Interested in participating in Re-Tweaker development/test?

[NoNameMe]

Noel thank you Sir,

Thanks for continuing your work and we've seen another update from you.
I ran the old script that I downloaded 8/20/2016 of Windows10ReTweaker.zip 3,212KB for the first time today the 6th May 2017 on my Win 8.1 x64 system.
But I also seen the bat files of Windows10ReTweaker.bat 7/31/2016 83KB,
Windows10ReTweaker_1.7.bat 3/21/2016 87KB and Windows10ReTweaker_1.8.bat 3/22/2016 83KB, housed in the unzipped folder.
Of which I only ran the Windows10ReTweaker_1.8.bat 3/22/2016 83KB, wanting to run the most up to date of that time I had.

Was I right to just run this one - Windows10ReTweaker_1.8.bat 3/22/2016 83KB Windows batch file? Did it do all the script is to do?
It's seemed to execute well and wholeness as I was to see it finish. Something's like apps and store I had already taken care of a long time ago.
I really wouldn't know otherwise as I'm not an under the hood type without a good set of instruction or TUT. I do like that you give a final verdict after each task that Completes or was Skipped and/or had an error.

Ok, I see now by downloading the updated the script at the original link in this thread, that of 1.20 with some additional tweaks, it has the three bat files still in it - Why? Using logic and reasoning now, and with the one saying Windows10ReTweaker.bat (name sake of the zip)and the most current date and with the biggest file size - looks to be the one to run every time (no matter if others are in there).
I take it this has to be this way and possibility all work in unison together then. Maybe for this reason "Your previous answers, if you have run this script before, are shown as defaults."

Topics script went through-then (Disabled or Removed and other tweaks or errors).
Increase Privacy,
Remove Pre-Installed Apps,
One Drive Removal, Disable All Unistack Service Groupe Services,
Abstract Namespace Removal From Under This PC IN File Explorer,
Set Deafault Optimization For New FoldersIn File Explorer To General Items,
Unhiding AppData And ProgramData Folders,
Disable Generation Of Hidden Thumbs.db Files,
Disable Various Unneeded Services,
Disable Various Scheduled Tasks,
Miscellaneous Desktop UsailityTweaks.

Exiting Windows10ReTweaker - remember to reboot to take advantage of any changes.
No trouble with my Win 8.1 x64 afterword's that I can see right now.

I've also ran BlackBird before on my Win 8.1 x64 with good results and I feel both complement each other at least on my system as they have both worked well in part and my sysytem still works great.

You've said your open to suggestions - of sorts, specifically asking for - additional things to tweak.

[NOTE: Windows Defender protects some of these settings, so you might want to stop it before going through this section.]

I don't use or didn't need to stop Windows Defender because of my Internet Security Suite has already done that, but may I suggest that your script gives this option of "Disable/Stop Windows Defender" (y, n, c) c= continue for people that know Defender is stopped, and for others to have that chance of it being stopped while running your script giving a "y" command here - without having to quit before really getting started running your script. (EDIT: I see it's a TODO mentioned in the V 1.20 Windows10ReTweaker script.)
If that's not possible, give advise before hand that those systems running Windows defender will NEED to stop it before stating the script and then to re-start Windows Defender after their system re-starts that the Noel script requires.

Then to proceed on after this to the "Tweak settings to Improve Privacy (Y/N/, default: y)?
After the script user see's "Starting privacy settings tweaks." - "Tweak of privacy settings completed."
Offer a tweak command here for those people that ran the "Stop Defender" command "y" (if your able to include it) to "Start" Windows Defender now so they won't forget later to do so.

[WARNING: IF YOU SEE A SERVICE IN THE ABOVE LIST THAT YOU BELIEVE YOU'LL NEED, quit this script and edit it out!]

For people like me a little guidance to what and where to find the editable parts of your script, after that I believe most can run from there.
Possibly having to move or copy it out to a place to edit with a special editor. (EDIT: found if you copy the main Windows10ReTweaker.bat of 4-30-2017 v1.20 to another location and change it's extension to .txt you can open it with Notepad and then edit the parts needed)change the extension back to .bat and copy and replace the original / hey I'm still crawling on all fours - trying not to C_ap myself, balance will come much later for me.

I didn't try to do any edits here , but got this with 8-20-2016 version? - "Disabling of various unneeded services completed.
ERROR: The system was unable to find the specified registry key or value.
The system cannot find the file specified." Is this cause that Win 8.1 x64 doesn't have some of these Win 10 services?
Then Win 8.1 users need to manually disable the ones from the command screen shown that they do have?

If you could add the ability to choose or just offer a log of the ran Noel script back in the Windows10ReTweaker folder or somewhere known, instead of using edit and copy the command window would be a great offering Noel.

If it wasn't for M$ C_ap a lot of people would have to learn this jazz.
Very appreciative to you Noel and I'm sorry if anyone who reads this thinks otherwise. Your the Man !
Side note: anyone with Win 7 or 8.1 using this Noel Script, if you could list the Noel Script part that gave you trouble and/or omitted by yourselves for others to know that they're for the Win 10 OS purpose only.

Thanks,
NoName

[Maxxp]

Feb 5, 2016 13:22:28 GMT -6 Noel said:

They install all the Apps.  I uninstall all the Apps.  This includes the Windows Store App.  If you want to use Apps this script is probably not for you.   Also NOTE:  AS OF WIN 10 v1703 "Creator's Update", removing all the Apps appears to break the ability to update the system with Windows Update.  I am presently experimenting with a configuration in which I skip the App removal step, but do everything else.

• 
  I suggest avoiding the App removal step entirely for now.
   

Noel

I tried 1.22 on Creators and it removed everything as expected. Don't care much about the windows update since mine don't last a couple months anyways
I do run the Windows Defender Security Center. I could tell it was updating in the background so something was running. Even using the MSASCui.exe to open that worked. Problem was it wouldn't open from taskbar. Even going to Settings / Updates and Security / Windows Defender it has a button there to Open Windows Defender Security Center. Was getting the thing you need an App to open this. Tried undoing some of the Services you added in latest and couldn't get it to start.

I'm searching through the Apps list I have trying to figure out what it is depending on. I think this Windows Defender Security Center was all new with this Creators update

[Techie007]

Jun 19, 2017 18:40:38 GMT -6 Maxxp said:

I tried 1.22 on Creators and it removed everything as expected. Don't care much about the windows update since mine don't last a couple months anyways
I do run the Windows Defender Security Center. I could tell it was updating in the background so something was running. Even using the MSASCui.exe to open that worked. Problem was it wouldn't open from taskbar. Even going to Settings / Updates and Security / Windows Defender it has a button there to Open Windows Defender Security Center. Was getting the thing you need an App to open this. Tried undoing some of the Services you added in latest and couldn't get it to start.

I'm searching through the Apps list I have trying to figure out what it is depending on. I think this Windows Defender Security Center was all new with this Creators update

    Windows Defender's UI has been converted to an app.  This app is named Microsoft.Windows.SecHealthUI.  If the app is uninstalled, you lose the GUI for Windows Defender.  I would put this app on par with the Settings (windows.immersivecontrolpanel) app as an important app to keep.  Haven't figured out what's going on with Windows Update yet.

[maxxpsoft]

Ok thanks Techie
I didn't know they converted that to app been playing with drones a lot lately but still use his script each time I reinstall
Wonder if we can talk Noel into giving us a keep list as far as maybe one App like that? Somehow he leaves the important things that have to be there but i've looked at his coding in that many times and haven't figured it out
:: Now remove all the Apps except ShellExperienceHost and immersivecontrolpanel and run-time packages

sed -r -e "/^Microsoft\.Windows\.ShellExperienceHost/d" -e "/^windows\.immersivecontrolpanel/d" -e "/PackageFullName/d" -e "/---------------/d" -e "/^[ \t]*$/d" -e "s/ +$//g" _WRT_RemainingPackages.txt >_WRT_TrimmedPackages.txt

OK guess the -e on the sed is exclude. OK need to add SecHealthUI and try out a few others may do with WU

[maxxpsoft]

Figured it out. Just had to add SecHealthUI to not remove. Defender Security Center working fine.

[Noel]

Sorry I don't check back here very often. I see you guys have already figured out how to retain the security center.

I don't use Defender or active AV software at all, having wrapped my systems and LAN in far more effective security. I just don't need to have my systems constantly doubting their own processes and data, and get some benefit from that in that the resources are more available for my own work. I scan daily with MBAM and it has never found anything.

Best I've achieved so far is 66 processes running in Win 10 v1703 to support an idle desktop.

And it runs all day without making even one unexpected network communication. Of course that excludes certificate chain validation with certification authorities and things like license checks from software that activates online. As an example, I let Win 10 run all day on the 22nd, and saw exactly these comms (a certificate check with ctldl.windowsupdate.com and the Sphinx firewall verifying its license with sphinx-soft.com):

C:\TEMP>fgrep 192.168.2.26 \\svn\c\DualServer\log\DualServer20170622.log
[22-Jun-17 10:58:59] Client 192.168.2.26, ctldl.windowsupdate.com A resolved from Forwarding Server as 118.214.160.200
[22-Jun-17 13:55:17] Client 192.168.2.26, sphinx-soft.com A resolved from Forwarding Server as 198.38.82.127

-Noel

[condor]

Noel, Using you script, I only removed/uninstall apps, without services, tweaks etc and updates work on 1703. I think updates is broken by something else, a service, registry teak...
But I will test more to find what broke updates on CU.

[mart]

hello since im a script noob, where do i put the SecHealthUI to the not remove section, i tried to understand the batch file, but im lost ....

[maxxpsoft]

Nov 25, 2017 4:32:05 GMT -6 mart said:

hello since im a script noob, where do i put the SecHealthUI to the not remove section, i tried to understand the batch file, but im lost ....

Add it to front of line similar to this. There are 3 places you want to change the lines in the .bat file
Bold text is what I am changing or adding

sed -r -e "/^Microsoft\.Windows\.SecHealthUI/d" -e "/^Microsoft\.Windows\.ShellExperienceHost/d"

I am experimenting and believe I got the Windows Update running again even though I remove pratically everything using Noels .bat file. Had an update just this morning. I am leaving in .DesktopAppInstaller also. So now it looks like this

sed -r -e "/^Microsoft\.Windows\.DesktopAppInstaller/d" -e "/^Microsoft\.Windows\.SecHealthUI/d" -e "/^Microsoft\.Windows\.ShellExperienceHost/d"

I run a small bat after this and looks like WU is working again. Might not be total recall like Noel is doing but I only want the stuff removed and leave on Defender and WU

[Rick]

I'm happy to report that the Re-Tweaker program still works well on the later builds of Windows 10, Redstone 5, Skip Ahead edition, build 17634. Ever since the latter builds of RedStone 4, and now into the early Skip Ahead builds of RedStone 5, Windows 10 has become agonizingly, almost to the point of being unusable on my system. I'm still configured with the original minimum memory spec of having the minimum 1-GB RAM for running the 32-bit edition. I know Microsoft changed this spec to 2 GB some time ago, but my Windows 10 was still running acceptably well until recently. The Re-Tweaker has definitely brought up the performance of my Windows 10 system. It's much more pleasurable to use once again.

When running the Re-Tweaker program, I did have a few error messages about packages that could not be removed as they were not installed on my system, but other than that, I have not seen any ill effects on my system because of this.

Edit:
In looking at the numbers, using Windows Performance Monitor, before running Re-Tweaker on my dual core processor test system, it was showing that one of my cores was running flat out, memory usage was in the 80% plus range, and it was not taking very much to put my hard drive into full I/O saturation. All of this was happening when my system was supposedly just sitting there idle. After running Re-Tweaker, at idle, both processor cores were available, memory usage was down to 60%, and the hard drive was sitting near idle for I/O transfers. It should be noted that I had the Windows Swap File setup to work exclusively through a small SDD that I happen to have on hand. This little trick helped with the performance on the RS-4 builds, but it was proving to be ineffective on the RS-5 builds. In the memory usage department, I know if it wasn't for the fact that I need to run my graphics adapter in compatibility mode, the numbers would be far better.

[maxxpsoft]

Have a Alienware Aurora R7 Windows 10 Pro Version. Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17134.81]
It don't get updates very often but even running Noels script it still is updating by modding it like Reply #98 posted Dec 17, 2017. May have to run the script 2 or more times. Mainly I see error that stuff is not installed.



This is what I run after running Noels script. May reboot first so changes take effect then reboot after this.

SetACL -silent -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv" -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administrators"
SetACL -silent -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv" -actn ace -ace "n:Administrators;p:full"
net stop DcomLaunch
SetACL -silent -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DcomLaunch" -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administrators"
SetACL -silent -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DcomLaunch" -actn ace -ace "n:Administrators;p:full"
sc config wuauserv start= auto
sc config bits start= auto
sc config DcomLaunch start= auto
net stop wuauserv
net start wuauserv
net stop bits
net start bits
net start DcomLaunch
ECHO Pause to see what worked.
pause

[Disk2019]

Used your script & it worked flawlessly but i want two exceptions ie Windows Update & Windows Defender Firewall.
if its possible please exempt them from next release or any other way to take them back to working state.

[Disk2019]

Dec 17, 2017 7:22:58 GMT -6 maxxpsoft said:

Nov 25, 2017 4:32:05 GMT -6 mart said:

hello since im a script noob, where do i put the SecHealthUI to the not remove section, i tried to understand the batch file, but im lost ....

Add it to front of line similar to this. There are 3 places you want to change the lines in the .bat file
Bold text is what I am changing or adding

sed -r -e "/^Microsoft\.Windows\.SecHealthUI/d" -e "/^Microsoft\.Windows\.ShellExperienceHost/d"

I am experimenting and believe I got the Windows Update running again even though I remove pratically everything using Noels .bat file. Had an update just this morning. I am leaving in .DesktopAppInstaller also. So now it looks like this

sed -r -e "/^Microsoft\.Windows\.DesktopAppInstaller/d" -e "/^Microsoft\.Windows\.SecHealthUI/d" -e "/^Microsoft\.Windows\.ShellExperienceHost/d"

I run a small bat after this and looks like WU is working again. Might not be total recall like Noel is doing but I only want the stuff removed and leave on Defender and WUHow to exempt Edge Browser from being removed via Noel's Script . its pakage name is as follows : Microsoft-Windows-Internet-Browser-Package

[isidroco]

On AppRemoving, Disabling AppReadiness service will make updates which requieres reboot to fail and undo (after a lot of wasted time). This will be repeated when w10 retries to install that (or newer) updates.

(Discovered that in my own script disabling stuff: sourceforge.net/projects/optimwin-batch/ ).

On line #451 AppReadiness service must be changed to manual (3) to avoid ruining WUpdate:

REG ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\AppReadiness" /f /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d 3 >nul