Welcome to /fwt/ - Friendly Windows Thread.
Users of all levels are welcome to ask questions about Windows and share their experiences.
This is NOT Windows vs any other OS thread.
*** Please be civil, notice the "Friendly" in every Friendly Windows Thread ***
Tell us about tools, utilities, configs, tips and tricks that make your life with Windows (more) bearable (or even pleasant).
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Anyone on 1809 yet?
Is October's update ever gonna be rolled out? It's almost November!!!!
>verycrypt
Hi NSA, you'd like that wouldn't you?
Why do you believe that?
Daily reminder to disable startup delay in the registry if you have an SSD.
Yearly reminder that major Windows updates tend to revert the registry key.
Reminder that Windows is malware. gnu.org
>that image
whats the point of using free software if youre using windows though?
>cracking your OS
are winfags beyond the point of salvation?
based && GNU/Pilled
FOSS software usually does not have telemetry, or it can be easily disabled.
I'm pretty sure most Jow Forums windows users even if they are less interested in software philosophy of GNU / FOSS still care a lot about telemetry and botnet stuff. Just look at all the debotnet threads, scripts, etc..
Also, another reason might be that they are forced into the OS by certain software or hardware they need.
Other methods including normal activation or hwid activation requires network, sending your data and even hardware identifiers to microsoft.
I'm installing Windows 10 LTSB and it's taking a year to update. Almost as if I was trying to update 7 or 8.1. I feel like I've been memed into some shit
is nomacs a lightweight image viewer? Is it better than honeyview? that's what I'm using now
Please stop recommending speccy it is absolutely garbageware
was literally just scrolling down to post this
Why not CPU-Z?
Why LTSB when you can get LTSC
Heard LTSC got some of the bugs 1809 has, like deleting files or fucking up with zip extraction. It also seems a bit of a dick to activate.
the deleting thing only applies to upgrading. Fresh install never had such bug.
The recommended activator worked just fine for me.
Got it from MDL, from its official thread.
Poked around a bit on how it's working and its actually surprisingly good.
Does not need tasks or drivers, nor networking. Uses a windows feature to automatically start up as "debugger" when the windows activation try begins, injects itself into the activating program, hooks all the networking functions, and emulates networking and the KMS server, all from inside, without any networking ever happening. Its actually pretty cool, one of the cleanest ways i saw it done.
Oh aight.
I guess LTSC is this one?
en_windows_10_enterprise_ltsc_2019_x64_dvd_74865958
Yeah I read that now, I was used to MS Toolkit. I'll use that shit.
>I guess LTSC is this one?
>en_windows_10_enterprise_ltsc_2019_x64_dvd_74865958
Should be that. Regardless, always check hash. SHA1 should be 0B8476EFF31F957590ADE6FE671F16161037D3F6
Yep, SHA1 matches correctly.
Thank you for making a non-shit image because the thread from a few days ago was terrible. It's almost identical to what I was about to make. You should add Qwant as a search engine. It's like DDG but isn't hosted in US.
Add Riot.im for communication. It's basically a non-shit discord.
Also, why isn't this a recommend activation method?
github.com
Shit argument. Kinda like saying if you have cancer then why not get AIDS and malaria too since you're sick anyways.
>winshit
>syncthing on windows
enjoy mixed case files being renamed to different mixed caps and lowercased letters and causing clashes with each other because the OS can't tell the difference between "T" and "t"
>Also, why isn't this a recommend activation method?
>github.com
Has overhead, needs networking and a running server, also needs either a driver or a similar r3 hook like op one to work when ran on localhost.
In contrast the OP one has negative overhead (compared to even all legal means) since it removes the entire networking part by simulating it internally with hooks. Also theres a high probability the actual KMS reply generation is literally the same code.
The github link also simulates a local server so no networking is required. I've set it up 5 times already. The driver is included and installed during the activation process.
>The github link also simulates a local server so no networking is required.
Local networking is still networking. It goes through a few hops through the kernel, get routed, etc.
And still requires you to actually run something either all the time or on a task basis, not only triggered when windows feels like activating itself.
>I've set it up 5 times already. The driver is included and installed during the activation process.
The problem was not whether it was included or not, but the fact that it exists and bloats your network stack with unnecessary checks and routing.
In the op activator the network stack is never involved in any point.
Think of it like your way of getting chicken tendies is recording your message about tendies on tape, packing it, sending the letter, waiting for your mom to receive it, make the tendies and send it back to you. All this while you're living in her basement.
The op way is more like shouting up from the basement to get you tendies, which she gives to you directly when ready.
yes, on ltsb. works fine except for the Devices page in settings. clicking on that makes the app crash
Windows 7 comfy
How do you guys prepare for 2k20 support ending? Me i just slipstream a bunch of contingency isos with all the major updates included and am also installing one or two more antivirus programs
I recommend using SyncTrayzor (syncthing with an icon in the tray much like Dropbox).
github.com
I've never experienced any problems.
tf you taling about? I got it last night
Hey people, new the person here. I want to do the whole boot drive HDD setup but idk what else I should put on the boot drive besides OS? Or is that a dumb question, idk?
No one ever seems to mention Chocolatey. It's a program/package manager for windows which lets you install from the command line.
People configure the programs to generally not install malware so they auto install with no effort.
Best of all, I can export all of the programs I have installed, then when I reinstall Windows I can just tell it to reinstall everything rather than having to manually go to each website to download the .exe and running through the shitty installer.
Example usage:
C:\> choco search wireshark
microsoft-message-analyzer 1.4.1.20161119
NetfoxDetective 0.9.1
wireshark 2.6.4
zerobrane-studio 1.20.0.0
zerobrane-studio.install 1.20.0.0
zerobrane-studio.portable 1.20.0.0
6 packages found.
C:\> choco install wireshark -y
Installing the following packages:
wireshark
By installing you accept licenses for the packages.
wireshark v2.6.4
Downloading WireShark 64 bit
from 'wireshark.org
Hashes match.
Installing WireShark...
WireShark has been installed.
The install of wireshark was successful.
Chocolatey installed 1/1 package(s). 0 package(s) failed.
See the log for details (C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\logs\chocolatey.log).
it's nice but some of those packages are horribly out of date, you have to check each one before you install it
nobody gives a flying fuck what you've experienced, it's a bug that has been around for years and is well known and documented. it's all over their forums and even in the wiki.
Why the fuck is Winamp not included in the recommended software? It is the very definition of perfected software, that thing was completed before any of you were born.
>recommended KMS
jeez those ruskies spies are real thing now
> GNUtards immediately feel the need to shitpost a friendly thread
It's like a mental problem or something. These guys seethe at the sight of the windows logo and bill gates lives in their head rent free
It also got an update recently that makes it work on win 8/10 and unlocks the pro features.
You can now rip as many CDs as you want
Yes, only had one problem thus far: setting my mobile broadband dongle as a metered network required netsh - the "checkbox" in the configuration dialog was greyed out
This. But turboautism is like that, they can't help it anymore than you can help chasing down and beating to death the guy who killed your mom. Receive stimuli, act on stimuli.
7zip isn't giving me an option to get the sha256 checksum on an iso.
Does it still work on .iso or do I need to use something else?
You probably disabled some of the shell context menu options by accident. Look around Tools->Options->7-Zip tab.
Nothing's disabled. It worked with an exe on a fresh user profile twenty minutes ago.
>Anti Virus: Common Sense
>tells people to download cracks
You clearly aren't aware of what Common Sense means because downloading close source cracks is the opposite of that.
If it's proprietary then it's not an option.
Post screenshots of 7-Zip tab and File Explorer shell context menu. Works fine on my machine.
It just worked after I copied it to my desktop for a screenshot rather than trying it directly on my phone's SD.
Thank you for the reply, it worked in a roundabout way.
>phone's SD
I'll bet that's your problem - most phones presented their internal storage as MTP instead of MSC. Windows shell context menus don't really work with fake file systems.
>No one ever seems to mention Chocolatey
Windows has had loads of different deployment options for years - we didn't need another one. I actually like the idea, but it heroically solves problems that only really exist in Linuxland, and creates new ones unknown in Windowsland.
Virtually all Windows installers (vast majority of EXEs, all MSIs) can easily be scripted.
Malware? That's what Unchecky is for. Put it on any computer where the end user is expected to install software.
Most Windows programs have their own update system. No need to wait for the package repo guy to remember to update the package.
If something goes wrong, you can shout at Contoso because their installer/software broke, instead of wondering who's to blame (and get runaround buck-passing trying to find out).
And software repos ("walled gardens" by their proper name) break the "open source" ideology anyway (for lulz, remind freetards of this at every opportunity): regardless of OS, you're generally receiving precompiled, unauditable binaries.
Why doesn't m$ just include an optional complete win7-flavored GUI/visual overhaul for Win10? I'm sure a lot of people would consider switching that way and even i would find myself tempted but they'll never do this so i'll stay on win7 heh
Is there easiest way to set first image of every folder as its folder icon in Windows?
I don't mean all folders, just a bunch within selected folder.
Because on Win10, Win32 apps already look almost the same, and work exactly the same, as they do on Win7 - so it's pointless. Metro is an entirely different beast, and has its own presentation manager that didn't exist on Win7 - so lots of testing and debugging to replicate it. All to convince a small sliver of die-hards to switch over from an OS they'll have to switch away from in barely a year. Nah, not going to happen, user.
Not "easy", but fooling with desktop.ini files would yield results I imagine.
how do I change the default program for opening source files, every time I try to apply the change it just doesn't do anything and forces me to keep it as visual studio
Are you using the "Open with..." panel to make the change, or the "Default apps" panel->Choose default applications by file type? If one doesn't work, try the other. Both have annoying corner-failure cases in my experience. And of course, VS (I don't use it myself) might be a "rude" program that manages file associations itself.
where do you all get the isos?
I want to leave a laptop to my brothers so they can play but I'm years on linux and I don't know how to activate it. So KMS is the recommended method, but what about the LTSB/LTSC version you all talk about? They seem pretty cool, I also want to rev one on a virtual machine just in case I ever need to work with it
I pick mine up at Adguard's Techbench Dump. It actually generates URLs that point to Microsoft's servers, so you know you're getting legit stuff. Be smart, and always check your hashes though.
Oh wow, perfect thread for what I need. sqt didn't give me an answer.
Is there a security/hardening guide for Windows that is up to date? Stuff like which settings I should apply, features and services that should be enabled/disabled, and hosts to be added to the hosts file. Stuff like that.
Oh, forgot to mention, all LTS versions (as they're Enterprise variants) can be activated by KMS.
get out of here normie
>hosts to be added to the hosts file
Please don't tell me this is still a thing. You'll make this baby Windows admin cry. We have firewalls for a reason.
>We have firewalls for a reason.
I'm not a business with a dedicated firewall machine. I'm just a simple user at home that just wants a reasonably secured machine.
Is the multi monitor support good in the latest 10 ltsc? Is it comparable to displayfusion with separate options on other monitors for hiding taskbar etc?
I'm about to install it on a new ssd.
Newfag here, I won't ask for too much spoonfeeding, just a couple simple y/n questions: is there any advantage in buying Windows 10 instead of pirating it/are there any risks from pirating it? if I were to build a new PC, is it hard to put Windows 10 on it (how do you go about that?)?
Neither am I (though I do work for one). I am talking about the software firewall that comes with every copy of Windows for the last 17 years. It's actually very capable, though not without its quirks (firewalling the "System" process, or services, can be counter-intuitive at times).
desu, I've never actually used the Windows firewall in depth and never really bothered to outside of some very specific circumstances because I'm still living in the time that it was meme shit that broke often or something.
Maybe I'll take another look at it later, but in the meantime I'd really appreciate a security/hardening guide/
>Music Player
>Clementine
>Audacious
Nah.
>MusicBee
Yeah.
I guess also while I'm here, I would replace Bleachbit with Privazer. Much more fully featured and actually cleans things that should be cleaned if you care about privacy beyond CCleaners capabilities.
>is there any advantage in buying Windows 10 instead of pirating it
Yes, MS will answer the phone and try help you if it breaks. Which may or may not be an issue for you, since half the Internet consists of "my-Windows-is-broken-please-help" guides.
>are there any risks from pirating it
Yes, but they're mostly theoretical. The way KMS activation works, MS can kill it very quickly if they wanted to. Then there's the fact that some KMS activators are pretty shoddily-coded - autokms.exe, for example, doesn't really check the state of SPP, and just silently dies if it runs into something it doesn't expect, leaving you confused and unactivated.
>if I were to build a new PC, is it hard to put Windows 10 on it
No. It's pretty much a Next->Next->Finish deal these days if you don't care too much about specifics.
>(how do you go about that?)
Grab an ISO from Adguard's Techbench Dump (I'm starting to sound like a shill here), and Microsoft Toolkit from My Digital Life. If you're starting from just-built system with nothing on the hard disk, I'd burn the ISO to a real, actual DVD and install it from that. If you don't want to (plenty of machines don't have optical drives these days), there's the Media Creation Tool for putting on a USB. Boot from your install media, next-next-finish it, run MTK, and activate using AutoKMS - despite my slam against it earlier, when it works, it works great.
install windows 8.1 pro > activate with MS Toolkit > run MS update tool ... once you've updated you can do a clean install and have an acitvated win 10 pro.. no activation required
>I'm still living in the time that it was meme shit that broke often or something
Ahh. It's been pretty rock-solid since Vista.
>I'd really appreciate a security/hardening guide/
Windows is pretty "hard" these days by default, actually. Most people deliberately deharden their systems by making two critical errors : running as an administrator day-to-day, and disabling UAC. Especially the latter - DO NOT FUCKING DO THIS. Disabling UAC pretty much disables all the security improvements that have been made since Windows XP. Then there's the basic stuff that everyone knows, but ignores: stay updated (HOW DID I GET WANNACRY?!) and good passwords (my want my autologin tho, cry), and backups (I'm too poor for a $50 external HDD).
Beyond those though, it basically comes down to two things that are pretty subjective and depend on how you use your machine: disabling unneeded services (plenty of guides online about that, though) and good firewall rules (this requires a bit more understanding - hence why I suggest you do get into it a bit).
Ok cool, fair enough. I should have included that I also want a bit of privacy in my setup too, meaning if there are any services or specific updates that track or even IP addresses that may or may not phone home unneeded, I'd like to know about those.
You can pretty much block all windows programs from any networking if you use the activator and that WSUS thing mentioned in the op.
>IP addresses
This is the problem many people don't get. Most of Microsoft's "telemetry" apparatus uses Akamai's networks, with backup servers, round-robin DNS, anycast, etc. that can't be caught with a simple IP blacklist.
No, the proper way to do this is to identify the offending services (which has been done - again, most service management guides will give you the lowdown), and (sledgehammer approach) disable them, or (better) firewall them - the latter is better, because Windows does like to self-repair disabled services, whereas if you firewall them, they'll just think you have a bad Internet connection and fail gracefully.
I see, well this is good to know. I just migrated back to Windows from Linux so I'm a bit out of the loop kinda in regards to Windows. I'm running 8.1 btw, still not keen on 10, even with the LTSB.
Thanks a lot guys, very helpful, may your religious figure of choice benefit you in its given system. Or may someone buy you a beer.
I use a program called Anki that loads media files from shows from one of its subdirectories on my SSD. I would prefer that Anki load these media files from my HDD instead. Although on the HDD the media files are not all listed out in the open as they are in Anki's subdirectory. Instead they are each in their own subdirectory, corresponding to each show they belong to. so I would need anki to think that these multiple subdirectories on my HDD are in fact in the single Anki subdirectory on my SSD.
How do I do this?
>I would prefer that Anki load these media files from my HDD instead.
That part's easy: create a directory junction with mklink.exe. It comes with Windows.
>so I would need anki to think that these multiple subdirectories on my HDD are in fact in the single Anki subdirectory on my SSD
This one's much harder. Back in the DOS days, we had a utility called "join.exe", that made files from one folder appear in another folder. It was hacky as fuck though, and could even cause disk errors because programs (especially disk utilities) freaked out when seeing all these folders that were TSR-generated ghosts. As such it was removed during the 9x era.
About the only thing I can suggest is hardlinking the files to the folder your directory junction points to (see above). Very messy and not remotely automatic - you'd have to create hardlinks to any new files you put in the subdirectories - but it would work. Again, mklink.exe is your friend.
The real solution is, of course, to use a better program than this Anki that doesn't have such silly limitations.
here again. Having just looked up Anki and found it's open source, you could either A) fix it yourself, or B) bitch at the programmers - they may be responsive.
Why not recommend clamwin at least? It’s foss and it has a cute icon. I like to imagine that little clam snappy snapping virii hehe
OP check on this image viewer:
imageglass.org
I've tried every single image viewer under the sun for windows, the ones in Jow Forums wiki, in random threads and so on... every time I keep going back to image-glass because of how smooth it works and how useful it is as a minimal package - check it out, maybe future iterations would include it.
Still don't know what activator everyone is using for LTSC, can anyone point me in the right direction please?
Microsoft Toolkit has multiple activators (AutoKMS, KMSServerService and KMSpico) that will activate LTS versions of Windows. Find it down at My Digital Life (shill shill, want my shekels now Yen, you fucking faggot).
0.100 rubbles been deposited to your account comrade.
No download links?
Thanks Yen - now fuck off, and take your fake pseudo-philosophical rants you randomly launch into and shove them firmly up your ass.
Because nothing is better.
Seriously, using nothing is better. At least you'll not randomly click on shady shit because "hurr durr me gots atniveerus". Clam manages to out-Defender Defender.
We're Windows users. We can find things, evaluate their legitimacy/malware drop potential/etc. ourselves. It's why we don't need walled gardens like iToddlers and freetards do.
But I really want a version of windows update that works.
It does work: it updates Windows - despite millions of NPCs attempting to stop it doing so. Bulletproof reliability.
The one noted in OP. Get it from MyDigitalLife (not shill, thats where the official release thread is)
That's not what my update history tells me desu.
Then you're probably not an NPC.
>Other methods including normal activation or hwid activation requires network, sending your data and even hardware identifiers to microsoft.
Yes, the point is: Don't use Windows...ever
>stupid enough to fork out $20
What, on God's green Earth, makes you think your opinions are worth anything? Come on.
What is a good source for gaining more in-depth knowledge about windows and how to work with it? I can do all the basic stuff like creating and deleting files and folders and copying and pasting stuff of course, I have also done a complete reinstall of Windows 10 on my notebook, but anything beyond that, like working with those "command prompts" or programming is a book with seven seals to me. Are thre any good books oor websites out there that teach stuff like that methodically?
>What is a good source for gaining more in-depth knowledge about windows and how to work with it?
Unironically a digital forensics book. Believe it or not, you'll scarcely find any source better that will give you and actual in depth review and look into how operating systems work and function outside of a forensics book, mostly because it's a necessity for the topic. Ditch all those bullshit self-help books and shit.
The knowledge within is specially tailored to teach you to become the "anti-hacker", the guy who picks up the pieces and figures out the puzzle.
Alternatively and/or additionally, set up a box to poke around yourself in. It is the best way to learn, after all, trial by fire with stakes.