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toaster-windows-guide.md

Toaster's Windows 11 Setup Guide

After having to install Windows for the 4th time this year, I've decided to streamline future installations by documenting the details of how to set up Windows such that it as far removed as possible from it's default state of being overbearingly obnoxious. I understand I am the primary audience for this guide - I have chosen to share it online regardless as it has a chance of helping others. Some highlights:

  • 🏴‍☠️ Windows 11 Pro
  • 🏴‍☠️ Offline Office products
  • Maximum privacy and performance
  • Minimum bloat and clutter
  • Windows 10 Context Menu
  • Windows 7 Photo Viewer

This guide is opinionated. Feel free to skip sections you don't like as not all of them can be easily reverted.

This guide assumes basic competency with:

  • Standard Windows install process
  • Standard Windows configuration
  • Command/PowerShell/Terminal

Create installation media

Use the official Media Creation Tool to make a bootable USB drive.

Install Windows without signing into Microsoft account

  1. Proceed with standard installation steps until you can't proceed further without signing into your Microsoft account.

  2. Press shift + f10 to open the console window.

  3. Enter ncpa.cpl into the terminal to open a window showing all network adapters. Right click each one and disable it.

  4. Enter oobe\bypassnro into the console window.

  5. When installation is finished, press win + r and run ncpa.cpl to re-enable adapters

Activate Windows

  1. Open a PowerShell window.

  2. Enable remote execution:

set-executionpolicy -executionpolicy RemoteSigned -scope CurrentUser -force
  1. Run the activator tool:
irm https://get.activated.win | iex

  1. Change the edition to Professional.

  2. Activate Windows.

UAC

To disable the countless UAC warnings during configuration and tweaking, use win + r to run UserAccountControlSettings.exe and move the slider all the way down.

Terminal

All future commands in this guide are assumed to be ran in the Terminal context created through the following steps...

  1. Open a PowerShell window.

  2. Enable remote execution:

set-executionpolicy -executionpolicy RemoteSigned -scope CurrentUser -force
  1. Install the latest PowerShell:
winget install --id Microsoft.PowerShell --source winget

  1. Open the Terminal app.

  2. Navigate to (dropdown menu) > Settings > Startup and change Default profile to PowerShell and Default terminal application to Windows Terminal.

  3. Navigate to Settings > Defaults and set Run this profile as Administrator.

  4. [Optional] disable some or all warnings in Settings > Interaction > Warnings.

  5. [Optional] hide unwanted profiles such as the default Windows PowerShell, Azure and Git Bash.

  6. [Optional] navigate to "C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows PowerShell" and C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows PowerShell and delete the shortcuts to the default PowerShell executable.

Don't forget to click Save. Get into the habit of using Terminal anywhere you would normally use PowerShell. After following the above steps, you can now ignore the step of any guide that says something like "Right Click PowerShell and Run as Administrator" or "Set Remote Execution Policy".

Privacy, Advertising and Performance Tweaks

  1. Run Chris Titus Tech's Windows Utility:
irm https://christitus.com/win | iex
  1. Navigate to the Tweaks tab and configure the selection. Here's how I like it:
  • Essential Tweaks check all except:
    • Disable Hibernation
  • Advanced Tweaks check:
    • Disable Microsoft Copilot
    • Remove OneDrive
  • Customize Preferences disable all except:
    • Dark Theme for Windows
    • NumLock on Startup
    • Snap Window
    • Show Hidden Files
    • Show File Extensions
    • Detailed BSoD

  1. Click Run Tweaks and wait for completion. Note the console which shows progress may be hidden behind the GUI.

  2. Click Run OO Shutup 10 and disable as much as you feel comfortable disabling.

GUI Configuration

  • Go through the Settings app and adjust to your preferences. Don't forget to:
    • Increase monitor refresh rate above Windows default if supported (e.g. 60Hz -> 120Hz)
    • Enable clipboard history (Win + V)
    • In Accessibility > Keyboard:
      • Disable Sticky keys and Filter keys keyboard shortcuts
      • Disable from Prt Scr key functionality if you want to use your own tool
    • Enable many of the settings in System > Advanced
  • Paste the following into terminal to adjust config options which are not well represented in the Settings apps:
control folders
main.cpl
mmsys.cpl
powercfg.cpl
appwiz.cpl
systempropertiesperformance
optionalfeatures
#

NOTE: If you are planning on using WSL, it is recommended you enable Hyper-V in optionalfeatures.

  • If the PC has an Nvidia GPU, install the Nvidia App and configure graphics settings there

Windows Explorer

Follow this section if you want a minimalist appearance for Explorer:

Screenshot_1
  1. Run the following terminal commands to restore the old Windows Explorer ribbon:
reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{2aa9162e-c906-4dd9-ad0b-3d24a8eef5a0}" /ve /d "CLSID_ItemsViewAdapter" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{2aa9162e-c906-4dd9-ad0b-3d24a8eef5a0}\InProcServer32" /ve /d "C:\Windows\System32\Windows.UI.FileExplorer.dll_" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{2aa9162e-c906-4dd9-ad0b-3d24a8eef5a0}\InProcServer32" /v "ThreadingModel" /t REG_SZ /d "Apartment" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{6480100b-5a83-4d1e-9f69-8ae5a88e9a33}" /ve /d "File Explorer Xaml Island View Adapter" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{6480100b-5a83-4d1e-9f69-8ae5a88e9a33}\InProcServer32" /ve /d "C:\Windows\System32\Windows.UI.FileExplorer.dll_" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{6480100b-5a83-4d1e-9f69-8ae5a88e9a33}\InProcServer32" /v "ThreadingModel" /t REG_SZ /d "Apartment" /f
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe; start explorer.exe
#

  1. In Explorer, click the v in the top right to expand the classic ribbon.

  2. On the View tab, hide the Navigation pane and Details pane.

  3. Click the ^ in the top right to collapse the classic ribbon.

Context Menu

Switch back to the "classic" context menu style

Screenshot_2 
reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /ve /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{d93ed569-3b3e-4bff-8355-3c44f6a52bb5}\InprocServer32" /ve /f
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe; start explorer.exe
#

Context Menu Manager

Download the latest ContextMenuManager release, change the language to English, and clean up the context menu the best you can. This is probably best done after installing all your usual applications.

Applications

Streamlined installation of popular apps

  1. Run Chris Titus Tech's Windows Utility.
irm https://christitus.com/win | iex
  1. On the Install tab, select the applications you would like to install and click Install/Upgrade Applications.

Enable Old Windows Photo Viewer

Screenshot_3
  1. Run these PowerShell commands to restore Windows Photo Viewer:
reg add "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open" /v "MuiVerb" /t REG_SZ /d "@photoviewer.dll,-3043" /f
reg add "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open\command" /ve /d '"%SystemRoot%\System32\rundll32.exe" "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Photo Viewer\PhotoViewer.dll", ImageView_Fullscreen "%1"' /f
reg add "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open\DropTarget" /v "Clsid" /t REG_SZ /d "{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}" /f
reg add "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\print\command" /ve /d '"%SystemRoot%\System32\rundll32.exe" "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Photo Viewer\PhotoViewer.dll", ImageView_PrintTo "%1"' /f
reg add "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\print\DropTarget" /v "Clsid" /t REG_SZ /d "{60fd46de-f830-4894-a628-6fa81bc0190d}" /f
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe; start explorer.exe
#
  1. Navigate to Settings > Apps > Default apps > Photos and associate jpg, jpe, jpeg, png, etc. with Windows Photo Viewer

Networking

Drivers

  • Nvidia App
  • Intel Drivers
  • Snappy Driver Installer tough learning curve. Here's some tips:
    • Only use after first checking Windows Update, Intel App, GPU app, PC manufacturer app, etc...
    • Download SDI Lite
    • Launch with SDI64-drv.exe
    • Download nothing when prompted on first launch
    • Click Updates are available, then This PC Only, then OK
    • Once that's complete, repeat the exact same steps to download the drivers before installing them
    • Don't install any driver that's' More optimal driver available, though it's older

Audio

There are many options, but I use Equalizer APO for tweaking microphone input.

Office

  1. Download and run Office Tool Plus

  2. In the Deploy tab, configure with:

  • Update Channel set to the latest Office Perpetual Enterprise version
  • At least 1 language
  • The LTSC - Volume License for each product you wish to have

  1. Then scroll back to the top of the tab and click Start deploy

  2. Run this script to activate licenses for all installed office products

irm https://get.activated.win | iex

Startp Apps

When you're done installing everything, don't forget to review the Startup apps for faster startups.

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