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Ryu Connor
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Win10 Odds and Ends

Fri Jul 29, 2016 12:40 pm

This is a scratch pad for tips and tweaks only. Do not bring your bitching here. Only bring policies or registry tweaks.

http://winaero.com/

http://winaero.com/blog/how-to-turn-off ... indows-10/

This requires the Anniversary Update, but it finally gives a single policy that shuts off automatic driver updates.

http://winaero.com/blog/disable-cortana ... sion-1607/

Arcane way to disable Cortana if you want.

Of course when Microsoft gives something desired, they take away something that was desired.

http://winaero.com/blog/microsoft-locks ... ry-update/

I suspect that Disabling the Windows Store via group policy may still block the "Consumer Experience"
All of my written content here on TR does not represent or reflect the views of my employer or any reasonable human being. All content and actions are my own.
 
toki
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Mon Aug 01, 2016 6:04 am

Thanks Ryu. I think a thread like this is needed.
 
ThatStupidCat
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Mon Aug 01, 2016 8:11 pm

cool stuff

My one tip is to disable a lot of the live tiles. I just don't like the constant information flow because it's distracting. You see something and you click on it. Next thing you know 15 minutes has passed.
I'm clueless about computers.
Smoking catnip in the litterbox.
 
Chuckaluphagus
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Tue Aug 02, 2016 9:01 am

ThatStupidCat wrote:
cool stuff

My one tip is to disable a lot of the live tiles. I just don't like the constant information flow because it's distracting. You see something and you click on it. Next thing you know 15 minutes has passed.

I think they're awful. Better than the Windows 8 implementation, but still awful - a distracting nuisance at best. I entirely removed the tile section from the Start menu.
 
localhostrulez
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Tue Aug 02, 2016 9:39 am

Chuckaluphagus wrote:
I think they're awful. Better than the Windows 8 implementation, but still awful - a distracting nuisance at best. I entirely removed the tile section from the Start menu.

I unpinned everything but the weather tile immediately - it lists recent stuff anyway, and I search for what's not there. Keep it clean and simple rather than doing everything at once. There are a few things (like calendar events or emails) that I wouldn't mind having notifications for, but I don't particularly like the Win10 apps (I use the gmail site, good enough).
 
blahsaysblah
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Tue Aug 02, 2016 12:02 pm

#turn off hibernate, but keep fastboot
powercfg -h -type reduced

#analyze your system for energy problems
powercfg /energy


#re-run windows experience to detect hardware capabilities
#just re-runs tests for changed components
winsat formal

#redo all assessments
winsat formal -restart clean

#check windows image health
dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth

all need admin cmd shell.
 
blahsaysblah
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Tue Aug 02, 2016 6:51 pm

Its a little harder to turn off web search and get plain system search with Windows 10 Anniversary update.

If you have Pro edition and have access to Group Policy editor:
WinKey + S: gpedit.msc
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search
Allow Cortana-> “Disabled”
Log out and back in to enable changes.

There is registry method for home edition.

If you did it properly, the circlular Cortana icon will be replaced by magnifying glass.
 
blahsaysblah
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Tue Aug 02, 2016 7:12 pm

You can verify that your system is registered in your Microsoft Account Devices page when you log in with a MS account to your PC.

FYI: when i removed the account(not just switch to local account, but went to settings->accounts and removed the MS account) the PC instantly no longer showed up as one of my devices.

There is also a different description under Activation. Local account says normal "Digital license entitlement" blah blah, MS account says "license saved to account" or something to that effect. (already went back to local accounts)
 
toki
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Tue Aug 02, 2016 10:41 pm

I like the windows live tiles. I just like the idea of having my news and weather and so on there like waking up to your newspaper and coffee.
 
biffzinker
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Sun Aug 14, 2016 12:35 am

Ryu Connor wrote:
Only bring policies or registry tweaks.

Is it alright if I post this?
Windows Update MiniTool
Windows Update MiniTool is a free third-party client for searching for, installing and blocking updates for the Windows operating system. When it comes to updates for Windows, most devices running the Windows operating system are most likely updated through some form of first-party update service such as Windows Update. While it is comfortable to work with most of the time, some users may want better management options when it comes to updates for Windows.

Windows Update MiniTool delivers that and more. The free portable program is provided as a 32-bit and 64-bit version which can be run from any location on the system.


Sources: http://www.ghacks.net/2015/10/10/window ... g-windows/ & http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Sys ... Tool.shtml
It would take you 2,363 continuous hours or 98 days,11 hours, and 35 minutes of gameplay to complete your Steam library.
In this time you could travel to Venus one time.
 
biffzinker
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Sun Aug 14, 2016 1:01 am

blobster21 wrote:
if you want to further compress your System files:

do a search Command Prompt, right-click it, and select Run as administrator.
Type COMPACT.EXE /CompactOS:always and hit Enter.

You'll will gain anything from 2 to 4 gigs free space after it's done.


Source: TechPowerUp Fourms - Windows 10 upgrade rant.. (Anniversary Update on a 32GB Tablet without enough free space)
It would take you 2,363 continuous hours or 98 days,11 hours, and 35 minutes of gameplay to complete your Steam library.
In this time you could travel to Venus one time.
 
blahsaysblah
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Wed Aug 31, 2016 11:54 pm

To free up some more space, windows OS files can be compressed. TechNet blog - reduce Windows footprint.

Saved about 2.45GB of space.

Under admin CMD shell:
compact /CompactOS:always

C:\Windows\system32>compact /compactos:query
The system is not in the Compact state but may become compact as needed.

C:\Windows\system32>compact /compactos:always
Completed Compressing OS binaries.

33926 files within 14502 directories were compressed.
6,161,341,991 total bytes of data are stored in 3,629,101,025 bytes.
The compression ratio is 1.7 to 1.

C:\Windows\system32>compact /compactos:query
The system is in the Compact state.  It will remain in this state unless an administrator changes it.



Win 10 Pro x64 Anniversary VM:
20390911 KB total disk space.
10510584 KB available on disk. --- before
13088176 KB available on disk. --- after

2.45GB was saved and basic Win 10 Pro x64 VM has 6.96GB footprint now (no pagefile/hibernate/fastboot).

edit --- on host system:
C:\Windows\system32>compact /compactos:query
The system is not in the Compact state because Windows has determined that, it is not beneficial for this system.
 
blahsaysblah
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Tue Sep 06, 2016 9:23 am

Microsoft KB: Internal SATA Drives show up as removeable media

Quick 1,2 3:
1. Device Manger, Disk Drives, drive in question, General tab, Bus number is the port (also found under Details, location information)
2. Details tab, device stack, last one is the driver: storahci is the standard MS SATA AHCI driver and likely only MS drivers support this.
Standard SATA AHCI driver, sata port 1: (under admin cmd shell)
3. reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\storahci\Parameters\Device" /f /v TreatAsInternalPort /t REG_MULTI_SZ /d 1

Was able to add a m.2 2242 drive in the cellular port of my laptop but it shows up as external...
 
blahsaysblah
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Tue Sep 06, 2016 10:22 am

Disk layout for clean install of Win 10. Microsoft recommendation to manufacturers.

Recommended layout: System (EFI, aka boot), MSR, Windows, Recovery

Anyway, if you needed to make your own, hit Repair on second page of media install after language choices, open CMD shell and use "diskpart" utility, than run "setup" and select Windows partition, it wont overwrite your partition choices.
Was setting up for encrypted drive until i found out AES self encryption is not the same.

Plenty of other good >current< information, use the left panel.

EFI default is 100MB, 350MB for encrypted drive feature(hardware based, not software, soft bitlocker worked fine with 100MB)
MSR was 128MB, but Win 10 needs only 16MB. Disk Management GUI creates 128MB still.
Recovery defaults to 450MB now, should be after Windows so it can be resized/deleted as needed.

diskpart:
list disk
select disk # (replace number with correct disk #)
details disk (to get disk information)
REM clean (put as comment so you cant copy/paste) (clean wipes the disk master information, you lose everything in the nanosecond after enter.. be warned, choose right disk)
convert gpt (this is for UEFI install)

REM normally, this is as far as you go, "exit" diskpart, "setup" and let MS installer do everything

REM System partition, 100MB, 350 for drives with hardware encryption capabilites
create partition efi size=100
format quick fs=fat32 label="System"

REM MSR Microsoft reserved partition, you might see 128MB partitions lying around older disks
create partition msr size=16

REM Windows partition
create partition primary
REM ok to leave Recovery at 450MB unless you have your own plans
shrink minimum=450
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows"

REM Recovery tools partition
create partition primary
format quick fs=ntfs label="Recovery"
set id="de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac"
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001

list part
list volume
exit

setup ...
 
Kougar
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Sat Sep 10, 2016 9:20 pm

A new method for blocking forced restarts on Anniversary update Win 10 installs. https://techjourney.net/permanently-disable-prevent-automatic-restart-of-windows-update-in-windows-10/

Be sure to change the security permissions also shown in the guide, otherwise Win 10 will re-enable the scheduler task. The task itself can also be left active but modified to restart at a preferred time if desired.
 
saam albert
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Mon Oct 03, 2016 12:07 am

Kougar wrote:
A new method for blocking forced restarts on Anniversary update Win 10 installs. 

Be sure to change the security permissions also shown in the guide, otherwise Win 10 will re-enable the scheduler task. The task itself can also be left active but modified to restart at a preferred time if desired.

I have tried it but at the end i messed up and confused. Definitely, i did something wrong in the process but how to find it out?
TragusnfantigoRx Drugs
 
DoomGuy64
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Re: Win10 Odds and Ends

Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:09 am

https://www.itechtics.com/enable-gpedit ... s-10-home/
(gpedit n/a in W10H)
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details ... tup10.html
(defer is included)
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details ... ws_10.html
(safest privacy tool, but not as comprehensive)
http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.1836
(best w10 tweaker)
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/opera.html
(lot of good features ootb+supports extensions)
https://forums.malwarebytes.com/forum/1 ... loit-beta/
(free anti-exploit)
http://classicshell.net
(replace the start menu)
http://multicommander.com
(replace file manager / remove ads)
http://processhacker.sourceforge.net
(better task man)
http://8gadgetpack.net
(restore gadgets)
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details ... _slim.html
(good cleaner)
https://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcbe/
(best video player)
http://wincdemu.sysprogs.org/download/
(free cd image, no bloat)
http://www.7-zip.org
(of course)
https://unchecky.com
(preventative vs shady installers)
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details ... ition.html
(bsod help. helped me diagnose a cdimage software that installed drivers incompatible with w10.)
https://www.hwinfo.com
(hardware info)
https://notepad-plus-plus.org
(best text editor)
http://lockhunter.com/index.htm
(locked files)

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