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Windows 10 Tweaks

W1zzard

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I've started to look into Windows 10 for desktop and benchmarking usage.

Share the tweaks you find useful, I'll integrate them into first post.

Also see here for a more batch-oriented approach: https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/windows-10-tweaks-for-vga-benchmark.228698/

Download Microsoft Windows 10 ISO or make USB stick Installer
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Download the tool on any Windows machine, start it, select "Create Installation Media for other computer", then follow the prompts to either create an ISO or write data to a USB stick

Remove Microsoft OneDrive
Code:
@echo off
echo Uninstalling OneDrive...
start /wait "" "%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSWOW64\ONEDRIVESETUP.EXE" /UNINSTALL

rd C:\OneDriveTemp /Q /S >NUL 2>&1
rd "%USERPROFILE%\OneDrive" /Q /S >NUL 2>&1
rd "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\OneDrive" /Q /S >NUL 2>&1
rd "%PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft OneDrive" /Q /S >NUL 2>&1

reg add "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}\ShellFolder" /f /v Attributes /t REG_DWORD /d 0 >NUL 2>&1
reg add "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}\ShellFolder" /f /v Attributes /t REG_DWORD /d 0 >NUL 2>&1

echo.
echo OneDrive has been removed. Windows Explorer needs to be restarted.
pause

start /wait TASKKILL /F /IM explorer.exe
start explorer.exe

Remove as many Apps as possible (more than you could remove by clicking uninstall)
This will uninstall all apps, except for the Windows Store, so you can reinstall apps in case you need them later.

Code:
powershell "Get-AppXPackage | Where Name -NotLike "*WindowsStore*" | Remove-AppXPackage"
powershell "sleep 5"
powershell "Get-AppXProvisionedPackage -online | Where DisplayName -NotLike "*WindowsStore*" | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage –online"


Remove individual pre-installed Windows 10 Apps
To uninstall apps for the current user, in an elevated PowerShell run the following commands. This frees up around 500 MB disk space.

These commands will not remove App Store & App connector, so you can reinstall apps using the Store.

If you want to keep certain packages, just exclude that package's command line
Code:
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *BingFinance* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *BingNews* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *BingSports* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *BingWeather* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *Getstarted* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *MicrosoftOfficeHub* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *MicrosoftSolitaireCollection* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *Office.OneNote* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *People* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *SkypeApp* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *Windows.Photos* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *WindowsAlarms* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *WindowsCalculator* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *WindowsCamera* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *windowscommunicationsapps* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *WindowsMaps* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *WindowsPhone* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *WindowsSoundRecorder* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *XboxApp* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *ZuneMusic* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *ZuneVideo* | Remove-AppxPackage"
powershell "Get-AppxPackage *3DBuilder* | Remove-AppxPackage"

To permanently remove apps (delete their installation files, frees up another 500 MB), in PowerShell run:
Code:
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *BingFinance* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *BingNews* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *BingSports* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *BingWeather* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *Getstarted* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *MicrosoftOfficeHub* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *MicrosoftSolitaireCollection* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *Office.OneNote* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *People* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *SkypeApp* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *Windows.Photos* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *WindowsAlarms* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *WindowsCalculator* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *WindowsCamera* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *windowscommunicationsapps* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *WindowsMaps* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *WindowsPhone* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *WindowsSoundRecorder* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *XboxApp* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *ZuneMusic* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *ZuneVideo* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"
powershell "Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | Where DisplayName -like *3DBuilder* | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online"

Hide the Search Box in Taskbar
Right click on the taskbar background, then go to Search -> Hidden


Enable the Administrator account to use Microsoft Edge and other Metro-style apps
Code:
reg add HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v FilterAdministratorToken /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Show removed hardware devices so you can uninstall them from device manager
This also works on Windows 7/8/8.1

Code:
setx DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES 1 -m

or manual: Go to System -> System Properties -> Environment Variables -> New

Add a variable named DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES with value 1


Now you can go into Device Manager, from its menu select View -> Show Hidden Devices and it will display all devices that were once installed, but removed since, in a faded out display.

Disable hibernation on desktops, to free up disk space on C: drive (equal to RAM size)
This also works on Windows 7/8/8.1

Code:
powercfg -h off

Remove background image of Microsoft Windows 10 Logon Screen
Code:
reg add HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System /v DisableLogonBackgroundImage /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f


Remove the Homegroup icon from Explorer
Windows + R -> services.msc
Go to: HomeGroup Provider (not HomeGroup Listener)
Double-click the service and select Startup type: Disabled

 
Last edited:
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Temporarily unbanning myself for this.

I mentioned in another thread that you can, I presume, disable the keylogger. At least to some extent. There's an On/Off switch found in Settings under Privacy \ General labeled "Send Microsoft info about how I write to help us improve typing and writing in the future".

I recently found the Screen Saver Settings panel/window by typing the word "screensaver" into the search box in the taskbar. Which will give you a couple options to click on. "Change screen saver" and "Turn screen saver on or off". Both will open Screen Saver Settings by clicking on them.

I've also disabled UAC. Using the standard method. Control Panel > User Accounts > User Accounts > Change User Account Control settings. Then selecting "Never notify".

I'm not sure any of those would be considered tweaks. But I thought I should mention them just in case.

The only real tweaking I've done is with Ultimate Windows Tweaker 3.1(.2.0). Which I've only used to "Remove Shortcut Arrows From Shortcut Icons", and "Remove "-Shortcut" Suffix For New Shortcuts". Both tweaks can be found under Customization below the File Explorer tab, and appear to work as they should. Though the check box doesn't stay checked for latter, and I'm not sure it's necessary(does W10 even add the "-Shortcut" Suffix?). I don't know what other UWT 3.1 tweaks work with W10.

EDIT: The alternative to removing/uninstalling OneDrive is to use Autoruns. First exit OneDrive(you'll be prompted whether you're sure you want to). Then run Autoruns and, under the Everything tab, uncheck the box next to OneDrive under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\CurrentVersion\Run. This will effectively prevent OneDrive from ever running(unless you choose it to).

Self-ban reinstated.
 
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Removing OneDrive and uninstalling apps worked fine ..... seems that after updating to Build 10166 OneDrive and the removed apps are back, but then again a new build=replacing the whole core system.
Removing it once again and voila......
 
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The Privacy/ General gives me that option to change greyed out by default, OFF, yay! w10 Enterprise x64 build 10240 after activating if that matters. I do see in red font at the top: Some settings are managed by your organization. (see screeny)

Temporarily unbanning myself for this.

I mentioned in another thread that you can, I presume, disable the keylogger. At least to some extent. There's an On/Off switch found in Settings under Privacy \ General labeled "Send Microsoft info about how I write to help us improve typing and writing in the future".

I recently found the Screen Saver Settings panel/window by typing the word "screensaver" into the search box in the taskbar. Which will give you a couple options to click on. "Change screen saver" and "Turn screen saver on or off". Both will open Screen Saver Settings by clicking on them.

I've also disabled UAC. Using the standard method. Control Panel > User Accounts > User Accounts > Change User Account Control settings. Then selecting "Never notify".

I'm not sure any of those would be considered tweaks. But I thought I should mention them just in case.

The only real tweaking I've done is with Ultimate Windows Tweaker 3.1(.2.0). Which I've only used to "Remove Shortcut Arrows From Shortcut Icons", and "Remove "-Shortcut" Suffix For New Shortcuts". Both tweaks can be found under Customization below the File Explorer tab, and appear to work as they should. Though the check box doesn't stay checked for latter, and I'm not sure it's necessary(does W10 even add the "-Shortcut" Suffix?). I don't know what other UWT 3.1 tweaks work with W10.

EDIT: The alternative to removing/uninstalling OneDrive is to use Autoruns. First exit OneDrive(you'll be prompted whether you're sure you want to). Then run Autoruns and, under the Everything tab, uncheck the box next to OneDrive under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\CurrentVersion\Run. This will effectively prevent OneDrive from ever running(unless you choose it to).
 

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does anyone know how to remove the login screen? i installed the preveiw on one of my secondary machines a couple months ago, and admittedly didn't look TOO far into removing it, but I DO know i was set to NO password when i installed it, and then it was on....

just to be clear, by log in screen i mean where you need to enter Your microsoft account and password.
 
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does anyone know how to remove the login screen? i installed the preveiw on one of my secondary machines a couple months ago, and admittedly didn't look TOO far into removing it, but I DO know i was set to NO password when i installed it, and then it was on....

just to be clear, by log in screen i mean where you need to enter Your microsoft account and password.

Type "netplwiz" in the search box and fill in your details.
 

Mussels

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this thread will become very useful, very fast :D
 
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Make updates manually managed, and disable auto-driver updates:

EDIT: The method posted here, while simple, no longer works with RTM, see below for the tweak repeated in an RTM friendly manner..
 
Last edited:

Mussels

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Make updates manually managed, and disable auto-driver updates:

You can disable driver updates and only driver updates via the following registry key (it's protected, so you'll have to take ownership).

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UpdateHandlers\Driver\LocalOnly

Set that to 1. No more auto driver updates. Combine this with a disabled auto update via gpedit.msc -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components ->Windows Update -> Configure Automatic Updates (set this to disabled) and you get a little more control over what you update, and when.

how does it behave, once you've done this? and how do you take ownership of it?
 
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how does it behave, once you've done this? and how do you take ownership of it?

Change the permissions by right clicking it. Make your main admin account the "Owner" under advanced.

In my experience, this will prevent it from offering driver updates at all. It will still do other updates when you manually click to scan (whole-hog, without choosing which ones)

Not tested extensively, but worked for me.
 
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Any tweaks (other than the normal services stripping) to help Windows boot/login?
It takes way longer than Windows 8 for me on a mechanical drive and I only have three programs that kick off upon login.

It feels like Vista.
 
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The following tweaks are best combined together. Actually, they are ordered by requirement (meaning as you go down the list, the tweak is more complex and requires every tweak above it). It's like this because Windows Update is a b#@%!. Nevertheless, each invidual tweak is separated by a bold text header for your convenience.

Also, the tweaks are best done before connecting to the internet from a FRESH RTM INSTALL. I recomend a fresh RTM install with the network cable unplugged and doing this tweak IMMEDIATELY or things may get weird.


1.) Stop Automatic Windows Update (will only run when prompted):

Click start. Type "gpedit.msc" Now open the following folders in the resulting thingamajig that opened:

Computer Configuration -> Adminstrative Templates ->Windows Components ->Select "Windows Update"

In the right pane there's a bunch of stuff. Double click "Configure Automatic Updates." Set it to disabled, and save and reboot.

2.) Stop windows automatic driver updates.
This one is hard, but you deserve a windows that doesn't hold your hand so much. :slap:
Do it, most of my tweaks require it anyhow. ;)
This has only been tested for a day, but seems to work great! It's a bit of a doozy however... but you really need it if you want to have an unsigned driver of any kind!

Click start. type "regedit" without the quotes. Hit enter/click and open the regedit app.

You'll see a big folder tree. Don't mess around in it, only do what I say as the registry is dangerous and that app opens as admin!

You want to navigate to the following folder in that tree:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate

Once there, expand that folder and the subfolders "ExpressionEvaluators" and "UpdateHandlers"

These keys control what Windows update will do automatically. Microsoft has naturally locked this down because we are all babies and don't know how our PC's work. ;) We need to use their own tools against them, and take ownership, as well as prevent Microsoft from later taking it back!

You'll need to do the following part of this guide twice, once for "ExpressionEvaluators" which I will demo with, and once for "UpdateHandlers" (just follow the same instructions and substitute "ExpressionEvaluators" with "UpdateHandlers" in the text.

Don't worry, I'll remind you at the end to do this.

Let's start with "ExpressionEvaluators"

To do this, right click "ExpressionEvaluators" and select "Permissions." Now click the "Advanced" button at the bottom. At the top (next to "Owner") select the blue "Change" text. (you may get warnings now about permissions, or maybe even earlier than this. Ignore them and forge ahead). Enter your local admin account name. (Mine for example is "Memphis", the use I created at start). Now check that new Checkbox, the one that says "Replace Owner on Subcontainers and Objects" Your screen should look like this, substituting your username.



Now click "Apply" (not "OK!")

Now see that list? Time to take away Microsofts power. :nutkick:

Select "Trusted Installer" (just single click / highlight it). Now, hit the "edit" button. It'll do a dumb summary of permissions that looks like this:



Hit that blue linky-like "Show Advanced Permissions." You'll see a fancy dialog that is confusing. Make it look like this:


Hit "OK." (Once) Don't exit BOTH windows.

Now select "Administrators" and hit "Edit" like before.

Dont' click that "Advanced Permissions" thing this time. We just want UNLIMITED POWER so we just check "FULL CONTROL" :roll:

Should look like this:



If that's all done, hit ok once to close out of that window. Now check the box labeled "Replace all child permissions entries with inheritable permissions entries from this object." Now close all the way out (by hitting "OK"), and get back to the main regedit application window.

now, ONE LAST STEP: :) in the subfolder "ExpressionEvaluators"'s tree, delete the "Drivers" folder. Just nuke it. select it and hit the "Delete" key. It's responsible for all this, so don't feel sorry for it. It brought this on itself.

Now, if you've not already done the exact same for "UpdateHandlers," repeat this entire gudie from the repeat point" mentioned above with it in mind. You can do it, I believe in you. :laugh:

UPDATED EDIT: Once you did all that, please go back and set the permissions on the Administrator accounts in advanced back to read only, or Windows will use them to try to restore windows update and break it again. You can simply check the "Read only" simple checkbox and then send it down the tree again with that check the box labeled "Replace all child permissions entries with inheritable permissions entries from this object." You should know how to do this by now. :)

3.) Loading unsigned drivers (Works on Build 10240 RTM)

This is useful as heck for some older computers who may lack WHQL certs up to windows 10 standards.

Go to Start-> Settings -> Recovery -> Advanced Startup. In the resultant menu, click the "Troubleshoot" tile. Select "startup settings." It will reboot. Then, you'll get a screen like this:


(It's from Windows 8 but 10 is the same).

Press "7" on your keyboard once.

On that boot and only that boot, load your unsigned drivers you need. They'll load with a warning. Click ok on the warning and they will load. Once loaded, they will stay loaded on subsequent reboots. If you need to load other unsigned drivers after next reboot, you will need to repeat the above process (but the drivers you loaded will stay loaded).

This goes great with my "Stop windows driver updates" and "Stop Automatic Updates" (above) tweaks. If you don't combine with those, Windows will likely insist on "updating" your unsigned driver.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy the tweaks! :)
 
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one question: if the automatic updates are disabled, does that mean it will only download them after you load the windows update via the control panel?
 
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one question: if the automatic updates are disabled, does that mean it will only download them after you load the windows update via the control panel?

Only will download and install when you click "check for updates" in my experience, yes.
 

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Only will download and install when you click "check for updates" in my experience, yes.

next question: that actually has a setting option for 'notify before downloading' - does that work, or is that setting a leftover from 8.1?
 
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next question: that actually has a setting option for 'notify before downloading' - does that work, or is that setting a leftover from 8.1?

Leftover I'm pretty sure. Trying it had windows auto updating in my experience.
 

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Leftover I'm pretty sure. Trying it had windows auto updating in my experience.

good good. the main issue i had was not choosing when to download, so that solves my biggest windows 10 issue.
 
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Yep, and if that's all you want you can skip the big scary tweaks after it. They are mostly for old computers that need funky drivers... my old toughbook with Intel Integrated would BSOD with Windows Update drivers if left to it's own devices. ;)
 

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Yep, and if that's all you want you can skip the big scary tweaks after it. They are mostly for old computers that need funky drivers... my old toughbook with Intel Integrated would BSOD with Windows Update drivers if left to it's own devices. ;)

i think that tweak alone is going to be the lifesaver of windows. they really, REALLY need an option to choose when to *DOWNLOAD* not just when to install.
 
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I couldn't agree more. In particular, driver updates need a button to be excluded as well from the automatic processing.

This was me yesterday. Can you feel the frustration before I figured it out? It was oozing.

I'm about ready to give up on 10. It's not that I don't like it... I do! But microsoft is actively working to break workarounds to "fix" (as in neuter) auto driver updates. They've even gone so far as to deliberately break group policy keys that should manage this... If I don't find a legitimate fix soon, I'm out.

Microsoft seriously has their head up their ass if they think this is going to be accepted...
 
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Here's yet another reason automatic driver updates are bad for microsoft's image as a company, by the way. You just can't trust some companies drivers to be unintrusive and STFU during things as basic as install:



This was what inspired me to make my tweak, ironically. Same thing happened to me during the initial upgrade I had to do for licensing reasons.
 
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A small revision was done to my guide. Please pay special attention to this (changed) section:

If that's all done, hit ok once to close out of that window. Now check the box labeled "Replace all child permissions entries with inheritable permissions entries from this object." Now close all the way out (by hitting "OK"), and get back to the main regedit application window.

I also tagged an additonal update above in the guide itself (near the end of the driver disable tweak) to better preserve the settings.
 
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@W1zzard thanks for the tutorial, helped me a lot, I began to use a few hours and I like it quite this O.S :lovetpu:
 
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No need to tweak WU with enterprise edition, yay!
 
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