Windows cheatsheet

Prompt

mode List all COM ports

Commands

eventvwr.msc Event viewer.

ncpa.cpl Network settings.

appwiz.cpl Install/Uninstall software.

netplwiz Config to allow login without password

  • This checkbox disapeared in Windows 10! Bring it back with: reg ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device" /v DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

sysdm.cpl System properties; Env vars; Enable remote desktop access

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} Create a folder with this name shows lots of settings.

Intl.cpl Regional settings dialog.

mmsys.cpl Sound settings.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows + r Run

Alt + d in Windows Explorer and then cmd to open the command prompt in that folder.

Windows + Alt + g Xbox game bar that allows you to record the screen among other things.

List USBs

Get-PnpDevice -PresentOnly | Where-Object {$_. InstanceId -match '^USB'}

Add stuff to PATH for a particular session

I needed to run QEMU for a project, but did not want to change my %PATH% variable adding the QEMU instalation path just for a temporary thing.

My solution was to create a qemu-cli.bat that launches a prompt with %PATH%:

cmd /K set PATH=%PATH%;"C:\Program Files\qemu"

Windows 11 Mouse Right button click

Restart the Windows Explorer process after any of the following procedures!

Show expanded menu by default:

reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /f /ve

Show original windows 11 crap mode (undo)

reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}" /f

Windows 10 Cleanup

Do this after a fresh windows installation

Free more disk space avoiding hibernation:

Open cmd as administrator;

powercfg -h off

Uninstall bloatware

PowerShell as administrator:

Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage

Put back the Microsoft store:

Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.WindowsStore | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

Now it is a good time to install the camera and calculator apps back (from MS store). As image viewer you can use FastStone

Configuring updates

Open Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc):

  • Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update -> Configure Automatic Updates -> 2 - Notify for download and notify for install.
  • Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update -> Turn on Software Notifications -> Enabled.
  • Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update -> Allow Automatic Updates immediate installation -> Disabled.
  • Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update -> Turn on recommended updates via Automatic Updates -> Enabled.
  • Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Application compatibility -> Turn off application telemetry.
  • Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Data collection and preview builds -> Allow telemetry - 0 (security).

Disable transparency using regedit

  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize