1. Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10
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Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

2. Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10
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Introduction
Win 10 is good but you can make it better. Once you have it installed you need to do some things to make it better.
Win10
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

3. Enable System Protection: Create a Restore Point
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Enable System Protection: Create a Restore Point
Setting a restore point:
Go to system settings
Search for “restore point” and click on it.
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

4. Enable System Protection: Create a Restore Point
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Enable System Protection: Create a Restore Point
The following window will appear
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

5. Edit Windows Start Screen
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Edit Windows Start Screen
One of the bad things about Win 10 is the engineers made many decisions about how the OS is organized and appears, go in and change the settings to what works for you.
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

6. Edit Windows Start Screen
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Edit Windows Start Screen
Without a doubt the advertising in Win 10 is annoying, turn the darn thing off:
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

7. Change the Default Browser
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Change the Default Browser
Microsoft Edge, bad, too much “data gathering” by MS with no way to turn it off. Solution – Use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. During install you will be asked do you want “XXX” to be your default browser, say yes if you desire that browser and away you go.
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

8. Change the Default Browser
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Change the Default Browser
Go to your system settings
Choose Default Apps
Choose
Choose which browser
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

9. Delete the Windows.old Folder
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Delete the Windows.old Folder
Only applies if you migrated from Win 7/8 to Win 10
Frees up some major space
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

10. Simplifying the Graphical Interface
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Simplifying the Graphical Interface
Back to the Settings again:
Personalization
Themes
Theme Settings
Choose your display “theme”.
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Taskbar/Tool Bar
Customizing what appears on the tool (task) bar
Right click on tool bar to customize it’s appearance
Drag and drop whatever application you want on the tool bar
The “display background” color will indicate which application or file is open
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12. Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10
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Task/Tool Bar
My Task Bar
My Desktop
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

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Task/Tool Bar
My Start Menu
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Taskbar/Tool Bar
You can also set up & customize the start menu
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Gadgets
They are gone To the dismay of many But to the joy of others Caution they are a security risk but if you really would like them back
Get your gadget on at
Win10Gadgets.com
Download and install the “Gadget Pack”
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16. Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10
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Power Search
Looking for, well whatever.
The Search tools menu gives you many more options than the regular search tools, and easily accessible from a ribbon menu.
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File Libraries
My filing system is based on: Clients Year of Event Year return was filed All over the place
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File Libraries
By default file libraries are not shown but to work on your libraries in Win 10:
Open File Explorer
Go to “This PC”
Right Clk in Space to open window for library editing
Create new library
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File Libraries
Once you get the settings fixed you can set up the libraries by “managing” them.
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20. Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10
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User Account Control
We have come a long way baby UAC is now a civil child rather than a brat, mostly leave it alone and it will take care of you
Recommended
Please Do Not
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User Account Control
System Administrators can take it to the next level with “Family Safety”
Can set up monitors and limit usage including obtaining reports of what, when, where, and how.
However, it takes a Microsoft account at sign in, so that choice must be made.
More info at support.microsoft.com/en- us/help/10551/microsoft-account-set-up-family- after-upgrade
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Family Safety
An interesting article regarding the pro and con side of this decision, not designed for our world.
pcmag.com/article2/0,2817, ,00.asp
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Family Safety
How Family Safety works
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Family Safety
Can drill down to very specific sites, limiting very specific information.
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

25. Restricting Program Access
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Restricting Program Access
Limit times that the account can be accessed and/or programs accessed
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

26. Restricting Program Access
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Restricting Program Access
There are significant issues to consider:
Controls are web based, so depending on the internet connection it will impact the computer’s performance.
The privacy concerns are obvious, this site will monitor the computer’s activity keeping a log of such, your choice.
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

27. Restricting Program Access
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Restricting Program Access
Since Win 10 enterprise is our likely our choice, you can use AppLocker. You can find additional information at technet.microsoft.com/en- us/itpro/windows/manage/lock-down-windows-10-to- specific-apps
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

28. Restricting Program Access
Since Win 10 enterprise is our likely our choice, you can use AppLocker. You can find additional information at technet.microsoft.com/en- us/itpro/windows/manage/lock-down-windows-10-to- specific-apps
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

29. Restricting Program Access
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Restricting Program Access
The steps are as follows:
Run local security policy as an administrator.
Go to security settings>application control policies>applocker and select configure rule enforcement
Once there, the setup is reasonably self explaining if not use the web site
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Dynamic Lock
Enables you to pair your personal device with your desktop to automatically “lock” the machine within 30 seconds when leaving the machine.
Note that there was a reported problem with this tool but if all updates have been applied it should work okay.
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

31. Page 193-Update
Dynamic Lock
Enable your Dynamic Lock by pairing your phone with your computer –
pc-with-dynamiclock
techadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windows/use-dynamic-lock-windows /
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Windows 10 Control Panel
When it doubt look for the gear:
Go to your start window.
In your start window look for your settings link.
Click on the link and the world is there
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Windows 10 Control Panel
Some other choices: Search for it “Control Panel”
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Windows 10 Control Panel
Want more detail, click of view by:
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God Mode
Like all software, MS Win 10 has a “god mode” which can be very helpful for troubleshooting issues. Right Click New Short Cut Exactly as in the text
{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C E01C}
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God Mode
Like all software, MS Win 10 has a “god mode” which can be very helpful for troubleshooting issues.
{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C E01C}
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God Mode
The results are what many find more logical
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38. Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10
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God Mode
The results are what many find more logical
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Tweaking Windows 10
These utilities:
Glary Utilities
and
CCleaner
Should be part of regular maintenance on your machine which is discussed in the Chapter 12. Regular maintenance is the key to keeping the machine running like it is new.
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Performance Index
Windows Key + R =
shell:games
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Performance Options
There are lots of setting which can be made to your Win 10 machine. Caution, this is powerful stuff, set a restore point before trying these steps.
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Tweaking Windows 10
There are lots of setting which can be made to your Win 10 machine. Caution, this is powerful stuff, set a restore point before trying these steps. Okay I reviewed the list on Page 204 and am ready to go, where is the stuff
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Power Tweaking
The issue of power consumption. Desktop – Give me more power. Laptop – Darn battery is always tapped.
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Power Tweaking
Disk Cache – Most OS will error on side of “protecting” the user. You can make your own decision
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

45. The $10 Solution – Ready Boost
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The $10 Solution – Ready Boost
The accountant’s cost solution:
Plug it in
Browse to it
Set it up
Speed it up
But
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Power Defrag
Get your Geek on – Go to the CMD by Type Defrag
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Power Defrag
Note the specifics in the screen shoot example of the syntax of the command:
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

48. The Ultimate Windows 10 Tweak - SSD
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The Ultimate Windows 10 Tweak - SSD
Do great things for that Win 10 machine, install a solid state drive: *
Clone your current hard drive.
Obtain a kit to hook up SSD as an external USB drive.
Hook up the SSD as an external drive cloning the current drive. (Macrim Reflect)
Turn off, unplug computer, and remove old hard drive replacing with the cloned SSD and boot the machine back up.
You may be required to re-register your Win 10 OS.
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

49. Right Click to Find Hidden Options
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Right Click to Find Hidden Options
The secret to Windows 10, when in doubt right click it out. A right click on the front desktop reveals
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Sticky Notes
You like your sticky notes, it is in Windows Accessories
A right click and pin it to the taskbar
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Sticky Notes
The only real issue is be careful or they get stuck together, 6 is underneath
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52. Problem Steps Recorder
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Problem Steps Recorder
The recorder is in Windows Accessories too. Click it and the control window appears You can customize it
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

53. Disable All of Window 10’s Built in Advertising
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Disable All of Window 10’s Built in Advertising
A necessary step to save your sanity
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10

54. Some other helpful Information
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Some other helpful Information
When those annoying problems occur:
Prevent Windows 10 from spying on you.
Computers Crash and Freeze by Why
You computer has Duplicate Files
Would customizing your icons make the computer feel like yours
Rename Multiple Files in Windows
Windows Update gets Stuck
How to Fix Hard Drive Problems in Windows 10
Chapter 9: Tweaking Windows 10