Category Archives: Windows

Remove Dell Bloatware

By | October 20, 2024

This removes all Dell apps except Command Update $apps = Get-WmiObject win32_product | ? {$_.vendor -like “Dell*” -and $_.name -notlike “Dell Command*”};$apps foreach($app in $apps){ $Result = $app.uninstall() | Select-Object -Property returnvalue if(($Result).returnvalue -eq 0){Write-host $app.name}Else{Write-host “$PC Fail”}}

Reset DSRM Password

By | October 9, 2023

When adding a new Windows Active Directory Server the verification of Safe mode password fails. If you do not have access to the existing password, use NTDSUTIL to change the DSRM password on the current domain controller.

Start Menu and Taskbar Issues

By | September 13, 2023

If the start menu stops opening or you cannot use icons from the taskbar, you can reinstall the Windows taskbar: Press Windows Key+X > Click Powershell (Admin) > Copy the below and paste into Powershell > Enter > Reboot your computer Get-AppXPackage -Name Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”} To restart the explorer: Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC > Locate… Read More »

Windows Time

By | January 22, 2023

This command will cause the system clock to sync with Internet time servers. It is useful when an older server is losing time. $Time = w32tm /stripchart /computer:time.windows.com /samples:1 /dataonly Write-host ($Time[2]) -ForegroundColor Green Write-host “The PC time is     “(get-date) -ForegroundColor Yellow Write-host “NTP Status:” -ForegroundColor Yellow Write-host (w32tm /query /status) -ForegroundColor Yellow Write-host (w32tm /query /source) -ForegroundColor… Read More »

Remote MSI Installation

By | December 13, 2022

WinRS can be used when installing software on remote systems. If you want to quietly install an application using an MSI file onto a remote machine, use the following syntax. This syntax assumes the MSI file has already been deposited into the C:\ folder. winrs -r:machinename msiexec.exe /i c:\install.msi /quiet

Autoruns

By | December 4, 2022

When looking at PC performance it is important to understand what is running behind the scenes. Autoruns will show what is in the registry, startup items, scheduled tasks, etc. It can be helpful when looking at system delays (the blue spinning wheel showing up next to your cursor every two seconds). Autoruns for Windows – Sysinternals | Microsoft… Read More »

Block Outlook from connecting to 365

By | August 10, 2021

Beginning with Office 2016 Outlook auto-connects to 365 upon opening. This causes users to be prompted for credentials if their account is on-premise. To disable this,  run this in PowerShell as the user: Set-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\AutoDiscover -Name ‘ExcludeExplicitO365Endpoint’ -Value 1 -Type DWord -Force

Gaming Control Panel

By | June 29, 2021

Users are suddenly seeing a new “Gaming Control Panel” open on their system. To turn it off manually press Win + I > Gaming > deselect “On” The Control Panel is opened by pressing Win + G and looks like this:

Remotely Join a PC to Domain

By | November 24, 2020

Rename PC > Reboot Connect VPN > Join Domain > Reboot Login to local account > Connect VPN > Switch User > Login as domain admin (causes VPN to close) > Logoff Login to local account > Reconnect VPN > Switch User >Login as domain user

Keep Mapped Location Open

By | November 22, 2020

If windows continually drops a remote location you can keep it open with this: do{start-process \\server\path ;start-sleep 5 $a = (New-Object -comObject Shell.Application).Windows() |?{$_.FullName -ne $null} |? {$_.FullName.toLower().Endswith(‘\explorer.exe’)} $a | % {  $_.Quit() }Start-sleep 3600}while ($True)

Broken OneNote Links

By | November 12, 2020

These changes in the cloud will break access to OneNote and risk data loss: Username changes involving the domain name. Moving, or renaming a OneNote notebook When this happens, notebook owners will need to reshare their notebooks and all users should look for unlinked notebooks after a domain change.

RDP Security Error

By | September 26, 2020

To bypass the error, merge this into the registry: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\CredSSP\Parameters] “AllowEncryptionOracle”=dword:00000002

File Paths

By | May 20, 2020

Adobe PDF DLL for x64 install C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\Xtras\AdobePDF\AMD64 Apple iTunes iOS Backups: %APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync AutoCAD License Info %AppData%(All Users)\Autodesk\AutoCAD LT 2006\R11\Adlm\ *html file C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Adlm\REVITS2011en_USRegInfo.html Client license – Network c:\program files\Autocad 2010\licpath.lic c:\program files\Autocad\Product 20nn\licpath.lic Client license – Subscription C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\CLM\LGS Google Chrome Bookmarks: C:\Users\hmg\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Profile n\Bookmarks Java MSI Files: C:\Users\%username%\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\ Microsoft Office Outlook PSTs: %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Outlook\*.pst NK2 Autofill:… Read More »

Upgrade Windows 10 from the Network

By | February 27, 2020

Batch file for upgrading Windows 10 from the network or C:\Win10: start /wait \\Server\win10\setup.exe /auto upgrade /migratedrivers all /dynamicupdate enable /priority normal /showoobe none /compat ignorewarning /copylogs C:\Temp\Win10Upgrade.log /pkey YDC6P-XXXXX-XR66V-XXXXX-BBH3B

Windows Automatic Logon

By | January 18, 2020

Create a text file with ext .reg > update the contents with the below > then import it: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon] “DefaultPassword”=”Password” “AutoAdminLogon”=”1” “DefaultDomainName”=”Domain” “DefaultUserName”=”User”

Windows 10 Fake Restart

By | October 25, 2019

I recently witnessed a Windows 10 PC restart, only to find that WMIC was reporting it had not been rebooted in a month. This false restart was causing the users VPN to fail. After multiple “Restarts” that appeared to complete, I finally ran restart /f /r /t3 from command. This forced restart took longer, updated the last bootup… Read More »

iTunes & Drive Space

By | October 4, 2019

iTunes requires a great deal of free space when restoring an iOS device. Encrypted backups build an unencrypted copy of the data, as it loads it back to the device. You will need at least enough free space to match 200% of the backup you plan to restore.  Backups are located here: C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup or C:\Users\%username%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup

Set Network Type

By | July 16, 2019

To change the network type in windows 10 from Public to Private: $Name = Get-NetConnectionProfile|Select Name |out-gridview -PassThru Set-NetConnectionProfile -Name $Name.name -NetworkCategory Private