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windows_tips_tricks_and_notes [2024/12/25 08:58] – mikewindows_tips_tricks_and_notes [2025/08/14 15:31] (current) – mike
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 ====== Windows Tips, Tricks and Notes ====== ====== Windows Tips, Tricks and Notes ======
 ---- ----
 +~~NOTOC~~
 +
 ===== Windows 10 annoyances and how to overcome them ===== ===== Windows 10 annoyances and how to overcome them =====
  
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   * Uncheck the “Show me the Windows welcome experience after updates…”, “Suggest ways I can finish setting up my device…” and “Get tips, tricks and suggestions…” items under Notifications.   * Uncheck the “Show me the Windows welcome experience after updates…”, “Suggest ways I can finish setting up my device…” and “Get tips, tricks and suggestions…” items under Notifications.
  
 +=== End the automatic upgrade/automatic reboot madness ===
 +Open the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)\\
 +Navigate to the following path:
 +  Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
 +Change the following 3 settings:
 +
 +**Configure Automatic Updates** -> Enabled, 4 - Auto download and schedule the install\\
 +**Configure auto-restart required notification for updates** -> Enabled, 2 - User Action\\
 +**No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations** -> Enabled\\
 +
 +=== Require username to be specified at logon (disable user listing) ===
 +Open the Local Policy app (secpol)\\
 +Navigate to **Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Interactive Logon: Don’t display last signed-in** and set to Enabled.
 +
 +=== Enable ICMP ===
 +Open a command window in Administrator mode and enter the following command:
 +  netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="ICMP Allow incoming V4 echo request" protocol=icmpv4:8,any dir=in action=allow
 +  
 +=== Disable "helpful" reminders to login to a Microsoft Account (insert puke emoji here) ===
 +Open the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)\\
 +Navigate to **User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Account Notifications**\\
 +Set **Turn off account notifications in Start** to **Enabled**
 +
 +----
 +
 +===== How Windows determines whether or not the machine has internet access =====
 +
 +Windows attempts to download a file from a dedicated Web server. Depending on which version of Windows, it’s ''http://www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt'' or ''http://www.msftconnecttest.com/connecttest.txt''. If the download is successful and contains the correct contents, then Windows concludes that you have full Internet access.
 +
 +If something goes wrong, Windows will report either limited or no Internet access, depending on what exactly went wrong.
 +
 +More details on this are available [[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/networking/internet-explorer-edge-open-connect-corporate-public-network|here]].
 ---- ----
-===== Ways to personalize Windows 10 without activating it =====+===== Personalizing a non-activated Windows 10 system =====
  
 === Disable Taskbar Button Grouping with Group Policy === === Disable Taskbar Button Grouping with Group Policy ===
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 === Setting Desktop Wallpaper via Group Policy === === Setting Desktop Wallpaper via Group Policy ===
-Start the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)\\+Open the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)\\
 Navigate to ''Local Computer Policy -> User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Desktop -> Desktop''\\ Navigate to ''Local Computer Policy -> User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Desktop -> Desktop''\\
 Select 'Desktop Wallpaper'\\ Select 'Desktop Wallpaper'\\
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 Wallpaper modification will take effect on the next login. Wallpaper modification will take effect on the next login.
 +
 +=== Setting Desktop Wallpaper using Registry Editor ===
 +Open the Registry Editor app.\\
 +Navigate to //Policies// in //HKCU//.\\
 +Right-click on Policies > New > Key.\\
 +Name it as //System//.\\
 +Right-click on System > New > String Value.\\
 +Name it as //Wallpaper//.\\
 +Double-click on it and enter the wallpaper path.\\
 +Right-click on System > New > String Value.\\
 +Name it as //WallpaperStyle//.\\
 +Double-click on it to set a Value data; the values below are valid:
 +  0 - Center
 +  1 - Tile
 +  2 - Stretch
 +  3 - Fit
 +  4 - Fill
 +  5 - Span
 +Click OK to save the change.
 +
 +Wallpaper modification will take effect on the next login.
 +
 +=== Removing the wallpaper ===
 +In case you want to remove this wallpaper, navigate to the following path:
 +
 +  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
 +
 +And right-click on **Policies > Delete**. Then, confirm the change by clicking the Delete button again.
 +
 +----
 +===== Helpful Commands and Procedures =====
 +
 +==== Creating/extracting files with 7-Zip ====
 +
 +=== Create or add to an archive: ===
 +  7z a -p <zipfile name> <file(s) to add>
 +  
 +=== Create an archive, recursing the directory specified: ===
 +  7z a -rp <zipfile name> <file(s) to add>
 +
 +=== Extract the archive: ===
 +  7z x <zipfile name>
 +  
 +==== Resurrecting a USB Stick ====
 +Connect your flash drive to the computer at first, and make sure it can be detected.
 +
 +1. Click “start” and type “command prompt”.
 +
 +2. Then, right click “command prompt” and select “run as administrator”.
 +
 +3. After that, type “diskpart” and press “Enter”. Then execute the below commands in turn:
 +
 +    list disk
 +    select disk n
 +    clean
 +    create partition primary
 +    format fs=fat32 quick: If you want to format to NTFS, type “format fs=ntfs quick”.
 +
 +{{:cmd.jpg?600|}}
 +
 +==== Bulk Installation of Programs ====
 +Visit www.ninite.com
 +
 +==== Checking a file's hash ====
 +  certutil -hashfile <filename> SHA256
 +
 +==== Laser Printer keeps "going offline" ====
 +Solution found on Reddit:
 +
 +> Unfortunately, I think most HPs don't have an option for disabling sleep mode altogether.
 +> 
 +> However, if you're using a Windows PC, I have often found that the computer will mistakenly show the printer as 'offline' if the print driver port is set to Web Services Driver (WSD).
 +> 
 +> If you're using a Windows computer and used the "Add A Printer" set up feature, it will often automatically assign the driver port to WSD. Go to Control Panel => Devices and Printers => Right-click the printer icon and choose Printer Properties => Go to the tab labelled 'Ports' and it should have the current port highlighted. If it says 'WSD' followed by a bunch of random numbers, hit 'Add New Port' => TCP / IP => Input the printer's IP address.
 +> 
 +> If you don't know the printer's IP address off-hand, you can print a network configuration page by holding down the green button for about 5-10 seconds. The address should be listed under Product Settings next to IPv4 address.
 +> 
 +> If you want to check the printer's settings, type that IP address into a web browser while the printer is connected. Make sure the IP address is set to static by going to the Network tab., clicking on 'Networking' from the left pane, and then clicking on 'Network Address (IP)'.
 +
windows_tips_tricks_and_notes.1735145911.txt.gz · Last modified: by mike
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