Windows 8.1 - Sysprep, CopyProfile and Default Applications

Question

Hello,
I'm absolutely at the end of my rope with this one.
My organization wants to deploy Windows 8.1 Professional to a small but not insignificant number of workstations. Due to a host of reasons beyond my control, higher ups have decided UAC needs to be off. I've got 8.1 Pro x64 installed on a Hyper-V VM, and
I'm in audit mode working on creating an image.
I remove all of the metro apps (do not work with UAC off), but the Photos app remains. Fine. So while in Audit Mode, I set the default image viewer to Windows Picture Viewer. I then customize the start screen, finish configurations and sysprep the computer
with the sysprep file below.
Once the process completes, the sysprep is successful and the machine reboots.
Much to my dismay, it seems as though the CopyProfile doesn't work. The start screen reverts back to default with just 3 items (Metro IE, Explorer and Desktop) and that freaking stupid annoying unruly Photos app is the default picture viewer again.
Please help! I've spent 3 weeks on technet and Google and just can't find anything.
Thank you!
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<settings pass="specialize">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<RunSynchronous>
<RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<Order>1</Order>
<Path>net user administrator /active:yes</Path>
</RunSynchronousCommand>
</RunSynchronous>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP-UX" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<SkipAutoActivation>true</SkipAutoActivation>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
<RegisteredOrganization></RegisteredOrganization>
<RegisteredOwner>Windows User</RegisteredOwner>
<TimeZone>Pacific Standard Time</TimeZone>
</component>
</settings>
<settings pass="oobeSystem">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<InputLocale>en-us</InputLocale>
<SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>
<UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
<UserLocale>en-us</UserLocale>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<AutoLogon>
<Password>
<Value>ADMIN PASSWORD</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</Password>
<Enabled>true</Enabled>
<LogonCount>5</LogonCount>
<Username>Administrator</Username>
</AutoLogon>
<OOBE>
<HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
<NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
<HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
<HideOnlineAccountScreens>true</HideOnlineAccountScreens>
<HideOEMRegistrationScreen>true</HideOEMRegistrationScreen>
<HideLocalAccountScreen>true</HideLocalAccountScreen>
<ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
</OOBE>
<UserAccounts>
<AdministratorPassword>
<Value>ADMIN PASSWORD</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</AdministratorPassword>
<LocalAccounts>
<LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
<Password>
<Value>ADMIN PASSWORD</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</Password>
<Description>Local Administrator</Description>
<DisplayName>Administrator</DisplayName>
<Group>Administrators</Group>
<Name>Administrator</Name>
</LocalAccount>
</LocalAccounts>
</UserAccounts>
<RegisteredOrganization>MY ORGANIZATION</RegisteredOrganization>
<RegisteredOwner>MY ORGANIZATION</RegisteredOwner>
<TimeZone>Pacific Standard Time</TimeZone>
</component>
</settings>
<settings pass="generalize">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>
</component>
</settings>
<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim://wimimage.wim" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Answer 1

After changing my search approach, I found a bit of a work around. Even though the CopyProfile doesn't seem to be working, I was able to eliminate the biggest problems by deleting the below registry keys, which removes Photos as the default App for pictures.
reg delete HKCR\Microsoft.PhotoManager.imagetype /f
reg delete HKCR\Microsoft.PhotoManager.panotype /f
reg delete HKCR\Microsoft.PhotoManager.videotype /f
That did it. Sure enough, all major picture filetypes now default to Picture Viewer.
As for the metro IE icon that's created in the start screen for all new users, I created this batch file:
:: Create Reg Entries
reg add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /f
reg add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /v "WIN-81FIX" /t REG_SZ /d "C:\Windows\deploy\WIN-81FIX.bat" /f
start /wait reg load HKU\temphive "C:\Users\default\ntuser.dat"
reg add HKU\temphive\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /f
reg add HKU\temphive\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /v "WIN-81FIX" /t REG_SZ /d "C:\Windows\deploy\WIN-81FIX.bat" /f
start /wait reg unload hku\temphive
:: Create Batch File
Echo IF EXIST "%userprofile%\appdata\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Internet Explorer.lnk" ( > "C:\Windows\deploy\WIN-81FIX.bat"
Echo del /q /f "%userprofile%\appdata\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Internet Explorer.lnk" ) >> "C:\Windows\deploy\WIN-81FIX.bat"
Echo reg delete HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /v WIN-81FIX /f >> "C:\Windows\deploy\WIN-81FIX.bat"
Echo shutdown -r -t 0 -f >> "C:\Windows\deploy\TDS-81FIX.bat"
This creates a batch file for each user that deletes the metro IE shortcut in that users profile, then restarts the computer.
Bit of a flimsy work around, but does the trick.