Windows 10 Updates

Windows 10 would prefer full control of your PC and updates whenever it wants. There is a limited number of ways to stop this.

When getting this message "Getting Windows ready, Don’t turn off your computer screen", some people have waited from 7 hours to 24 hours - so be patient.

The Software Distribution Folder is responsible for storing Windows Updates stuff. To operate on this folder, first stop the Windows service:
   net stop wuauserv
   net stop bits
Then either delete or rename the folder, then start again.
   net start wuauserv
   net start bits

These operations can solve some Windows Update problems.

For more info see:

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/software-distribution-folder-in-windows

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/catroot-catroot2-folder-reset-windows

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/getting-windows-ready

To stop Windows 10 from updating automatically, login as a user with Administrator privilege.

Click the Start button, then click the Setting (like a gear icon) button.

A Windows Settings page appears. Then click the "Network & Internet" option.

Click Wifi and then Manage Known Networks.

Click on your wifi network name, then click Properties.

Under Metered Connection, set it to On.

https://www.howtogeek.com/224471/how-to-prevent-windows-10-from-automatically-downloading-updates/

Windows 10 - Adding / Creating Local User Instead of Microsoft User

Back in the days (not apologizing for reminiscing) of Windows XP (or maybe even Windows 7) or earlier, adding a user is a simple process of adding a user.

With Windows 8 (I hope not 7) onwards, there seems to be a deliberate attempt to coerce (force) people to open up Microsoft accounts and create such cloud users, even when people are just trying to use their Windows computers locally (not in the cloud). Then in Windows 8, you must read the fine print and try to choose to create or add a "Local User". So a "Local User" is actually what a normal user is, in the previous Windows version - but now we have to remember to use "Local Users" if we just want a normal user on  a computer.

In Windows 10, this is much more difficult, frustrating and annoying. So previous Windows just need: Go to Control Panel -> click Users -> Add user.
But now the problem is so complicated, bordering on deceiving, I just cannot stand it and have to share this process here so that people can get help.

Step 1: Use the normal process of going to Control Panel, or searching for User, to land on this dialog below. Or Control Panel -> User Accounts -> User Accounts (not typo) -> Manage Accounts -> click on "Add a new user in PC Settings"

Then click "Family and Other Users".
Why why why they can't just say "users"?

Then click on "Add someone else to this PC"
(What if this is my family member, but they don't have Microsoft account - sic)

Don't put email address, don't click next.
Instead click "I don't have this person's sign-in information"
(Why why why - well I have this person's sign in - but I refuse to use their Microsoft account. I just want to create them as a "Local User" - phethhhh  :p  )

Finally - almost there. Still don't fall into the trap of giving your details and email.
Click "Add a user without a Microsoft Account"

Home Run !!! (Exactly the fourth / home base)
Now this is more like the usual creation of a normal Windows user.
Go ahead and give it a funny user name - as all computer users have done since the dawn of computing - instead of giving your email account.

Missing Windows 10 Start Key functionality

Beware - Windows 10 - Broken Windows Start Key functionality.
Normally, the Start button on the lower left corner of the Desktop, when pressed, will bring up a list of apps, and some tiles.

When this problem hits (out of nowhere), pressing (left clicking) the Windows Start button has no effect. Double click the Search bar next to it - still sort of works sometimes. Right-clicking the Start button reveals a text based list of thinks that you can do - including poweroff. So all is not lost, but it is very frustrating to see the normal functionality disappear. (see the image below to view the new text-based list of items when right click).

Solved - but don't know which of the following did the trick. Googling gave two solutions.
1 ) Open CMD prompt as Administrator and run:  SFC /scannow
2) Open Powershell as Administrator and run the command shown in the webpage in the image below
3) Restart the PC
All is back to normal. I did all three in sequence. Don't really know if the restart at the end actually solves the problem or all three together.

News - Windows 10

Windows 10

Here are some articles and links to things associated with Windows 10


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How to remove the Windows 10 GWX upgrade nonsense

Basically it is a 2 step process, it involves going to c:\windows\system32\GWX

1. Right click on Properties of GWX and change ownership to a local admin user

2. Right click on Properties of GWX and change permissions of the folder

3. Then rename the GWX and its exe into something else.

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How to downgrade Windows 10 to Windows 7 or 8.1

// CRN

Not so fond of the new OS? 

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Cheat sheet: top Windows 10 installation headaches

// CRN

And how to avoid them. 

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Activate God Mode in Windows 10 for Quick Access to Windows Commands

// Lifehacker

With Windows 10, settings are split between the Control Panel and the Settings app. If you’d like an all-inclusive starting point for Windows commands, enable God Mode.

God Mode is one of our favorite tweaks for previous versions of Windows

, and it’s alive and well with Windows 10.

To enable it, you do the same thing as previously: Create a new folder on your Windows desktop (New > Folder) and save it with the text below:

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

When you open that folder, you’ll have god-like access to 260+ functions and tools, some of them different from previous Windows versions. You can also drag and drop any of the commands to your desktop to create a shortcut for the command, which is especially helpful since the settings that have moved to the Settings app, while pinnable to the Start screen, aren’t able to be drag-and-dropped into shortcuts.

Enabling GodMode for Windows 10

 | SuperSite for Windows