Hardware & Technical Recommended Tweaks for Windows 10 ??

GuruNot · Aug 1, 2015

I am curious to know what adjustments people are making to a clean install of Windows 10, now it is rolling out. Here are 4 from me:

1) Only Get Windows Updates from Microsoft (not other users)

Settings --> Update & Security --> Windows Update --> Advanced Options --> Choose how updates are installed --> Choose how updates are delivered --> Change "updates from more than one place" to Off.

2) Turn off Wifi Sense (it is a Privacy and Security Risk)

Settings --> Network & Internet --> WiFi --> Manage WiFi Settings --> Turn off Both options under WiFi Sense

3) Show File Extensions

Windows and E (to open File Explorer) --> View --> On the ribbon section show/hide put a tick in "File name extensions"

4) Turn off automatic reboot for Windows Updates

Settings --> Update & Security --> Windows Update --> Advanced Options --> Change Choose how updates are installed to "Notify to Schedule Restart"

Asp Explorer · Aug 1, 2015

In all honesty - Windows 10 is currently doing some extremely bizarre things with VPN's.

I cannot recommend using it for business purposes. If you just want to game, then it's not too bad, if you can get drivers for your equipment.

Surfinjo · Aug 1, 2015

Using your recommendations, I accessed my setting on W10 and found all of mine to be very different.

1 I couldn't find. There are options applicable to Windows update, but not this oen.

Others similar. My layout seems to be different from yours. It could be because I'm using Home and you may be using somehting else.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion. I feel better having turned off a few of those, especially those suggesting I share my contacts and other stuff with advertisers.!!

homerlvsbeer · Aug 3, 2015

THANKYOU

GuruNot said:
I am curious to know what adjustments people are making to a clean install of Windows 10, now it is rolling out. Here are 4 from me:

1) Only Get Windows Updates from Microsoft (not other users)

Settings --> Update & Security --> Windows Update --> Advanced Options --> Choose how updates are installed --> Choose how updates are delivered --> Change "updates from more than one place" to Off.

2) Turn off Wifi Sense (it is a Privacy and Security Risk)

Settings --> Network & Internet --> WiFi --> Manage WiFi Settings --> Turn off Both options under WiFi Sense

3) Show File Extensions

Windows and E (to open File Explorer) --> View --> On the ribbon section show/hide put a tick in "File name extensions"

4) Turn off automatic reboot for Windows Updates

Settings --> Update & Security --> Windows Update --> Advanced Options --> Change Choose how updates are installed to "Notify to Schedule Restart"

Surfinjo · Aug 3, 2015

My trial of W10 has been called to a halt by M$ disabling my keyboard. I can take a hint!.

I tried updating my copy of W7 but this was refused beause apparently my machine doesn't have something called NX.

I tried reinstalling W10 on my blank drive then entering my W7 activation number. The number was rejected.

Sadly, this means I won't be able to play Elite.

I am still using XP and it runs almost everthing except Elite. Though Frontier did promise they would make it available in XP, that seems to have gone the way of Cameron's promises to Scotland.

C'est la vie.

xyphic · Aug 3, 2015

Surfinjo said:
Though Frontier did promise they would make it available in XP, that seems to have gone the way of Cameron's promises to Scotland.

When did they promise that? AFAIK they've always stated that anything below W7 would not be supported.

Surfinjo · Aug 3, 2015

xyphic said:
When did they promise that? AFAIK they've always stated that anything below W7 would not be supported.

No, they definately said they would before the first launch.

But acedemic.

GuruNot · Aug 3, 2015

Surfinjo said:
Using your recommendations, I accessed my setting on W10 and found all of mine to be very different.

1 I couldn't find. There are options applicable to Windows update, but not this oen.

Others similar. My layout seems to be different from yours. It could be because I'm using Home and you may be using somehting else.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion. I feel better having turned off a few of those, especially those suggesting I share my contacts and other stuff with advertisers.!!

Hi Surfinjo, I am also using Windows 10 Home (on my Surface 3 non pro) ... Here is the screen sequence:

- - - Updated - - -

homerlvsbeer said:
THANKYOU

No Problem

Surfinjo · Aug 3, 2015

GuruNot said:
Hi Surfinjo, I am also using Windows 10 Home (on my Surface 3 non pro) ... Here is the screen sequence:

View attachment 53458

View attachment 53459

View attachment 53460

View attachment 53461

View attachment 53462

View attachment 53458

View attachment 53463

View attachment 53464

View attachment 53465

- - - Updated - - -

No Problem

Thanks you, especially for the enormous effort you put into that, which is much appreciated.

Sadly, I can't get into my W10 now at all. But I will bear this thrread in mind.

Incidently, when I attempted to reload W10, I realised that, at the stage where settings are first set, it's possible to do this manually. I looked at each and realised I would be better off turning all of those off.

GuruNot · Aug 3, 2015

Surfinjo said:
Sadly, I can't get into my W10 now at all. But I will bear this thrread in mind.

No worries, I realised that would be the case after I had posted and read your other posts. Hope you get it sorted.

Surfinjo · Aug 4, 2015

Something to look out for with W10.

When turning off, after the screen shuts down, it takes quite a bit of time before the machine itself switches off.

Turn off too early and the next restart takes a long, long, long time.

Surfinjo · Aug 4, 2015

The first anti-spy package for Windows 10

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/donotspy10.html

Author: pXc-coding
Date: 08/04/2015 03:44 PM
Size: 981 KB
License: Bundleware
Requires: Win 10
Downloads: 248 times

#MajorGeek says: With the release of Windows 10 came the concerns about privacy and tracking. While we think that privacy as we know is essentially dead that does not mean we should be relaxed about it. Not at all. pXc-Coding has sent in DoNotSpy10, the first ever anti-spy tool for Windows 10. It allows you to set a restore point just in case. The interface simply gives you a list of areas where tracking or privacy is a concern. App access is always a big one as is Password Reveal but there are a couple you might want to leave alone including Windows Defender and Windows Updates. Watch out during the install for one third party program it offers to insall. A portable version would be nice here as well as suggested items to remove that won't effect your system security. Otherwise it's a great start for the first Windows 10 anti-privacy tool.

You can disable the following:
Disable Telemetry
Disable Biometrics
Disable Handwriting Data Sharing
Disable Handwriting Error Reporting
Disable Application Telemetry
Disable Inventory Collector Disable Steps Recorder
Disable enabling Lock Screen Camera
Disable and Reset Cortana Disable Location
Disable Sensors Disable Web Search
Disable Windows Media DRM Internet Access Defer Windows Upgrades Disable App Notifications
Disable Password Reveal Button Disable and Reset Advertising ID
Disable SmartScreen Filter for URLs Disable Sending Writing Info
Disable Access to Language List
Disable App Access to Location Info
Disable App Access to Camera
Disable App Access to Microphone
Disable Getting to know me
Disable App Access to Account Info
Disable App Access to Calendar
Disable App Access to Messages
Disable App Access to Radios
Disable Sync With Devices
Disable Windows Feedback Requestes
Disable Windows Update Sharing
Disable Windows Update for other Products
Disable WiFi Sense Disable Windows Defender
Disable Automatic Windows Updates
Disable OneDrive
Disable Automatic Driver Update

Surfinjo · Aug 5, 2015

Destroy Windows 10 Spying 1.3
Author: Nummer
Date: 08/05/2015 08:38 AM
Size: 7.93 MB
License: Freeware
Requires: Win 10
Downloads: 63 times

MajorGeek says: Destroy Windows 10 Spying is a portable app that can block anonymous data being sent, remove apps that can’t be removed the standard way and more.

I liked that it can remove some of the Windows default programs that can be removed under Apps & Features, an annoyance I immediately discovered since I prefer to “slim” down windows.

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You can block these yourself manually in your hosts file with 127.0.0.1 if you want. The program allows you to clear or view the hosts file in Notepad.

The program does the same thing but just in case you wanted to see where your information heads to or you wanted to update your hosts file manually. A log file will be left in the folder you run it from.

I took a huge chance and ran this on my clean Windows 10 installation. It did modify the hosts file exactly as promised and did remove the Apps it promised. IObit Uninstaller also spotted Destroy Windows 10 Spying running and removed leftover entries from the uninstall.

Read more at: http://tr.im/hWbVh

Another doing similar things but with a different licience

Surfinjo · Aug 8, 2015

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The so called God Mode, a hidden setting that creates a shortcut to Windows settings and tweaks, was a great thing to know about in Windows 7 and 8 but even more important for me in Windows 10. The Control Panel is smaller and more “compressed” than previous version so digging around to find all of your settings is more time consuming that actually doing what you want. Read more at: http://tr.im/HIzCi

This is interesting:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/08/05/windows-10-charging/

Porina · Aug 8, 2015

Surfinjo said:
I tried updating my copy of W7 but this was refused beause apparently my machine doesn't have something called NX.

I ran foul of this during the preview, as I wanted to test an ancient laptop which runs Win7 fine, but Win10 wouldn't install for that reason. On further research, that laptop CPU (Pentium M) didn't support the feature. You could first check if your CPU supports the feature. If it does, then you might find a setting in the bios to enable it.

Surfinjo · Aug 8, 2015

Porina said:
I ran foul of this during the preview, as I wanted to test an ancient laptop which runs Win7 fine, but Win10 wouldn't install for that reason. On further research, that laptop CPU (Pentium M) didn't support the feature. You could first check if your CPU supports the feature. If it does, then you might find a setting in the bios to enable it.

That is good to know. I think my CPU may be up to it after all.

http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/highlights/processors/core2quad

Porina · Aug 8, 2015

Core 2 CPUs are definitely ok with Win10. I have 4 Core 2 systems which are running Win10 right now. So looking for an enable setting in the bios options seems a good chance. From memory when the feature was introduced, we were still using XP and support wasn't so great then.

Surfinjo · Aug 9, 2015

I've updated my BIOS to the latest, 2009.

Sadly, still being rejected for the same reason.

Thanks anyway.

Porina · Aug 9, 2015

It isn't necessarily the version, but a setting inside it. What's the specific motherboard you have?

Surfinjo · Aug 9, 2015

Porina said:
It isn't necessarily the version, but a setting inside it. What's the specific motherboard you have?

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P5N32E_SLI/

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