A while back someone asked me to do a freeware guide for Windows 10 like I have for other Windows operating systems. My heart wasn’t in it. While there is excellent free software out there, in many cases you get what you pay for. I’m tired of talking about second best software I don’t use. So below is a list of the software I have installed on at least one of the 8 PC’s I have scattered across my house.
[Read more…] about Software I Use – 2021 Edition
Cool Tools
Autoruns 14.0
“Autoruns, a utility for monitoring startup items, is the latest Sysinternals tool to receive a UI overhaul including a dark theme.”
Download & Info
O&O ShutUp10 Updated
Version 1.8.1421
NEW: Support Windows 10 Version 21H1
New: Disable “Meet now” in the task bar on this device
NEW: Disable “Meet now” in the task bar for current user
NEW: Disable news and interests in the task bar on this device
NEW: Disable news and interests in the task bar for current user
Startup of application optimized
Download | Changelog
Autoruns v13.100
“This update to Autoruns fixes a crash reported in v13.99.”
Download
O&O ShutUp10 1.8.1420
***edit 1150hrs
Despite the changelog saying this issue is fixed it is in fact not. See pic below.
1.8.1420 – released March 30, 2021
FIX: Disable telemetry
FIX: Disable automatic driver updates through Windows Update
Available in German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Chinese (simplified)
Download | Changelog | Home Page
*edit 0915hrs
Here are the registry changes O&O Shutup10 version 1.8.1420 made when turning on “Disable Telemetry”
Changed from 0x00000001 = Enabled/Normal to 0x00000000 = Disabled/Ignore
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\WMI\Autologger\AutoLogger-Diagtrack-Listener]
“Start”=dword:00000000
Changed from 0x00000002 = Automatic to 0x00000004 = Disabled
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\DiagTrack]
“Start”=dword:00000004
Changed from 0x00000003 = Manual to 0x00000004 = Disabled
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\dmwappushservice]
“Start”=dword:00000004
***edit 1150hrs
See: https://www.tweakhound.com/2021/03/18/oo-shutup10-issue/
Just like before the the dmwappushservice gets rest a while after reboot.
O&O ShutUp10 Updated
1.7.1404 – released December 03, 2019
NEW: Category “Activity History and Clipboard” added
NEW: Disable user activity recordings
NEW: Disable saving the activity history of users on this device
NEW: Disable transfer of user activity to Microsoft
NEW: Deactivate storage of the history of the clipboard
NEW: Disable transfer of the clipboard to other devices via the cloud
FIX: Display of menus on touchscreen corrected
FIX: Adjustments to the HighContrast modes
Available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Chinese (simplified)
PowerToys Returns
Started with Windows 95, PowerToys became really useful under Windows XP. A new release of PowerToys for Windows 10 contains only two apps right now:
[Read more…] about PowerToys Returns
Patch Tuesday
Windows 7-10 updated.
This may or may not be the last update before the May 2018 feature update.
Windows 7
May 14, 2019—KB4499175 (Security-only update)
May 14, 2019—KB4499164 (Monthly Rollup)
Windows 8.1
May 14, 2019—KB4499165 (Security-only update)
May 14, 2019—KB4499151 (Monthly Rollup)
Windows 10
1809 – May 14, 2019—KB4494441 (OS Build 17763.503)
1803 – May 14, 2019—KB4499167 (OS Build 17134.765)
1709 – May 14, 2019—KB4499179 (OS Build 16299.1146)
Other Software:
Audacity 2.3.2
Download | Release Notes | Home Page
CCleaner 5.57
A whole lotta ‘meh’. I’d skip it.
Download (I use portable) | Release Announcement
See also: Blocking A Programs Internet Access Via The Windows Firewall
Adobe Reader Updated
Download en-US | All Downloads | Security Bulletin | Release Notes
Using Macrium Reflect Boot Media
First and foremost, I do not backup from within Windows. I only use the boot CD.
Why? After many years of backup and restoring Windows and Linux I have seen just about every method fail at one time or another.
It is my belief that the only way to do an Operating System backup and restore is:
1 – Only use system images.
2 – Not to be using that OS. This is referred to as being offline.
[Read more…] about Using Macrium Reflect Boot Media
Patch Tuesday
Windows Update
Updates available for all currently supported versions of Windows. Updates for Flash and .Net available where applicable.
Windows 7
January 8, 2019—KB4480970 (Monthly Rollup)
January 8, 2019—KB4480960 (Security-only update)
Windows 8.1
January 8, 2019—KB4480963 (Monthly Rollup)
January 8, 2019—KB4480964 (Security-only update)
Windows 10
1809 – January 8, 2019—KB4480116 (OS Build 17763.253)
1803 – January 8, 2019—KB4480966 (OS Build 17134.523)
1709 – January 8, 2019—KB4480978 (OS Build 16299.904)
– – – – – –
Wise Disk Cleaner 10.1.5 Released
Download (I use portable) | Release Info
Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:
Hey Apple, what happens on iPhones doesn’t stay there, and your ‘clever’ CES ad is promoting a dangerous illusion
That’s a cute ad you have in Las Vegas for the CES tech convention. “What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone” is both a good dig at your rivals and a clever restating of Sin City’s popular catch phrase.
But it’s literally a lie. What happens on customers’ iPhones doesn’t stay on them — and you know it.
Preach
Survey: Americans Warming to Use of Facial Recognition Tech
I’m not sure I buy the results of the study. If it is even close to true then, well, SMH.
Came up in an email convo with a reader and friend:
SiriusXM stations I mostly listen to:
Hair Nation ’80s Hair Bands
Ozzy’s Boneyard Ozzy’s Classic Hard Rock
Classic Rewind ’70s/’80s Classic Rock