Windows 10 Tips and Tricks

[Loriath]

Since Windows 10 seems to be gathering steam, I thought it would be good to have a section here giving some tips and tricks that can help others with the new operating system. So let me start:

Annoying Numlock:

If you are using a PIN number on the login screen you will have noticed that Windows now shuts off Numlock on startup. This means you punch in your pin and realize afterwards that the Numlock is not on, regardless of how you have it set in the BIOS settings of the PC.

Here is how you fix it. Boot as normal, and at the login screen, don't enter your PIN or Password. Enable Numlock. Next, Click the Power button on the Lower Right of the screen and select Shutdown. Then start your PC again, and Windows will now remember the Numlock Setting unless you change it at the Login Screen and shutdown from there again.

Changing the Login Screen Background:

You can change the Lock screen Background, but not the initial Login Screen Background in Windows 10 without Third Party apps.
Tweaks.com has a tool that is designed for Windows 8/8.1 but I have tested and confirmed that it does work with Windows 10.
You can Download it here: http://tweaks.com/software/tweakslogon/
Note: You will have to redo your Windows Background and Lock screen background after changing it, as it sets them back to default.

There are a HUGE number of Tips and Tricks on the Windows 10 Reddit.
Here is a link that lists a bunch of them: https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comm ... nd_tricks/

I will try to add others that I find here as well. There are a few that I think are real important about Data Logging that Microsoft does that I don't like, they will be thge next thing I fix and will post here. I also have a list of how to get rid of some of the Apps that Microsoft has included that don't have uninstalls for, such as OneNote and OneDrive.

I will not add anything I have not tested and confirmed.

[Loriath]

I am going to point you to this link:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/ins ... 3cf7fe6994

I have downloaded the CMD file and have taken a look at it and used it. It is not malicious. I will post the contents here so if you do not want to risk it, you can create your own file and run it yourself. It has completely removed OneDrive from my system.

► Show Spoiler

Code: Select all

@echo off
cls

set x86="%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\OneDriveSetup.exe"
set x64="%SYSTEMROOT%\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe"

echo Closing OneDrive process.
echo.
taskkill /f /im OneDrive.exe > NUL 2>&1
ping 127.0.0.1 -n 5 > NUL 2>&1

echo Uninstalling OneDrive.
echo.
if exist %x64% (
%x64% /uninstall
) else (
%x86% /uninstall
)
ping 127.0.0.1 -n 5 > NUL 2>&1

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

echo Removeing OneDrive from the Explorer Side Panel.
echo.
REG DELETE "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}" /f > NUL 2>&1
REG DELETE "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}" /f > NUL 2>&1

pause



What it does: It determines if OneDrive is installed, and if it is X64 or X32. Then it uses Onedrive itself to uninstall then cleansup the leftovers, including removing it from the sidebar of File Explorer.

Tested and confirmed.

[Loriath]

Windows 10 does quite a bit of Data logging and sends the information back to MS. It is uknown at this point exactly how much is being logged, but I have decided to disable it completely and block the system from sending any information back to MS.

This is the guide post I have used to do it. Even if you don some, but not all of the steps here, you will limit what sort of information is being sent back to MS. It can all be undone if it turns out that the logging is not as severe as some researchers think. I would rather error on the side of caution. You have to decide if this is important enough for you to take these steps.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comm ... ng_in_w10/

[Loriath]

See this link:
http://winaero.com/blog/enable-old-volu ... indows-10/

Tested and confirmed, although I did not like it, so I reverted back to the Win10 Style.

[Loriath]

Please see this link:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... bb2213ded8

Tested and Confirmed.
If you want to reinstall it later, you can download it from the Windows Store (Free)

[Loriath]

Windows 10 has quite a few new Shorcut Keys, here is a good Guide to the New ones.

http://reviews.gizmodo.com/the-ultimate ... 1720656591

[de Carabas]

This is a great read Loriath. Thanks!

In the other win10 thread Skipp mentioned

and laptop gamers will actually be able to use both the integrated and the dedicated GPU to run games giving them even better performance.

Seen anything that says how to do this?

[Skipp]

well... i'll be upgrading in a day or two so i'll check myself. i had some major issues with HP version of the AMD driver so my windows kept crashing constantly after upgrading to the latest drivers.

But as I understood it - it's done automagically

[de Carabas]

well... i'll be upgrading in a day or two so i'll check myself. i had some major issues with HP version of the AMD driver so my windows kept crashing constantly after upgrading to the latest drivers.

But as I understood it - it's done automagically

Well from what I've seen so far E: D on my laptop still doesn't think it's using the nVidia card but the Intel HD one (according to Graphics options - no nVidia). It must be as the frame rate is 'ok' rather than hopeless.

[Loriath]

This is a great read Loriath. Thanks!

In the other win10 thread Skipp mentioned

and laptop gamers will actually be able to use both the integrated and the dedicated GPU to run games giving them even better performance.

Seen anything that says how to do this?

Have not seen anything yet, but it is now on my list to watch out for.