Windows 10 Provisioning and Repair

Source

Pre-existing install:

• Settings --> Update & Security --> Recovery --> Reset this PC

New Install:

• USB Creation: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO

Theme Pack

Wiping Flash Drives

• via PowerShell Administrator:

• Get-Disk

• Clear-Disk -Number # -RemoveData

• New-Partition -DiskNumber # -UseMaximumSize | Format-Volume -FileSystem EXFAT -NewFileSystemLabel DISKNAME

• Get-Partition -DiskNumber # | Set-Partition -NewDriveLetter L

Installation

• Professional: connect to network

  • Home: do not connect to network (?) to avoid forced sign-in

• License --> Agree (no choice)

• Set up for Personal use (preferred) or Organization use

• Offline account --> Limited Experience

• Username --> Pass --> 3x Q's

• Face/touch: probably no

• Privacy settings: DISABLE ALL

• Cortana: "Not Now"

First Boot

• Edge: get "complete setup" over with...

  • Continue without sign-in

  • Close welcome tab

  • New Tab --> Gear Icon --> Custom --> All Off

  • More --> Settings --> Appearance --> Buttons Off

    • Privacy --> Strict

      • Send "Do Not Track" requests: on

      • Services --> Suggest similar sites: off

  • Install uBlock Origin

    • More --> Extensions --> Get button --> search uBlock Origin

      • uBlock Origin (by Nik Rolls) --> Get --> Add Extension

        • Do not "Turn on sync" after install, click the small X

      • uBlock Extension --> Gears button --> Filter lists

        • Enable all for Ads, Privacy, Mal Domains, Annoyances

        • Apply Changes --> Update Now --> (wait 30 seconds)

  • Close all tabs --> Close Edge

• Win10 Party Time! [Github PS1] <-- run in PowerShell Administrator to strip bloat and configure settings.

  • • • All actions this script covers are greyed-out below.

• Uninstall Bloat

  • • Settings --> Apps --> Uninstall: (note: if needed)

      • Feedback Hub

      • Groove

      • Mail and Calendar

      • Microsoft OneDrive

      • Microsoft Solitaire

      • Mixed Reality Portal

      • Movies & TV

      • Office

      • OneNote

      • Skype

      • Spotify

      • Sticky Notes

      • Tips

      • Weather

      • Xbox Console Companion

      • Xbox Live

    • Start Menu --> Uninstall:

      • News

      • To-Do

      • Unpin others as-required

• Set Time and format:

  • Right-click systray clock --> Adjust date/time --> set all

• Install all Updates

  • Settings --> Update & Security --> Check for updates

    • Install updates --> restart --> check for updates again

    • While waiting for updates to install:

      • Set active hours --> automatic

      • Advanced options --> Show Update Notification: ON

Security

• Set a PIN to augment login (best for touchscreens)

  • Settings --> Accounts --> Sign-in options

• Configure Windows Defender:

  • Settings --> Update & Security --> Windows Security --> Open

  • Account Protection --> Dismiss

  • Virus & Threat Protection --> Manage Settings --> Notifications

    • Disable only "Recent activity and scan results"

    • Leave all others on for safety

  • Firewall and network protection --> ensure all ON

  • App & browser control --> Reputation --> Potentially unwanted app blocking: set ON

  • Device security --> Core isolation --> Memory integrity: set ON if supported --> Restart

• Update Hostname:

  • Settings --> System --> About --> Rename this PC --> Restart

• Disable fast startup:

  • Settings --> System --> Power --> (set times) --> Additional Power Settings

  • "Choose what the power button does" --> "Change settings that are currently unavailable" --> Uncheck "Turn on fast startup" (this is a huge security and stability concern if left on) --> Save changes --> Close window

• Setup Encryption:

  • Start --> search "bitlocker" --> Manage Bitlocker

    • Turn on --> print recovery key --> PDF --> desktop --> Activate

    • Reboot to test full login chain

Install WSL2 on Windows 11

• Open Start Menu and type "Terminal". Right-click the Windows Terminal result, then click Run as Administrator.

• Windows 11 will ask you for administrator privileges. Click Yes.

• Type the wsl --install command and press Enter.

• Once finished, reboot...

• Here are the store links of most Linux distributions on Microsoft Store:

  • • • Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

      • Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

      • openSUSE Leap 15.1

      • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5

      • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1

      • Kali Linux

      • Debian GNU/Linux

      • Fedora Remix for WSL

      • Pengwin

      • Pengwin Enterprise

      • Alpine WSL

Multiboot

• Windows: https://www.howtogeek.com/214477/how-to-dual-boot-two-or-more-versions-of-windows/

• Linux: (coming soon)

User Interface

• Systray

  • Bluetooth: right-click --> Remove Icon

  • Meet Now: right-click --> Hide

  • Notifications: right-click --> Don't show number

    • Select Notifications --> Expand tiles

• Personalization, Taskbar, Start Menu

  • Right-click taskbar --> Uncheck:

    • Show Cortana

    • Show Task View

    • Search --> select Hidden

  • Unpin all but Explorer

  • Right-click --> Taskbar settings

    • Combine: When full

    • Select which icons: "Always show all icons in notification area"

  • Start options (left sidebar)

    • Uncheck all except "Show app list in Start menu"

  • Themes --> Desktop Icon Settings --> Uncheck Recycle Bin

  • Lock Screen

    • Background to Picture

    • Uncheck "Get fun facts"

  • Colors --> Choose Light or Dark Mode

  • Background --> set background

• System Settings

  • Settings --> System

    • Display: night-light as-applicable

    • Notifications: uncheck all boxes

    • Storage: configure storage sense for daily runs

    • Multitasking: disable "Show suggestions"

    • Remote Desktop: check preference (if in doubt, Disable)

  • Bluetooth & Other Devices

    • Bluetooth: pair pen

    • Printer: add printer

    • Touchpad: disable all tapping (probably)

    • Autoplay: set all to open File Explorer

  • Apps: ensure no new unwanted apps have been installed

  • Gaming: Xbox Game Bar disable

  • Ease of Access

    • Display --> [for remote-access] disable animations, transparency

    • Display --> disable automatically hide scroll bars

    • set mouse pointer size, color, touchpoints

  • Search: strict, cloud content all off, history off

  • Privacy:

    • General --> disable "Show me suggested content [...]"

    • Speech --> check disabled

    • Inking and Typing --> disable "Getting to know you"

    • Diagnostics and feedback --> ensure disabled

    • Activity history --> disable all

• Explorer

  • Quick Access: unpin unneded shortcuts

  • Search Recycle Bin --> add to Quick Access

  • View --> Preview Pane

  • Show --> File name extensions

  • Field --> Uncheck Type

• Task Manager

  • Win+X (or right-click Start) --> Task Manager

    • More Details

    • Set Columns (right-click headers to remove Status, Power)

      • Sort by CPU usage

    • Performance --> CPU --> right-click graph --> Change to Logical Processors

Remap Caps Lock to Escape

1. Install AutoHotKey ( https://www.autohotkey.com/ )

2. Open Startup folder: Win+R --> shell:startup

3. Place CapsLock-to-Escape.ahk in folder (or, create by right-click --> new --> AHK script --> insert Capslock::Esc )

4. Double-click to launch for immediate effect. Future reboots will take automatically.

Applications

PowerToys (Windows 10 only)

Install PowerToys | Microsoft Docs

Releases · microsoft/PowerToys · GitHub

Microsoft Store

• Kate

  • Settings --> Color Scheme

  • Settings --> Configure Kate --> Fonts and Colors --> Default Schema

    • Text/Font size increase

  • Consider pinning to start (for inspiration)

    • Rename group to "Favorites"

• Okular

  • Open any PDF --> Okular --> check "Always use [...]"

• Filelight

• QuickLook https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/quicklook/9nv4bs3l1h4s#activetab=pivot:overviewtab

  • GitHub source: https://github.com/QL-Win/QuickLook

• (top-right) Downloads and Updates --> Get Updates --> Update All --> Restart

External

• File Management

  • Syncthing — Synctrayzor

  • OS w/ TB

    • Install to C:\, add uBO

  • WinDirStat

  • 7-Zip

• Media

  • VideoLAN — VLC (player)

    • Install options --> Components --> Unselect Web Plugins

    • On first run, unselect "Allow metadata network access"

  • Krita (raster)

  • Inkscape (vector)

  • Drawpile (collaborative)

  • G.I.M.P. (photo)

  • Darktable (photo)

  • DaVinci Resolve (video)

  • Shutter Encoder (video)

  • Audacity (audio)

  • Alicevision Meshroom (3D)

  • MeshLab (3D)

  • Blender (3D)

  • FreeCAD (3D)

  • LibreOffice (documents) --> Video support: install K-Lite Codec Pack Basic [background] [config]

    • SimpleSlides (presentations)

• Communications

  • Discord

    • uh Kablooie or KablooieSource

  • Zoom

  • Element

  • Signal

  • Jami

• Gaming

  • Steam Launcher

  • G.O.G Galaxy

• Utilities

  • Sysinternals Suite

  • HWinfo

  • Open Hardware Monitor

  • VMware Horizon Client

Reverse scrolling direction for MacBook Bootcamp trackpads

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-reverse-scrolling-direction-windows-10

To identify the mouse identification number on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Device Manager, click the top result to open the experience.

3. Expand the Mice and other pointing devices branch.

4. Right-click the mouse that you're using, and select the Properties option.

5. Click on the Details tab.

6. Use the "Property" drop-down menu and choose the Device instance path option.

7. Note the VID ID value for the mouse — for example, VID_0E0F&PID_0003&MI_01.

After completing the steps, continue with the steps below to reverse the mouse scrolling using the Registry.

Reversing mouse scrolling direction

To reverse the mouse scrolling direction using the Registry, use these steps:

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.

2. Type regedit, and click OK to open the Registry.

3. Browse the following path:Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\HIDQuick tip: On Windows 10, you can now copy and paste the path in the Registry's address bar to quickly jump to the key destination.

4. Expand the key (folder) that matches the VID ID of your mouse — for example, VID_0E0F&PID_0003&MI_01.

5. Expand the available key.

6. Select the Device Parameters key.

7. Double-click the FlipFlopWheel DWORD and set the value from 0 to 1.

8. Click OK.

9. Restart your computer.

Once you complete the steps, when you scroll up with the mouse wheel, the page should also scroll up.

In the future, if you change your mind, you can revert the flip the direction of the mouse wheel to its original settings using the same instructions, but on step No. 7, make sure to set the value from 1 to 0.

### Guest Account

- [ ] ADMIN: Command Prompt or PowerShell

- [ ] `net user Visitor /add /active:yes`

- [ ] Log in to Visitor account, configure apps, browser, adblocker, menu, wallpaper, user icon

- [ ] Log back in to admin account, terminal:

- [ ] `net localgroup users Visitor /delete`

- [ ] `net localgroup guests Visitor /add`

Repair

## Windows 10 Tune-Up Standard Workflow

- Get system info —> PowerShell —> `systeminfo.exe`

- Record activation SN: Command Prompt (Admin) —> `wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey`

- For live assistance: Win+R —> `slui.exe 4` —> Select country and phone

- To get computer model `wmic csproduct get name`

- Windows Security —> Startup Scan, Reboot

- Task Manager —> Check for hogs and startup impact

- Add/Remove Programs —> Full scrub

- Systray —> Full scrub

- Reliability monitor —> check for hangups

- Reboot

- Windows Update

- Run `SFC /scannow`

- Run `DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth`

- Run `DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth`

- ~~DL & Scan CCleaner v.latest~~ REDACTED, CCleaner no longer trustworthy

* * *

## Windows 10 Update Services Reset

- Internet Explorer —> Settings —> Internet Options —> Connections —> LAN Settings —> check all

- `ncpa.cpl` —> Check Connection DNS

- IPv4 setup

- Malware Blocking Only

- Primary DNS: 1.1.1.1

- Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.2

- Malware and Adult Content Blocking

- Primary DNS: 1.1.1.3

- Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.3

- IPv6 setup

- Malware Blocking Only

- Primary DNS: 2606:4700:4700::1112

- Secondary DNS: 2606:4700:4700::1002

- Malware and Adult Content Blocking

- Primary DNS: 2606:4700:4700::1113

- Secondary DNS: 2606:4700:4700::1003

- Run Command Prompt as Administrator

- `net stop wuauserv`

- `net stop bits`

- `net stop appidsvc`

- `net stop cryptsvc`

- `del “%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat”`

- `ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak`

- `ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak`

- `regedit` —> `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMPONENTS` —> Delete `PendingXMLIdentifier`, `NextQueueEntryIndex`, `AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving`

- Restart

- Reset Winsock: `netsh winsock reset`

- `net start wuauserv`

- `net start bits`

- `net start appidsvc`

- `net start cryptsvc`

Update Server Source:

- `regedit` —> `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU` —> `UseWUServer` to `0`

- This will disable any corporate update servers. Last-ditch effort.

* * *

Making the Movers

• Windows: ScreenToGif - https://github.com/NickeManarin/ScreenToGif - https://www.screentogif.com/