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Interesting behavior with Windows Server 2025 + Citrix VDA + Citrix Profile Management (CPM):
After a VDA restart, the first user logs on, and applications that should launch automatically suddenly do not start.
Various startup mechanisms may be affected:
HKLM\…\Run ❌
HKCU\…\Run ❌
Startup folder ❌
The curious part:
Once one user has logged on, startup applications work normally again for all subsequent sessions.
Until the next reboot.
🔍 Where would I investigate this?
In practice, the behavior was narrowed down to Citrix Profile Management. Without CPM, the first logon after reboot worked correctly again.
One interesting lead points to:
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1 2 |
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\SessionInfo |
This area can be persisted through the user profile and plays a role in session/Explorer behavior.
The resulting pattern is particularly easy to miss in MCS or PVS environments:
VDA reboots
→ First user logs on
→ Startup apps are missing
→ Second user tests
→ Everything works
→ The problem appears to have disappeared.
I find these issues interesting because a conventional Citrix smoke test can easily miss them.
💡 My takeaway
With Windows Server 2025, I would now deliberately test the very first user logon after an image update or VDA reboot.
Not just:
VDA registered ✔️
Logon works ✔️
Published app starts ✔️
But also:
Run keys ✔️
Startup folder ✔️
WEM actions ✔️
CPM/profile processing ✔️
Sometimes being the first or second user on a VDA makes a crucial difference.
⚠️ This is currently a finding from the field, not a general Windows Server 2025/CPM defect. I would not infer a general product regression from it yet.
