WindowsRecipes

This pages contains recipes that I sometimes need for administrating Windows systems in my home network.

Windows 10 settings

Introduction

The following sections contain notes about various hard-to-remember Windows 10 settings. Most if not all require you to run the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).

I have tested these settings myself on a fully licensed Windows 10 Pro installation using the English language.

Disable automatic restart when Windows updates are found

• gpedit.msc
• Path = Computer configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
• Setting = Configure Automatic Updates
• Switch to "Enabled"
• Select option "3 - Auto download and notify for install"
• A useful alternative might also be to select option "5 - Allow local admin to choose setting"

Despite this being set, Windows 10 automatically installed Windows 16299 (2017 Fall Creators Update) while I was away. My admin account was logged in at the time, performing some long-running disk clean-up. My non-admin account for playing games was also logged in at the time and had many applications running. I left the system in this state at around 7-8 pm. In the morning when I left the flat, it appeared as if the system had gone to sleep, at least the monitor was dark and I didn't hear the fan running. When I came back from work in the evening, i.e. about 24h after I had last touched the system, the monitor was showing the after-update screen where you can select about 5-6 different privacy settings. Both my accounts had been logged out and the system shut down to install the update - everything fully automated without my approval! Before I left the system I had been installing Windows updates with my admin account, and one of those updates put a link named "Windows 10 Update Assistant" on my desktop. I remember that, out of curiosity, I launched the assistant, but when I saw what it tried to do I cancelled the installation. Possibly this careless launch of the assistant set the update in motion, but I can't be sure.

Don't reboot automatically when users are logged in

• gpedit.msc
• Path = Computer configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
• Setting = No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations
• Switch to "Enabled"

According to the setting description, this should not have any effect if the "Configure Automatic Updates" is disabled, or is enabled but is not set to automatically install updates. Despite this, I'm enabling this setting because I'm paranoid. Note that the Windows 16299 disaster (see section above) happened when this setting was disabled.

Prevent user from accidentally triggering the update installation process on logout or shutdown

• gpedit.msc
• Path = Computer configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
• Setting = Do not adjust default option to "Install Updates and Shut Down" in Shut Down Windows dialog box
• Switch to "Enabled"

Non-administrator accounts (e.g. the one for playing games) should not receive Windows update notifications

• gpedit.msc
• Path = Computer configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
• Setting = Allow non-administrators to receive update notifications
• Switch to "Disabled"

Deactivate Cortana

• gpedit.msc
• Path = Computer configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search
• Setting = Allow Cortana
• Switch to "Disabled"

Privacy settings

• gpedit.msc
• Path = Computer configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search
• Setting = Allow search and Cortana to use location
• Switch to "Disabled"

Configure LaserJet network printer

The following recipe matches the German edition of Windows 7 Enterprise. The procedure is practically the same for the English edition of Windows 10 Professional.

1. Startmenü > Geräte und Drucker
2. Im Toolbar den Button "Drucker hinzufügen" klicken
3. Button "Einen Netzwerk-, Drahtlos- oder Bluetoothdrucker hinzufügen" klicken
4. Die automatische Suche mit Klick auf "Beenden" abbrechen
5. Klick auf "Der gesuchte Drucker ist nicht aufgeführt"
6. Auswählen Radio Button "Drucker unter Verwendung einer TCP/IP-Adresse oder eines Hostnamens hinzufügen"
7. Button "Weiter" klicken
8. Auf der nächsten Dialog-Seite folgende Eingaben machen:
   • Gerätetyp = TCP/IP-Gerät
   • Hostname oder IP-Adresse = laserjet1300n.fritz.box (oder IP Adresse)
   • Anschlussname = laserjet1300n.fritz.box
   • Den Drucker abfragen und den zu verwendenden Treiber automatisch auswählen = Checkbox abwählen
9. Button "Weiter" klicken
10. Warten während "TCP/IP-Port erkennen" läuft (kann 1 Minute oder so dauern!)
11. Auf der nächsten Seite wird gemeldet "Das Gerät wurde im Netzwerk nicht ermittelt". Das ist in Ordnung.
    • Bei Gerätetyp kann man den Default "Generic Network Card" ausgewählt lassen. NICHT einen der Einträge "Hewlett Packard JetDirect" auswählen, denn die Schnittstelle am 1300n ist keine JetDirect Schnittstelle.
12. Button "Weiter" klicken
13. Einen Druckertreiber auswählen, der am besten zum HP Laserjet 1300n passt.
    • Für das spezifische Modell 1300n gibt es keinen Treiber.
    • Es müsste aber einen Treiber namens "HP Laserjet 1300 PCL 5" geben, der alle 1300er Modelle abdeckt.
    • Falls der 1300 PCL Treiber nicht vorhanden ist muss er heruntergeladen werden. Dazu klickt man auf den Button "Windows Update". Es werden jetzt die Druckertreiber im Hintergrund aktualisiert, während dieser Zeit sind alle Buttons und Eingabefelder deaktiviert. Man muss nun unter Umständen eine ganze Weile (1-3 Minuten) warten, und darf sich nicht aus der Ruhe bringen lassen, obwohl es keinerlei Fortschrittsanzeige gibt.

Migrate from one hard disk to another

I followed this procedure to chaange the primary hard disk of my computer from a small 60 GB hard disk to a larger 1 TB SSD hard disk. I had to do this because 60 GB is barely enough for a basic Windows 10 installation. I constantly had problems when I wanted the system to hibernate, or when I had to perform a major system upgrade.

Hardware:

• Buy a new SATA hard disk from manufacturer Samsung.
• Buy an USB-to-SATA adapter. In my case I bought a product from Sandberg, the USB 3.0 to SATA Link.

Procedure:

• Connect the new hard disk via adapter to one of your PC's USB ports.
• Start computer.
• Download and install the Samsung Data Migration utility.
• Run the utility. It will guide you through the process of copying a snapshot of the data on the old hard disk to the new hard disk.
• Shutdown computer.
• Remove old hard disk.
• Install new hard disk.
• Reboot from new hard disk.