Interested in participating in Re-Tweaker development/test?

[Noel]

Nothing too surprising there, really. Hackers know Windows often as well or better than sysadmins. But yeah, why do anything on the real computer if doing it in a VM gets you all the way there then lets you clean up in one fell swoop at the end.

VMware installed on my systems keeps Hyper-V from doing anything (they can't coexist). Plus I run a deny-by-default firewall and a number of other measures that would facilitate my knowing about someone trying to hack in.

-Noel

[atomicstryker]

Reporting back once more. Works fine for my anniversary windows(es), i removed the firewall and windows update disabling things, though.
One bug for you: The reduced icon size causes a bug with task bar icons where they display in a wrong location (somewhat to the left) until clicked, then they snap into place. Might need a certain number of icons to trigger. Might only happen under certain resolutions.

EDIT: I mean the small icons in the bottom right corner, next to the system tray icons

[Matt]

Hello NoelC,
first of all I have to say, that your retweaker-script really is an nice piece of work. Very useful!

Unfortunately, unlike atomicstryker, some parts of the script are not working anymore on anniversary update for me :-(((
I'm using the german version of windows, so I had to change the values "Administrators" to the german equal "Administratoren" since I read that these useraccounts are language dependant.

But changing the file- and registry-ownership using "setacl -setowner" in your script does not work for unknown reason?!?
Changing the ownership with explorer does work.

I'm not an expert in scripting at all, but I'm trying to learn by doing ;-)
Hopefully someone can help with this setacl-issue...

[Noel]

Thanks for the feedback.

I've heard once before that someone saw the tray icons change size though I can't reproduce it. I keep my Taskbar on top, so maybe that masks the problem.

Matt, I'm not sure what could be wrong with setacl, except maybe an incompatibility between the setacl included with the package and the latest Win 10... Thing is, I don't see the problem here, which implies no compatibility issue. When you ran the script, did you run it elevated (goes without saying, but I thought I'd ask).

-Noel

[Matt]

Of course I ran it as admin ;-)

Keep getting this error:

C:\WINDOWS\system32>CD /D "D:\"

D:\>SetACL -ot "file" -on "d:\TEST" -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administratoren"
Retrieving the remote path for mapped drive L<\TEST> failed with: Das Netzwerk ist nicht vorhanden oder wurde nicht gestartet.
ERROR while processing command line: object (name, type): d:\TEST could not be set!

The german part means: "network is not present or was not startet"

Why does setacl look for a network drive? It is a local drive!
I'm not getting it...

[Matt]

OK, I found the solution with an excessive use of google:

The windows service "WebClient" must be running for setacl.exe to work properly!
Found this in some old forum thread. Nothing about this on Helge Kleins page...

I have a suggestion: Instead of altering file and registry permissions you might try to use PSEXEC to run the retweaker-script with nt-authority/system-rights?

Matt

[Matt]

www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/setacl-not-working.328138/

[Noel]

Thanks, I did not know about that dependency. Seems like a better SetACL type tool is what's needed.

Running the script as SYSTEM is a possible solution, but I've never liked the idea that someone who is in the Administrators group should not actually have all the permissions needed to do anything they want (remember, I never enable UAC), so I just don't think of going that way.

-Noel

[Locutus deBorg]

here's the win 7 webclient service description:

> Enables Windows-based programs to create, access, and modify Internet-based files.
If this service is stopped, these functions will not be available.
If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.

what's webclient got to do with the local file system !?
since when are my local files "Internet-based files: !?

oh that's right
Windows is IE and IE is Windows

more proof of unnecessary IE integration having its claws into the system where they don't belong

same goes with EFS (encrypting file system)
remove / uninstall all network adapters and networking components
then BOOM! you are locked out of all EFS files and even the recovery agent can't get them back

[atomicstryker]

It happens fairly reliably even under "normal" Full HD resolution. I remembered to take a screencap:






Clicking on one snaps them all back into proper alignment. I've disabled the undisableable language selection thing with the little trick that google spits out.

[Noel]

For what it's worth I've been seeing a variant of that icon resizing problem from time to time on systems going back as far as Windows 7. It's almost certainly triggered by the metrics I set. I'll need to experiment with that further. Thanks.

-Noel

[atomicstryker]

So i looked up the documentation for the buttons, to find the defaults especially, and found you actually increased 2 values, probably by mistake.

SmCaptionHeight and SmCaptionWidth are set to 255 in your batch, with 225 being the defaults. I've used the defaults, also reset IconSpacing and IconVerticalSpacing (as those never bothered me and might be the bug cause). Bug seems to be gone for now. Here's my 4 changed values and the documentation i added:

PaddedBorderWidth is not documented in the technet article

:: width of the borders around all the windows with borders that can be sized, default -15, range 0 to -750
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "BorderWidth" /t REG_SZ /d "0" >nul
:: Specifies the height of caption buttons. Default -270
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "CaptionHeight" /t REG_SZ /d "-255" >nul
:: Specifies the width of caption buttons. Default -270
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "CaptionWidth" /t REG_SZ /d "-225" >nul
:: Desktop Icon spacing, default -1125, range -480 to -2730
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "IconSpacing" /t REG_SZ /d "-1125" >nul
:: Desktop Icon spacing, default -1125, range -480 to -2730
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "IconVerticalSpacing" /t REG_SZ /d "-1125" >nul
:: Height of menu bars, default -270
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "MenuHeight" /t REG_SZ /d "-225" >nul
:: Width of menu bar buttons, default -270
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "MenuWidth" /t REG_SZ /d "-225" >nul

REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "PaddedBorderWidth" /t REG_SZ /d "1" >nul
:: Specifies the height of a standard horizontal scroll bar. Default -240
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "ScrollHeight" /t REG_SZ /d "-225" >nul
:: Specifies the width of a standard horizontal scroll bar. Default -240
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "ScrollWidth" /t REG_SZ /d "-225" >nul
:: Specifies the height of small captions. Default -225
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "SmCaptionHeight" /t REG_SZ /d "-225" >nul
:: Specifies the width of small caption buttons. Default -225
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics" /f /v "SmCaptionWidth" /t REG_SZ /d "-225" >nul

[Noel]

Awesome, thank you! I had not yet had time to investigate it further.

-Noel

[atomicstryker]

Bug is unfortunately still present. I think in the future i'll just disable this tweak entirely, as no option seems to be safe (WINdows...)

[Noel]

Thanks for the follow-up. For me the icons changing sizes under some conditions is no problem, and I like having reduced title bar height.

-Noel

[Techie007]

Sept 13, 2016 12:47:01 GMT -6 atomicstryker said:

Bug is unfortunately still present. I think in the future i'll just disable this tweak entirely, as no option seems to be safe (WINdows...)

    I'm not sure that the values you showed earlier are the defaults either.  Below is what I'm using.  The values were automatically set by Windows by changing the font sizes of the two titlebar types in Control Panel -> Display:



    By changing the titlebar (Caption) font from 9pt to 10pt, the caption was automatically resized from the default size of 330tw (22px) to 285tw (19px).  I also changed the palette title (SmCaption) font from 9pt to 8pt, which dropped its size from the default of 330tw (22px) to 225tw (15px).  All the other values are at the Windows 10 defaults—compared on a couple PCs.  Again, these changes were made via the Display Control Panel applet, and I am having no icon sizing issues.  Might be worth giving it a try?

[riajulzanna]

If we disable WlanSvc service then how we can connect with wifi ?? Noel,

[Noel]

I suggest that if you want to connect with wifi, you comment-out or delete the lines of the script that disable the service.

The script is not an end-all. I crafted it for my use; it can serve as a template and learning experience for others.

-Noel

[Guest]

Noel,
Any chance you make a version of your script that runs as a SYSTEM intead of Administrator? Lately on a new install it brakes the start menu and there is e bunch of DCOM errors in the event viewer all pointing to a wrong permissions(had to reinstall the WINDOWS several times with no luck) Reason i'm asking is because i'm not that tech-savvy just a follower of your great work.Thank you !!!!!

[Noel]

If you're running it on a Win 10 pre-release, you're probably going to be out of luck. I may install a pre-release right before the "Creator" update actually releases, and I *may* try to update this script to make it work again, but to be brutally honest I've lost interest in trying to keep up with Microsoft's moves.

I have chosen not to put Win 10 on any of my hardware systems - I only run it in a VM and I have no near term plans to change that.

It's just not worth my time any more to try to make Windows 10 pre-releases - which are moving farther and farther from being a controllable, rational system - into something useful. Maybe after the release, or maybe after the next Current Branch for Business I'll try again.

-Noel

[Locutus deBorg]

if you want to try running as system
get psexec and start a system level cmd run from there

> technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/pxexec.aspx

psexec -i -s cmd.exe

[Stewart Daniels]

Hello, I tried your tweaker (Salivating over having my CPU run at 5% or less when idle), in Win 7, I idled at 0%. However, during installation, I received many prompts in red typeface about errors due to packages that weren't installed. Upon restart, I had no network capabilities despite network configuration stating wireless adapter is working. Windows appeared to be missing files after the tweak.

If need be, I will duplicate, and post my error messages to you for your perusal. I find the idea of this tweaker wonderful, as I despise what Cortana represents, and all the chatter apps I don't use create in the background. I came from Win 7, and updated Windows manually

I have no true technical experience, and am sorry for not being able to put into technical terms what I experience. I would love to be rid of Cortana, and her friends. Help me Obi-Wan, you're my only hope. I see everyone else is enjoying the benefits, and I would gladly let my new machine participate into taking our OS' back from Microsoft. Thank You.

[Noel]

I'm sorry that it didn't run through successfully. For you. I retained networking afterward, though I personally don't use wifi with the system on which I test.  I also always run everything with UAC all the way disabled.

Have you tried running it several times? It's possible timing may matter.

-Noel

[Anon11249241]

I had the same problem with wlan and this fixed it for me:

:: SetACL -silent -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WlanSvc" -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administrators"
:: SetACL -silent -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WlanSvc" -actn ace -ace "n:Administrators;p:full"
:: REG ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WlanSvc" /f /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d 4 >nul

Commenting out those lines preserved wlan capability.

Maybe make a y/n question "Do you use wlan?" to exclude this service?

[Anon215415112]

Quick question: What do I need to comment out to make windows updates work normally?

If I keep wuauserv I can see that updates are available but they are stuck at 0 %

[Defiant]

anymore updates for this? i love how i can remove every app including cortana, edge, feedback ect. i was wondering about your privacy settings, do they completely disable ALL the spying? or do i have to also use another third party program like "do not spy", "o&o shut up 10", "destroy windows 10 spying" or others of this type? if so, which do recommend to be a complete, or alt least, the most comprehensive to block all windows spying? thank you for your time in making this. it is much appreciated.

[Noel]

The Windows Firewall service has to be started in addition to Windows Update service in order to successfully get through a Windows Update.  Windows Firewall doesn't have to be configured to do anything, and in my case I've deleted all the rules as well as setting it to Disabled.  Apparently the Windows Update process just has to see it start.  I have heard that there are secret rules put in place, but I'm not able to see any additional communications as a result of starting it with it set the way I have described.

I have just updated the script at the link in the first post. I have had it working with Windows 10 Creator's Edition for a week or to, but now version 1.16 no longer disables the wlansvc. I will consider moving that to a separate question in a future version. My apologies to those who have had their wireless networking interrupted.

I have several measures in place beyond those in this script to reducing spying, including blacklisting a number of Microsoft's telemetry servers from having their names resolved by DNS and employment of a 3rd party firewall package (Sphinx).  And yes, I have also run O&O ShutUp10.  More layers is better w/regard to security and privacy.

-Noel

[condor]

Hy Noel, nice script. Tested on 1703.

- When you remove Cortana, can you make script to hide Cortana search box?
- To set File Explorer to open This PC

And a question. What code use to change size of notification icons? There are to small

Tks
condor msfn forum

[condor]

LE: I found who change icons size from tray area. Regs tweaks from Miscellaneous Desktop.

[Noel]

I've updated the script at the original link in this thread to 1.20 with some additional tweaks:

- The Windows Error Reporting Service is now disabled.
- The AppReadiness service is disabled, so that the Apps won't show back up after a reboot.
- The default open-to location is now "This PC" after the Abstract Namespace Removal step is done.
- The Data Usage Monitor Service (DusmSvc) is now disabled.
- Dates are always shown as "Sun, April 30, 2017, 4:45:08 PM", not "3 minutes ago".
- An error message is averted if Cortana has already been removed.

- The WindowMetrics have been changed so as not to mess up the tray icon size.

I've got it so it will settle to an idle desktop with 74 processes running (10 of which I've added).

I'll need to experiment to see if I can achieve the window chrome spacing I want (e.g., smaller title bar size) yet still keep the system tray icons large. Thanks for the observation, condor.

-Noel