Windows 10 Tweaks and Fixes (Index post #1)

Thank you for this, added to the index

 

Deleted all off topic posts, fell into it myself, please keep this on topic.

 

How to uninstall all metro apps in Windows 10

I've always wanted to get rid of all the metro apps in Windows 10 but it only allows you to uninstall a few and not all of them. Apps that I never will use like Photos, Maps, Music, Videos, etc. cannot be uninstalled.
I have tried several ways through PowerShell before to uninstall them but have never got it to work. Finally, a free portable app came out that actually works. I was able to successfully uninstall every metro app!
It's very simple, just right click on 10AppsManager.exe and Run it as an Administrator then select the apps you want to uninstall and click uninstall.

Note: It does warn you to create a system restore/backup before fiddling around with it but I never bothered, it works like a charm.



Download 10AppsManager

 

@Matrix Leader - nice tip. I'll have to check and see if they have a utility to remove all Windows 8.1 apps also, as I hate them and never use any of them. They are just adware/bloatware garbage same as the junk included in Windows 10.

Spoiler

 

How to hide "Add to windows media player" context menu

1) Go to Control Panel > Default Programs

2) Follow the below illustrations:

 

Nice find Matrix O&O shutup10.

Limit Reservable Bandwidth

"Determines the percentage of connection bandwidth that the system can reserve. This value limits the combined bandwidth reservations of all programs running on the system.

By default, the Packet Scheduler limits the system to 80 percent of the bandwidth of a connection, but you can use this setting to override the default.

If you enable this setting, you can use the "Bandwidth limit" box to adjust the amount of bandwidth the system can reserve.

If you disable this setting or do not configure it, the system uses the default value of 80 percent of the connection.

Important: If a bandwidth limit is set for a particular network adapter in the registry, this setting is ignored when configuring that network adapter."

Type gpedit.msc in run box , Click Administrative templates, Then Network folder,Then Qos Packet Scheduler, click limit reservable bandwidth, it will not configured, click enable button, set bandwidth limit to 0%

gpedit.msc-Group Policy Editor is available in pro, on up editions, home editions can down load a program that will give them group policy editor-on the internet.

Heres the link:

http://drudger.deviantart.com/art/Add-GPEDIT-msc-215792914

I used this on Win 10 Home x64--works fine no issues, 32 bit is easier to install. Now have Win 10 Pro, so Group Policy Editor is included.

Cheers
3Fees

_____________________________________________________________________________________
HP Pavilion 17", Windows 10 Pro, 64 Bit installed, AMD Elite A10-5750M-8750G-APU,Micron-Crucial Ballistix Sport- 16GB DDR3L- 1866Mhz with automatic Over/Under Clocking of DDR3 Ram by the AMD APU-1866 MHz Memory Controller-Built in the APU Architecture, Samsung EVO 250GB SSD,Logitec LS1- Laser Mouse 5000 DPI, Seagate Backup Plus USB 3.0 drive -1TB size, . I have Lexar S33 32GB USB 3 Jump Drive ~ 100/50 MB/s.

 

This tweak has been long debunked to pose no benefit. The 20% reservable bandwidth only takes effect if other apps are requesting full bandwidth.

Example: You are downloading a game through steam and the bandwidth usage is 100%, Now when others apps want to connect to the internet, they will get that 20% of reservable bandwidth. If you enable this setting, it is actually bad a other apps will other show no connectivity or will be very slow. Best to leave it alone:

http://www.howtogeek.com/173648/10-windows-tweaking-myths-debunked/

 

The article says disabling wont increase bandwidth, MS clearly says if its disabled or not configured 20 % is reserved.

Be that as it may:

If you want skype or other Qos aware application to get High Priority, check this out: Win10 use qwave so does 7,8 ect.

http://www.biztechmagazine.com/article/2010/03/boost-network-performance-windows-7-qos

If qwave wont start up, check here:

http://batcmd.com/windows/10/services/qwave/

Quality Windows Audio Video Experience (qWave) is a networking platform for Audio Video (AV) streaming applications on IP home networks. qWave enhances AV streaming performance and reliability by ensuring network quality-of-service (QoS) for AV applications. It provides mechanisms for admission control, run time monitoring and enforcement, application feedback, and traffic prioritization.


This service also exists in Windows 7, 8 and Vista.

I dont use skype for those who AV apps, you should check it out, The first link and 2nd link if your qwave gets hammered.

Cheers
3Fees

_____________________________________________________________________________________
HP Pavilion 17", Windows 10 Pro, 64 Bit installed, AMD Elite A10-5750M-8750G-APU,Micron-Crucial Ballistix Sport- 16GB DDR3L- 1866Mhz with automatic Over/Under Clocking of DDR3 Ram by the AMD APU-1866 MHz Memory Controller-Built in the APU Architecture, Samsung EVO 250GB SSD,Logitec LS1- Laser Mouse 5000 DPI, Seagate Backup Plus USB 3.0 drive -1TB size, . I have Lexar S33 32GB USB 3 Jump Drive ~ 100/50 MB/s.

 

How to turn off Windows 10 Start Menu Ads

 

Came across this thread on removing windows 10 bloat. It's worth a look.
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1870618

 

As we all know the DPI scaling in Windows 10 is messed up, when you choose a specific scaling mode, it doesn't apply it to all apps / screens so you get some apps with blurry fonts as if you were running a non-native resolution.

Here is the fix which makes the DPI Scaling in Windows 10 work just like it used to in Windows 8:

Fix Blurry Fonts in Windows 10

See before and after.

 

Useful two tips there. The "Suggestions" would annoy me if I were on Windows 10 Insider, and as a blurry-font hater the blurrier font would drive me bonkers. One small request for that post though - looking at the After picture, I was pretty sure that either there was something still not quite right, or the image was JPG - and the image was JPG. There's still enough of a difference to tell that the default is much worse, but I'd appreciate a PNG-formatted version of at least the second, if not both. Easier to tell if Windows 10 can meet my standards for crisp fonts that way.

 

I won't be able to do that personally since I don't have Windows 10 installed anymore. Maybe someone else who's on Windows 10 can do this in PNG format.

This issue is very obvious in services.msc, GPEDIT, or Computer Management until the fix is applied.

 

Ok, I got the free win10 upgrade when it was available and installed it, but i wanted to do an clean install, so i made an usbdrive and it worked fine, activated no problems.

Now a couple of months later i try to do an clean install, I use the Win10 download tool, and made an usbdrive and it stalled great, but i get an key is invalid message in activation, I have logged in my Microsoft account, and you would think the free key would come from there, my hardware has not changed.

I have tried my original oem win8.0 does not work, I read the bios key, and that does not work either.

So what am i doing wrong, did i down load the repair version or something?

EDIT: I downloaded win10 Home single language, does that need a different key to Win10 Home?

Thanks

John.

 

You should not to type any key while installation. Always press SKIP.

 

I did press skip, it asked twice, I am trying to activate inside windows.

I am downloading Win10 Home, Instead of the single language version to see if that activates.

Thanks

John.

 

Windows 10 is real finicky about installation. If you have to reinstall, since it is an upgrade, you have t start from scratch, install 8.0 then eventually upgrade to 10, then the fresh install. I know a royal pain. Best bet is after the activated fresh install is a backup image and put it away.

 

Hi.

All is working now , I just had to install Win10 Home , and not Home single language , I was still asked twice for the key during installation but once i logged into my Microsoft account during installation it must have got the activation from there.

Now to block/turn off all the Win10 snooping.

Thanks

John.

 

As far as I know logging to MS Account gives absolutely nothing in terms of activation of installed OS.

 

So how did it activate by itself once windows started, It asked me for my key twice while installing, it could pull the key from the uefi bios it did not, It looks like it was waiting for an active wifi connection to activate my windows.

John.

 

Just skip it twice with active Inet connection and connecting to MS Account doesn't matter. MS has mobo database with assigned OS to it.

 

I just found an .reg file that enables the old windows photo viewer, basically it adds it to the more apps list.

I have not used win10 for a few months so i am a bit behind on the state of things, If anybody want the .reg file just ask.

John.

 

I believe Matrix Leader already posted about that in the Windows 10 clean installation guide.

I heavily suggest to use Irfan instead of any other Photo-tool though. It's small, fast and there's a 64 Bit build available, imo there is no better tool for picture-viewing than that one. The high speed and low drain on resources makes it really an outstanding program.

 

Still deader than a stinking doornail... just the way I want it to be. For Windoze OS X to not be aware of updates is priceless. As they say, "Ignorance is bliss" and that definitely applies here.

 

CCleaner now has the option to uninstall the metro apps so no need to use another tool for this. Mind you, once a metro app is uninstalled through CCleaner you cannot restore it back if you ever need it.

Personally, I never will use any of these garbage mobile apps on my laptop so this is the perfect solution for me.

 

Restoring any app that one deleted permanently isn't so hard, I've done it with the Windows Store . Only needs a good version of Windows to get the files from, so a Win-ISO, copy the files to restricted directy in Program-Files, take ownership first, and then register them via Powershell.

This article on superuser explains everything necessary in detail:

https://superuser.com/questions/949112/restore-microsoft-store-application-in-windows-10

 

I suppose if there is an app one actually uses the ability to restore it would be extremely important to get the most from their Windoze OS X experience.

I don't have any use for any of them. Most of it is bloatware/adware trash that is tablet/touch-centric cruft. I do sort of like the weather app, but it would be no great loss to nix it, too. Plenty of other convenient options available for up-to-the-minute weather.

 

My weather is on my Galaxy S6 edge+ phone

Even if I did like it on the PC, there is no room for it It would make Windows look weird IMO, like a phone app on a desktop, just my 2 cents.

 

Enable F8 key & Safe Mode in Windows 10

 

How to disable "Scan with Windows Defender" context menu in Windows 10 Build 10586

Press the Windows + R Key to pull up the Run Dialogue Box then type regedit

Navigate to the following key:

Code:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}

In left column right-click then rename the following key (add a couple of dashes):

Code:

From:
{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}
To:
--{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}

 

How to restore the Windows 7 Calculator in Windows 10

1) Download the Calculator ( 64-Bit / 32-Bit)

2) Extract the contents of the ZIP file

3) Right click on installer-mui.cmd and choose Run as Administrator

 

Nice tip .

What I don't understand 'til now though is, why people hate the Win 10 Store Calculator. It looks nice, it is fully scaleable and when setting it to scientific, it also caculates correctly.

 

I feel like throwing up when I like at that metro calculator, just my 2 cents.

 

And I feel like somebody thew up on it when I look on that calculator.

 

Since I don't use Windows 10, I can't comment on the specific features / drawbacks of the Store Calculator in Windows 10, but I can comment on using Metro Apps - which I have now uninstalled in Windows 8.1

Metro Apps and full screen / split screen reminds me of UI "advancements" that we all rejected 30+ years ago.

Tiled screens, split screen, and non-floating windows, are all precursors to what became the most advanced UI features we have today. They are contrary to multi-tasking and contrary to the obviously better alternatives.

The small screen limitations of small screens (mobile), scaled up to large screens don't work. Scaling size often offers additional advantages beyond the original limitations, going back instead of innovating forward is a choice, not an easily accepted solution.

We knew this 30+ years ago, and due to some simple Yes/No decision near the top at MS flipping the decision toward convergence, we wouldn't have been subjected to them again.

UI, Multi-tasking, Performance Tuning requires minute accommodations for perfection.

You can host the old in the new. I would appreciate a floating sizeable window with the Metro Phone interface contained to run along with a full UI taking advantage of the size available.

I want full Phone application function in my large screen tablet, and in my PC.

I want my phone functionality to be included in my large screen experience, not subsume and take over the entire screen.

MS simply reversed the solution, and made the wrong choice

 

How to enable Num Lock automatically in Windows 10

No matter what value is set in the computer BIOS, num lock will not be enabled automatically on the logon screen. If you have a number in your password or use a PIN to login to your account, having to press the Num Lock key every time you want to logon is annoying.

To enable the Num Lock automatically everytime you reboot do the following:

1) Press the Windows + R key to launch the Run Dialogue Box

2) Type regedit then press ENTER

3) Navigate to the following key:

Code:

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Keyboard

4) Edit the value of InitialKeyboardIndicators and set it to a value of 2.

If that didn't work, and you have an OEM computer (Hewlett Packard, for example), try 2147483650 instead of 2

 

Back when I was still using Win10, I did a post on my favorite tweaks, and part of them I showed in a video, here:

First 14 minutes of the video goes through how to customize/make Quick Launch and Desktop toolbars. Video shows Win7, because I didn't have an onscreen recorder program for Win10. But I actually DID what the video shows, IN Windows 10.

Last part of the video shows how you can take Plus! from XP or Win98 (which you can still buy in Amazon) and if you create your theme in one of those OSes, put all your elements in the Themes folder, you can literally activate that theme in Win10 by double-clicking on THEMES.exe. (Works the same way in Linux, right click on the Wine enabler.) I went through those steps in the video, but they don't work in Windows 7, so you can't see the result.

So that's the pro-con of Windows 10. Pro, it has some backwards-compatibility; but con, the very preservation of that means less security and more need for patches, vigilance when using it, etc.

Hope this info helps; I'm sick of always having to say negative things about Win10. Thank you for your time!

 

Suggested services to disable in Windows 10

 

Black Viper’s Windows 10 Service Configurations (Use with caution, before disabling a service, make sure you really don't need it, example: the guide suggests turning off the Bluetooth service, well if you need it, common sense dictates that you shouldn't disable it)

 

Enable PUP (Potentially Unwanted Programs) Detection in Windows Defender

While Windows Defender file detection rates have gone up from 0 out of 6 in AV-Test to a respectable 4.5/6, you can further enhance its security by enabling PUP detection. While this feature is currently available to Windows 10 Enterprise users out of the box, you can still enable it on your Windows 10 Home or Pro installation and it works just fine.

To Enable PUP Detection in Windows Defender, launch Powershell as admin then copy/paste the following command:

Code:

Set-MpPreference -PUAProtection Enabled

Example of a PUP detection caught while trying to install Shark 007 Codecs. While Windows Defender doesn't go all the way of actually blocking the installer of the PUPs like NOD32 does, at least it detected the PUP so one would take extra care not to blindly hit the NEXT button and install everything but rather, carefully read what you are installing, after that I simply canceled out the bundled search garbage that it was trying to install and proceeded with the installation normally albeit without the PUPs:

 

How to change "ThisPC/Computer" Icon into a laptop icon

I don't know about you but it bugs the living heck out of me when I see that the Computer icon resembles a desktop icon, this is a laptop for God's sake, so here is how to make it a laptop icon:

1) Go to Control Panel > Personalization

2) Click on Change Desktop icons from the left pane

3) Click on the ThisPC/Computer Icon, then click on Change Icon



4) Now click on browse, then navigate to the following directory/file: C:\Windows\System32\DDORes.dll

5) Select the 4th icon from the top to have the laptop icon

 

I dont know if this app has been posted, it`s an official Microsoft app that allows you to disable auto update of drivers for some Win10 devices in device manger.

wushowhide.diagcab

John.

 

This only works the first time, if you had driver X for example hidden, then another update for driver X comes up, then the following happens:

1) This tool will no longer even see that new driver update to hide it

2) all Windows updates will cease until that new update is installed

Verdict: Useless tool that Micro$h4ft made to temporarily keep the angry crowd quiet who got their drivers updated when it first launched, but the ugly truth was later revealed.

 

I put this in a different thread, but it's a good fit here...

Here you go, buddy. Just have your Windows 7 installation media and barf bucket handy in case you cannot handle the butt-ugly crippled cancer OS. I have been using it more than a year now and I still despise Windoze OS X ME (Malware Edition). The CPU performance impairment is as bad or worse as the aesthetic nightware. If you have been doing any kind of overclocked CPU benching with Windows 7, it's going to be really tough to put up with. I dual boot so I can have frequent opportunities for recovery from the trauma.

FYI - The newest version of Aeroglass works fine for TH2 now, so no need to tolerate the abuse of white and pastel puke the Redmond Mafia expect you to put up with.

This awesome software will let you totally destroy EVERYTHING most objectionable about this pile of trash OS. I refuse to run Windows 10 without it. NOTHING has ever updated on Windows 10 since I started using it. It's excellent.

Destroy Windows Spying

• No UAC Filth
• No Windows Updates
• No Worthless Crapware Apps
  
  - Kill 'em all... let God sort 'em out later.

Download it first and install it before connecting to the internet for the first time and it will napalm all of those Windows 10 demons dead in their tracks, just like opening up a 55-gallon drum of RAID on the nasty cockroaches wandering around in the kitchen at that greasy spoon down the street. Check out the advanced options. Easy buttons for things like the old Windows Image Viewer, etc.

Use this to get the old Windows calculator back instead of the idiotic Windows 10 piece of trash. [ LINK]

Open an elevated command prompt and run these commands:

Code:

bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy

bcdedit /set loadoptions DISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS

bcdedit /set TESTSIGNING ON

bcdedit.exe /set nointegritychecks on

This will let you install any drivers you feel like, whenever you feel like it, as often as you feel like it, without having to reboot with DSE temporarily disabled. No Gestapo approval required. You can get rid of the watermark running in Test Mode by using Universal Watermark Disabler by PaintR.

Kill the Action Center Nag-O-Rama by opening Notepad and saving this code with a file name ending in .REG and then merge it with the registry by double-clicking.

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"DisableNotificationCenter"=dword:00000001

This will give you back the full featured taskbar volume icon instead of the castrated tablet version.

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\MTCUVC]
"EnableMtcUvc"=dword:00000000

This will let you own Windows instead of Windows owning you and your files. Just right-click to tell the OS that you're the boss of your files and folders.

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"HasLUAShield"=""
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /a && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /c /l && pause"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /a && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /c /l && pause"

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"HasLUAShield"=""
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /a /r /d y && pause && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t /l /c /q && pause"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /a /r /d y && pause && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t /l /c /q && pause"

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"HasLUAShield"=""
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /a && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /c /l && pause"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /a && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /c /l && pause"

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"HasLUAShield"=""
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /a /r /d y && pause && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t /l /c /q && pause"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /a /r /d y && pause && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t /l /c /q && pause"

 

Thanks for these great tweaks @Mr. Fox . They have been added to the 2nd item in the index due to their importance / coolness factor.

 

You're welcome, bro. More than a few people are happy about the DSE cancer killing tweak. I know I sure am.

 

HELP

I have used the "windows photo viewer" reg hack and it is set as default, I can open jpg file but not png files, I get a list of files that i can use to open png files but "windows photo viewer" is not among them, I have the option to browse and select the program, But i have looked in windows/system32 but cannot find it.

Thanks

John.

 

Double click on the reg file again, I have just updated it.

Now, I want you to right click on each image file once, like PNG, BMP, JPG, JPEG, GIF, etc, then right click and choose OPEN WITH.

You should then see the option to open it with Windows Photo Viewer, click on the checkbox at the bottom to always open that file type with this app then hit ok. From now on, it will always open with Windows Photo Viewer.

 

God you are Amazing i tried to give you REP, but i must have given you rep last time, so a like is all i can do.

Thank-you

John.

 

Thank you mate, I am glad I could be of any assistance. Enjoy.