Windows Hints and Tips

Bios
  • Check your bios version: wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion
Disable Windows Keys (Win+letter)
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced > add DisabledHotkeys as New Expandable String with the list of letters you want to disabled as value, e.g. ACQST
  • Restart Explorer
Pin any file to the Start Menu
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFileSystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers > add {470C0EBD-5D73-4d58-9CED-E91E22E23282} as SubKey and enter Pin to Start as (default) value
Re-order entries in Navigation Pane of File Explorer
  • 3rd-party entries are under the path \HKEY_USERS\[*SID*]_Classes\CLSID\[*ApplicationHash*]. If you're the only user logged on (entries only exist for active users not logged out), your SID (or Security Identifier) will be obvious because there will only be one. It is the long one. Otherwise obtain your user by using the Command Prompt statement wmic useraccount get name,sid.
    • {018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-xxxxxxxxxxxx} OneDrive - Personal
    • {04271989-C4D2-9705-A5AE-C6621B42FBF2} OneDrive for Business
    • {0E270DAA-1BE6-48F2-AC49-xxxxxxxxxxxx} Creative Cloud Files
    • {19E5D309-B824-48f8-86a9-xxxxxxxxxxxx} Google Drive
    • {E31EA727-12ED-4702-820C-xxxxxxxxxxxx} Dropbox
  • Entries are configured using the two values System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree (boolean) and SortOrderIndex (integer)
MSN homepage opening when switching networks
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NlaSvc\Parameters\Internet\EnableActiveProbing = 0