "restart explorer ..."
-taskkill /F /IM explorer.exe
-sleep 3
-start explorer.exe
-sleep 3
+#Restart Explorer, open the start menu (necessary to load the new layout), and give it a few seconds to process
+Stop-Process -name explorer
+Start-Sleep -s 5
 $wshell = New-Object -ComObject wscript.shell; $wshell.SendKeys('^{ESCAPE}')
-sleep 3
+Start-Sleep -s 5
 
-# enable the ability to pin items again by disabling "LockedStartLayout" ...
-foreach ($regAlias in $regAliases) {
-  $basePath = $regAlias + ":\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows"
-  $keyPath = $basePath + "\Explorer"
-  Set-ItemProperty -Path $keyPath -Name "LockedStartLayout" -Value 0
+#Enable the ability to pin items again by disabling "LockedStartLayout"
+foreach ($regAlias in $regAliases){
+    $basePath = $regAlias + ":\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows"
+    $keyPath = $basePath + "\Explorer" 
+    Set-ItemProperty -Path $keyPath -Name "LockedStartLayout" -Value 0
 }
 
-# restart Explorer and delete the layout file ...
-echo "restart explorer ..."
-taskkill /F /IM explorer.exe
-sleep 3
-Remove-Item $LAYOUT
-start explorer.exe
+#Restart Explorer and delete the layout file
+Stop-Process -name explorer
 
-write-host '#######',(split-path $PSCommandPath -Leaf),'#######'
+# Uncomment the next line to make clean start menu default for all new users
+Import-StartLayout -LayoutPath $layoutFile -MountPath $env:SystemDrive\
 
+Remove-Item $layoutFile