Fix store suggestions not getting disabled correctly for all users when running as other user (#642)

Scripts/Features/ExecuteChanges.ps1

@@ -125,7 +125,10 @@ function ExecuteParameter {
             }
 
             Write-Host "> Disabling Microsoft Store search suggestions for user $(GetUserName)..."
-            DisableStoreSearchSuggestions
+            $storeDb = GetStoreAppsDatabasePathForUser -UserName (GetUserName)
+            if ($storeDb) {
+                DisableStoreSearchSuggestions -StoreAppsDatabase $storeDb
+            }
             Write-Host ""
             return
         }
@@ -289,7 +292,10 @@ function Invoke-UndoFeatureAction {
             }
 
             Write-Host "> Re-enabling Microsoft Store search suggestions for user $(GetUserName)..."
-            EnableStoreSearchSuggestions
+            $storeDb = GetStoreAppsDatabasePathForUser -UserName (GetUserName)
+            if ($storeDb) {
+                EnableStoreSearchSuggestions -StoreAppsDatabase $storeDb
+            }
             Write-Host ""
             return
         }

Scripts/Features/GetCurrentTweakState.ps1

@@ -50,10 +50,7 @@ function Test-FeatureApplied {
                 return (Test-StoreSearchSuggestionsDisabledForAllUsers)
             }
 
-            $storeDbPath = "$env:LocalAppData\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db"
-            if ($script:Params.ContainsKey('User')) {
-                $storeDbPath = GetUserDirectory -userName "$(GetUserName)" -fileName "AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db" -exitIfPathNotFound $false
-            }
+            $storeDbPath = GetStoreAppsDatabasePathForUser -UserName (GetUserName)
 
             return (Test-StoreSearchSuggestionsDisabled -StoreAppsDatabase $storeDbPath)
         }

Scripts/Features/StoreSearchSuggestions.ps1

@@ -1,32 +1,58 @@
-# Disables Microsoft Store search suggestions in the start menu for all users by denying access to the Store app database file for each user
+<#
+    .SYNOPSIS
+    Disables Microsoft Store search suggestions in the start menu for all user profiles.
+
+    .DESCRIPTION
+    Iterates over every existing user profile and the Default user profile,
+    denying the EVERYONE group FullControl access to each user's Store app
+    database file (store.db). This prevents Windows from showing Store search
+    suggestions in the start menu search pane.
+
+    .EXAMPLE
+    DisableStoreSearchSuggestionsForAllUsers
+#>
 function DisableStoreSearchSuggestionsForAllUsers {
     # Get path to Store app database for all users
     $userPathString = GetUserDirectory -userName "*" -fileName "AppData\Local\Packages"
     $usersStoreDbPaths = Get-ChildItem -Path $userPathString -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
 
     # Go through all users and disable start search suggestions
-    ForEach ($storeDbPath in $usersStoreDbPaths) {
-        DisableStoreSearchSuggestions ($storeDbPath.FullName + "\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db")
+    foreach ($storeDbPath in $usersStoreDbPaths) {
+        DisableStoreSearchSuggestions -StoreAppsDatabase ($storeDbPath.FullName + "\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db")
     }
 
     # Also disable start search suggestions for the default user profile
-    $defaultStoreDbPath = GetUserDirectory -userName "Default" -fileName "AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db" -exitIfPathNotFound $false
-    DisableStoreSearchSuggestions $defaultStoreDbPath
+    $defaultStoreDbPath = GetStoreAppsDatabasePathForUser -UserName "Default"
+    if ($defaultStoreDbPath) {
+        DisableStoreSearchSuggestions -StoreAppsDatabase $defaultStoreDbPath
+    }
 }
 
 
-# Disables Microsoft Store search suggestions in the start menu by denying access to the Store app database file
+<#
+    .SYNOPSIS
+    Disables Microsoft Store search suggestions for a single user.
+
+    .DESCRIPTION
+    Denies the EVERYONE group FullControl access to the specified Store app
+    database file (store.db). If the file does not exist (e.g. on EEA systems
+    where Store app suggestions are absent by default), it creates the file
+    and its parent directory first to prevent Windows from recreating it later.
+
+    .PARAMETER StoreAppsDatabase
+    The full path to the user's store.db file.
+
+    .EXAMPLE
+    DisableStoreSearchSuggestions -StoreAppsDatabase "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db"
+#>
 function DisableStoreSearchSuggestions {
     param (
-        $StoreAppsDatabase = "$env:LocalAppData\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db"
+        [Parameter(Mandatory)]
+        [string]$StoreAppsDatabase
     )
 
-    # Change path to correct user if a user was specified
-    if ($script:Params.ContainsKey("User")) {
-        $StoreAppsDatabase = GetUserDirectory -userName "$(GetUserName)" -fileName "AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db" -exitIfPathNotFound $false
-    }
-
     $userName = [regex]::Match($StoreAppsDatabase, '(?:Users\\)([^\\]+)(?:\\AppData)').Groups[1].Value
+    if (-not $userName) { $userName = '<unknown>' }
 
     # This file doesn't exist in EEA (No Store app suggestions).
     if (-not (Test-Path -Path $StoreAppsDatabase))
@@ -51,31 +77,58 @@ function DisableStoreSearchSuggestions {
     Write-Host "Disabled Microsoft Store search suggestions for user $userName"
 }
 
+<#
+    .SYNOPSIS
+    Re-enables Microsoft Store search suggestions in the start menu for all user profiles.
+
+    .DESCRIPTION
+    Iterates over every existing user profile and the Default user profile,
+    removing the deny ACL from each user's Store app database file (store.db)
+    and then deleting the file. This restores the default Windows behavior
+    where Store search suggestions appear in the start menu.
+
+    .EXAMPLE
+    EnableStoreSearchSuggestionsForAllUsers
+#>
 function EnableStoreSearchSuggestionsForAllUsers {
     # Get path to Store app database for all users
     $userPathString = GetUserDirectory -userName "*" -fileName "AppData\Local\Packages"
     $usersStoreDbPaths = Get-ChildItem -Path $userPathString -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
 
     # Go through all users and re-enable start search suggestions
-    ForEach ($storeDbPath in $usersStoreDbPaths) {
-        EnableStoreSearchSuggestions ($storeDbPath.FullName + "\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db")
+    foreach ($storeDbPath in $usersStoreDbPaths) {
+        EnableStoreSearchSuggestions -StoreAppsDatabase ($storeDbPath.FullName + "\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db")
     }
 
     # Also re-enable for the default user profile
-    $defaultStoreDbPath = GetUserDirectory -userName "Default" -fileName "AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db" -exitIfPathNotFound $false
-    EnableStoreSearchSuggestions $defaultStoreDbPath
+    $defaultStoreDbPath = GetStoreAppsDatabasePathForUser -UserName "Default"
+    if ($defaultStoreDbPath) {
+        EnableStoreSearchSuggestions -StoreAppsDatabase $defaultStoreDbPath
+    }
 }
 
+<#
+    .SYNOPSIS
+    Re-enables Microsoft Store search suggestions for a single user.
+
+    .DESCRIPTION
+    Takes ownership of the specified Store app database file, removes any
+    EVERYONE deny FullControl ACL entries, and deletes the file. If the file
+    does not exist, no action is taken. Callers should handle the case where
+    the file is absent gracefully.
+
+    .PARAMETER StoreAppsDatabase
+    The full path to the user's store.db file.
+
+    .EXAMPLE
+    EnableStoreSearchSuggestions -StoreAppsDatabase "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db"
+#>
 function EnableStoreSearchSuggestions {
     param (
-        $StoreAppsDatabase = "$env:LocalAppData\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db"
+        [Parameter(Mandatory)]
+        [string]$StoreAppsDatabase
     )
 
-    # Change path to correct user if a user was specified
-    if ($script:Params.ContainsKey("User")) {
-        $StoreAppsDatabase = GetUserDirectory -userName "$(GetUserName)" -fileName "AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db" -exitIfPathNotFound $false
-    }
-
     $userName = [regex]::Match($StoreAppsDatabase, '(?:Users\\)([^\\]+)(?:\\AppData)').Groups[1].Value
     if (-not $userName) { $userName = '<unknown>' }
 
@@ -120,6 +173,51 @@ function EnableStoreSearchSuggestions {
     }
 }
 
+<#
+    .SYNOPSIS
+    Returns the full path to the Store app database file for a given user.
+
+    .DESCRIPTION
+    Resolves the path to the Microsoft Store app database (store.db) for the
+    specified username. When no username is provided or the value is empty,
+    falls back to the current user's local app data path via $env:LOCALAPPDATA.
+
+    .PARAMETER UserName
+    The target username. Pass an empty string or omit to resolve for the current user.
+
+    .EXAMPLE
+    GetStoreAppsDatabasePathForUser -UserName "Jeff"
+
+    .EXAMPLE
+    GetStoreAppsDatabasePathForUser -UserName "Default"
+#>
+function GetStoreAppsDatabasePathForUser {
+    param(
+        [string]$UserName
+    )
+
+    if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($UserName)) {
+        return "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db"
+    }
+
+    return (GetUserDirectory -userName $UserName -fileName "AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db" -exitIfPathNotFound $false)
+}
+
+<#
+    .SYNOPSIS
+    Tests whether Store search suggestions are disabled for a single user.
+
+    .DESCRIPTION
+    Checks whether the specified store.db file has an EVERYONE deny
+    FullControl ACL entry applied. Returns $true if the deny rule is present,
+    $false otherwise (including when the file or directory does not exist).
+
+    .PARAMETER StoreAppsDatabase
+    The full path to the user's store.db file.
+
+    .EXAMPLE
+    Test-StoreSearchSuggestionsDisabled -StoreAppsDatabase "C:\Users\Jeff\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db"
+#>
 function Test-StoreSearchSuggestionsDisabled {
     param(
         [Parameter(Mandatory)]
@@ -157,6 +255,19 @@ function Test-StoreSearchSuggestionsDisabled {
     return $false
 }
 
+<#
+    .SYNOPSIS
+    Tests whether Store search suggestions are disabled for all user profiles.
+
+    .DESCRIPTION
+    Collects the store.db paths for all existing user profiles and the Default
+    user profile, then verifies that every one of them has the EVERYONE deny
+    FullControl ACL applied. Returns $true only if ALL paths pass the check.
+    Returns $false immediately if any user's store.db is not disabled.
+
+    .EXAMPLE
+    Test-StoreSearchSuggestionsDisabledForAllUsers
+#>
 function Test-StoreSearchSuggestionsDisabledForAllUsers {
     $paths = @()
 
@@ -166,7 +277,7 @@ function Test-StoreSearchSuggestionsDisabledForAllUsers {
         $paths += ($storeDbPath.FullName + "\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db")
     }
 
-    $defaultStoreDbPath = GetUserDirectory -userName "Default" -fileName "AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\store.db" -exitIfPathNotFound $false
+    $defaultStoreDbPath = GetStoreAppsDatabasePathForUser -UserName "Default"
     if ($defaultStoreDbPath) {
         $paths += $defaultStoreDbPath
     }

Win11Debloat.ps1

@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ if (-not $script:WingetInstalled -and -not $Silent) {
 . "$PSScriptRoot/Scripts/Features/RegistryBackupValidation.ps1"
 . "$PSScriptRoot/Scripts/Features/RestoreRegistryApplyState.ps1"
 . "$PSScriptRoot/Scripts/Features/RestoreRegistryBackup.ps1"
-. "$PSScriptRoot/Scripts/Features/DisableStoreSearchSuggestions.ps1"
+. "$PSScriptRoot/Scripts/Features/StoreSearchSuggestions.ps1"
 . "$PSScriptRoot/Scripts/Features/TelemetryScheduledTasks.ps1"
 . "$PSScriptRoot/Scripts/Features/WindowsOptionalFeatures.ps1"
 . "$PSScriptRoot/Scripts/Features/ImportRegistryFile.ps1"