====== Windows ======

Apart from some privacy choices there are a few more things to do to make Windows work the way I like it.

===== Advanced Modifications =====

^ Feature ^ Instructions ^ Reference ^
^ Disable auto mic adjustment | Open sound controls and for each mic disable exclusive control  | |
^ Disable web search| see ghacks article | [[https://www.ghacks.net/2015/06/23/how-to-disable-web-search-in-windows-10s-start-menu/ | ghacks.net]] |
^ Disable Windows telemetry services| Regedit: ''Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DiagTrack\Start = 4'':  Start = 4 \\ Regedit: ''Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\WMI\Autologger\Diagtrack-Listener'': Startr = 0\\ PowerShell: ''Remove-Item "LogFiles\WMI\Diagtrack-Listener.etl*"''\\ Reboot Windows| [[https://www.bsi.bund.de/DE/Service-Navi/Publikationen/Studien/SiSyPHuS_Win10/AP4/SiSyPHuS_AP4_node.html| bsi.bund.de (German)]] |
^ Disable download of manufaturer apps | A broken URL in Windows 10 (and Windows 11?) causes an error that seems to affect some devices. As a temporary fix one can disable automatically downloading manufacturers' apps and custom icons via the advanced system settings.\\ Hit the ''Windows icon'' in the taskbar and search for ''advanced system settings''. Open them and go to the tab called ''Hardware''. There select ''Device Installation Settings'' and change that setting to ''No''. Save the changes and reboot the computer. | [[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/metadata-staging-failed-for-event-id131/9705ec61-fa80-4474-bc19-584b4e01a9cb | Microsoft Answers]] |

===== Stuff to think about =====

  * long paths: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/fileio/maximum-file-path-limitation?tabs=registry#enable-long-paths-in-windows-10-version-1607-and-later