How to Set Up Your Windows Laptop or Desktop the Right Way

[Admin]

Microsoft's operating system has some default settings that slow you down. Stop what you're doing and tweak these .

How to Set Up Your Windows Laptop or Desktop the Right Way : Read more

 

[Alvar "Miles" Udell]

And install ExplorerPatcher or Window Blinds to get rid of the horrid Windows 11 UI and restore Windows 10's.

 

[LTT MDM]

Since Microsoft Edge is based on Chromium (the open-source version of Google Chrome), Edge can install and use Chrome extensions natively.

So while there might be other reasons to want to make Chrome your default browser (as I have), there's no need to replace Edge with Chrome due to FOMO on the wealth of extensions available to Chrome.

 

[PlaneInTheSky]

Clearly, Microsoft thinks that file extensions are too complicated for the unwashed masses. So, by default, Windows 11 hides the ".docx" or ".jpg" or ".exe" suffixes that appear at the end of file names.

The reason why file extensions are not visible by default is not because it is "too complicated for the masses". The file extension actually still shows if you hover over the file.

It is because it prevents accidents when renaming files. It prevents accidentally renaming the file extension suffix.

If you click the detailed file view on the bottom right you can immediately see all extensions too, while still preventing you to accidentally rename suffixes.

The default Windows setting of preventing accidental corruption of the extension suffix, is generally a good thing for all users, including power users.

 

[zecoeco]

Or you can just watch this video, very few but smart tweaks to your OS:
Increase Your FPS In Less Than 60 Seconds! - YouTube

 

[truerock]

When I pull a new notebook PC out of its box, I'll plug it into the wall outlet, open it up and turn it on... then wait for an hour or so until the SSD drive light stops flashing.

Then, I'll log into Windows, and again... wait an hour or so until the SSD drive light stops flashing.

This seems to make the entire setup process go more smoothly.

My thought is to go very slowly and not try to rush the first-time-startup process - or things tend to go wonky.

 

[stealthisusername]

Running the PC Health Check since it was an upgrade from Win 10 Pro was informative. But memory profiles in bios can gain speed from default. Smart Access Memory requires 4G and BAR support AFAICT. There are other tweaks. YMMV

Upgrades to bios were released for some (B450 at least) that include security updates.

There are still issues with power, sleep and games but so far seems fairly stable 22H2.

 

[Sippincider]

Is there a way to make Windows 11 accept the fact I DO NOT want Office365 or their OneDrive?

Got Office Home & Student installed (I'm not paying you a subscription, thank you MS) and even that's trying to stick Office365 into your body cavities.

 

[mitch074]

Is there a way to make Windows 11 not use up 4.5 Gb of RAM at boot ? On a 8Gb system, booting + starting a Chromium based browser will use up all the RAM. That's stupid.

 

[Zalext]

Is there a way to make Windows 11 not use up 4.5 Gb of RAM at boot ? On a 8Gb system, booting + starting a Chromium based browser will use up all the RAM. That's stupid.

Hi,
Look at Phoenix

Home

Home

windowsxlite.com

Or try cooking your own WIM.

 

[Juergenonly]

Nice article, thanks. I use so many different (windows) devices that it is hard to setup each one with all the bells and whistles hence I pick my battles here but there are a few good ones in here that I immediately changed on my favorite laptop when reading this article.

 

[mitch074]

Hi,
Look at Phoenix

Home

Home

windowsxlite.com

Or try cooking your own WIM.

Thanks for the link - that'll be useful for my future installs at work.
Personally I moved to Linux full-time a dozen years ago and I'm not coming back.