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Useful tips on how to set up Windows computers, e.g. Windows 10 or Windows 11

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windows-setup

How to set up Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Useful information, tips & tricks and other relevant resources to properly configure a Windows 10 user account/ computer.

Note: Some content is focused on Germany.

Windows version

Programs

System tools

Video telephony

Remove Adware and Potentially Unwanted Programs

Analysis

Internal

Internal: Bitlocker

manage-bde -status

manage-bde -off C:

External

Other 1

Other 2

Remove or Uninstall Programs

If a programm cannot be uninstalled successfully through the standard procedures, this program might help

Network Scanner

WhyNotWin11

  • Achitecture: 64bit instead of 32bit (both CPU and OS)
  • Boot method: UEFI instead of Legacy
  • Disk partition type: GPT instead of MBR

Source:

Get directly to UEFI-BIOS

How to restart/reboot Windows 10 to get directly to UEFI-BIOS. Warning: Even before you initiate the restart, all open apps will be closed. Save your work before you do this!

  • Shift method (recommended): Start menu --> select Power (Power button icon) --> hold Shift on keyboard while selecting Restart (this closes all Windows apps) --> select Troubleshoot --> Advanced options --> UEFI firmware settings
  • Settings method: Windows settings --> Update & Security --> Recovery --> Advanced startup --> Restart now --> Troubleshoot --> Advanced options --> UEFI firmware settings

Source:

Microsoft account

Remove/Uninstall Cortana

  • Right click on the Windows icon in the bottom left
  • Click on Windows PowerShell (Administrator)
  • Copy the following command:
Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.549981C3F5F10 | Remove-AppxPackage
  • Paste it in the Windows PowerShell by pressing Right click
  • Press Enter

If the command above does not work, try one of these commands:

Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.549981C3F5F10* -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers

Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.549981C3F5F10* -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage

Remove/Uninstall Xbox

Similar to the description above.

Get-AppxPackage *Xbox* | Remove-AppxPackage

Sources:

Rename a Wired Network Connection

  • Press Win + R
  • Enter regedit.exe or simply regedit
  • Open the app as an admin, e.g. by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Enter
  • Open this path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles
  • The profiles are listed in the folders below

Sources:

Change hostname

  • Press the Windows key in the bottom left
  • Search for PC Info
  • Click on Rename this PC

Sources:

Show icons on desktop

Gemeinsame Symbole auf dem Desktop, Desktopsymboleinstellungen

  • Einstellungen --> Personalisierung --> Designs --> Desktopsymboleinstellungen
  • Settings --> Personalization --> Themes --> Desktop icon settings

Password of SMB fileshares

  • Press Win + R
  • Enter netplwiz.exe

Remove Web Results from Windows Search

  • Suche: Gruppenrichtlinien bearbeiten / gpedit.msc
  • Administrative Vorlagen
  • Windows-Komponenten
  • Suche
  • Nicht im Web suchen und keine Webergebnisse in der Suche anzeigen

Disable Bing in the Start Menu Search

Disable OneDrive Synchronization

Useful Windows applications and commands

Helpful shortcut:

  • Win + R: Run / Ausführen

The following applications are located in the folder C:\WINDOWS\system32\:

  • winver.exe About Windows / Info über Windows --> Windows-Version
    • About Windows: Display Windows version information.
    • Info: Windows-Versionsinformationen anzeigen.
  • msinfo32.exe System Information / Systeminformationen
    • System Information: View advanced information about hardware and software settings.
    • Systeminformation: Erweiterte Informationen zu Hardware- und Softwareeinstellungen anzeigen.
  • devmgmt.msc Device Manager / Geräte-Manager
  • diskmgmt.msc Disk Management / Datenträgerverwaltung
  • dfrgui.exe Optimize Drives (Defragment and Optimize Drives) / Laufwerke optimieren (Laufwerke defragmentieren und optimieren)
  • taskmgr.exe Task Manager / Task-Manager (Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+Esc)
    • Task Manager: View details about programs and processes running on your computer.
    • Task-Manager: Details zu Programmen und Prozessen anzeigen, die auf dem Computer ausgeführt werden.
  • resmon.exe Resource Monitor / Ressourcenmonitor
    • Resource Monitor: Monitor the performance and resource usage of the local computer.
    • Ressourcenmonitor: Überwacht die Leistung und Ressourcennutzung des lokalen Computers.
  • perfmon.msc Performance Monitor / Leistungsüberwachung (auch perfmon.exe)
    • Performance Monitor: Monitor the performance of local or remote computers.
    • Leistungsüberwachung: Überwacht die Leistung von lokalen Computern oder Remotecomputern.
  • regedit.exe Registry Editor / Registrierungs-Editor (auch regedt32.exe)
    • Registry Editor: Make changes to the Windows registry.
    • Registrierungs-Editor: Windows-Registrierung ändern.
  • netplwiz.exe User Accounts (Manage Passwords) / Benutzerkonten (Kennwörter verwalten)
  • compmgmt.msc Computer Management / Computerverwaltung
    • Computer Management: View and configure system settings and components.
    • Computerverwaltung: Zeigt Systemeinstellungen und -komponenten an und konfiguriert sie.
  • cleanmgr.exe Disk Cleanup / Datenträgerbereinigung
  • msconfig.exe System Configuration / Systemkonfiguration
  • sysdm.cpl System Properties (Computer Name) / Systemeigenschaften (Computername)
  • SystemPropertiesProtection.exe System Properties (System Protection) / Systemeigenschaften (Computerschutz)
  • eventvwr.msc Event Viewer / Ereignisanzeige (auch eventvwr.exe)
    • Event Viewer: View monitoring and troubleshooting messages.
    • Ereignisanzeige: Überwachungs- und Problembehandlungsmeldungen anzeigen.
  • UserAccountControlSettings.exe User Account Control Settings / Einstellungen für Benutzerkontensteuerung
    • Change UAC Settings: Change User Account Control settings.
    • UAC-Einstellungen ändern: Ändert Einstellungen für Benutzerkontensteuerung.
  • wscui.cpl Security and Maintenance (Control Panel) / Sicherheit und Wartung (Systemsteuerung)
    • Security and Maintenance: Open Security and Maintenance.
    • Sicherheit und Wartung: Öffnet Sicherheit und Wartung.
  • appwiz.cpl Programs and Features (Control Panel, list of installed programs) / Programme und Features (Systemsteuerung, Liste der installierten Programme)
    • Programs: Launch, add or remove programs and Windows components.
    • Programme: Programme und Windows-Komponenten starten, hinzufügen oder entfernen.
  • inetcpl.cpl Internet Properties (maybe related to Internet Explorer?) / Eigenschaften von Internet (eventuell für Internet Explorer?)
    • Internet Options: View Internet Properties.
    • Internetoption: Interneteigenschaften anzeigen.
  • cmd.exe Command Prompt / Eingabeaufforderung
    • Command Prompt: Open a command prompt window.
    • Eingabeaufforderung: Eingabeaufforderungsfenster öffnen.
  • rstrui.exe System Restore / Systemwiederherstellung
    • System Restore: Restore your computer system to an earlier state.
    • Systemwiederherstellung: Früheren Zustand des Computers wiederherstellen.
  • services.msc Services / Dienste
  • taskschd.msc Task Scheduler / Aufgabenplanung
  • printmanagement.msc Print Management / Druckverwaltung
  • mdsched.exe Windows Memory Diagnostic / Windows-Speicherdiagnose
  • control.exe /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting
    • Windows Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot problems with your computer.
    • Windows-Problembehandlung: Behandelt Probleme mit dem Computer.
  • cmd.exe /k %windir%\system32\ipconfig.exe
    • Internet Protocol Configuration: View and configure network address settings.
    • Internetprotokollkonfiguration: Netzwerkadresseinstellungen anzeigen und konfigurieren.
  • msra.exe
    • Remote Assistance: Receive help from (or offer help to) a friend over the Internet.
    • Remoteunterstützung: Über das Internet Hilfe von einem Freund erhalten (oder einem Freund Hilfe anbieten).
  • quickassist.exe Quick Assist / Remotehilfe (Windows 10), Schnellhilfe (Windows 11), Ctrl + Win + Q
  • control.exe Control Panel / Systemsteuerung, Classical settings (Windows 7)
  • control.exe folders File Explorer Options (Folder options) / Ordneroptionen
  • control.exe system About (Settings --> System --> About) / Info (Einstellungen --> System --> Info), Device specifications, Rename this PC, Windows specifications
    • System Properties: View basic information about your computer system settings.
    • Systemeigenschaften: Grundlegende Informationen zu den Systemeinstellungen des Computers anzeigen.

These applications are almost always included in Windows. Most of these programs are part of the "Windows Administrative Tools". Die meisten dieser Programme sind Teil der "Windows-Verwaltungsprogramme".

  • C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools

The following applications have other locations:

  • This PC, formerly My Computer / Dieser PC, ehemals Arbeitsplatz (Win+E)
  • Quick access / Schnellzugriff (Win+E)
  • PCHealthCheck.exe PC Health Check / PC-Integritätsprüfung
    • located at C:\Program Files\PCHealthCheck\PCHealthCheck.exe
  • SystemSettings.exe Settings / Einstellungen, ImmersiveControlPanel, Modern settings (Windows 10)
    • located at C:\Windows\ImmersiveControlPanel\SystemSettings.exe

Nasty Networking Issue

Problem:

  • Windows 10 error code 0x80070035
  • When trying to open a network share, Windows 10 does not show a prompt to enter the username and password

Solution:

  • Enter the NAS hostname, username and password manually via netplwiz

Question:

  • Why does Windows 10 not show the prompt to enter the username and password for a network share? Maybe it is related to the user permissions or rights?

Links:

chkdsk

Open the command line (CMD) as an administrator.

chkdsk c: /r /v

c:
Is for the drive with the letter "c".
Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon), mount point, or volume name.

/r
Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information.
The disk must be locked.
/r includes the functionality of /f, with the additional analysis of physical disk errors.

/v
Displays the name of each file in every directory as the disk is checked.

How to evaluate the results of chkdsk:

Ereignisanzeige (Event Viewer)

Ereignisanzeige (Lokal) --> Windows-Protokolle --> Anwendung

Look for an entry with the source "Wininit"

Sources:

Linux:

sudo badblocks -sv /dev/sda

-s
show progress

-v
be "verbose" and output bad sectors detected to stdout

Source:

Linux:

sudo e2fsck -fvn /dev/sda2

-f
Force checking even if the file system seems clean

-v
Verbose mode

-n
Open the filesystem read-only, and assume an answer of 'no' to all questions. Allows e2fsck to be used non-interactively.

Other important tools

DISM / dism

sfc

In-place upgrade

Links:

defrag

Open the command line (CMD) as an administrator.

defrag c: /h /u /v /x

c:
Specifies the drive letter or mount point path of the volume to be defragmented or analyzed.

/h
Runs the operation at normal priority (default is low).

/u
Prints the progress of the operation on the screen.

/v
Prints verbose output containing the fragmentation statistics.

/x
Performs free space consolidation on the specified volumes.

Sources:

Linux:

sudo e4defrag -c /dev/sda2

sudo e4defrag /dev/sda2

-c
Get a current fragmentation count and an ideal fragmentation count, and calculate fragmentation score based on them.

Sources:

Recommended hardware

Laptop brands

  • Lenovo

Printers

  • Epson
  • Brother

Windows Update error: KB5034441 with error code 0x80070643

reagentc /info
reagentc /disable
reagentc /enable

diskpart

delete partition override


list part

list vol


create partition primary id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac

gpt attributes =0x8000000000000001

format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows RE tools"

Windows Remotehilfe, Schnellhilfe, Quick Assist

Phone Link

get-appxpackage *Microsoft.YourPhone* | remove-appxpackage

Lenovo Touchpad not working properly

Problem:

  • After updating the touchpad (trackpad) and trackpoint of a Lenovo laptop with the ELAN TrackPoint Firmware Update Utility, the touchpad is not working properly anymore. It is laggy, unresponsive and does not register all inputs. Unfortunately there is no old firmware available that could be used to overwrite the new firmware. Note: This is about firmwre, not about drivers.

Solution:

  • Go to the UEFI-BIOS and set the trackpoint to Disabled but keep the touchpad Enabled. Unfortunately you will not be able to use the trackpoint (the red dot embedded in the keyboard) anymore and also the three mouse buttons above the touchpad will not work anymore. However, the touchpad is working again. This is not a perfect solution, but at least you can use the laptop without having to connect an external mouse.

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Useful tips on how to set up Windows computers, e.g. Windows 10 or Windows 11

Topics

config microsoft windows setup howto guide configuration windows-10 how-to windows10 powershell-script windows-11 windows11

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