Windows GUIDE

General tips and tricks for when Windows is throwing a tantrum.

HOW to add a driver to a boot image

Open command prompt (Start Menu > cmd or C:\windows\system32\cmd.exe)

Type the following commands after renaming the directory paths and install.wim file to the ones on your system.

dism /mount-wim /wimfile:C:\temp\test\sources\install.wim /index:1

/mountdir:C:\temp\test\random

dism /image:C:\temp\test\random /add-driver /driver:C:\temp\test\sources\drives /recurse

dism /unmount-wim /mountdir:c:\temp\test\random /commit

HOW TO ADD SHOW DESKTOP BACK TO WINDOWS 10

In Windows 10 the show desktop icon was replaced by a thin invisible line on the far right of the task bar.

To create a Windows 7 style "show desktop icon" instead follow the steps outlined below:

1.) Open up notepad (Start Menu > notepad)

Enter the code below and save the file as "Show Desktop.scf"

[Shell]

Command=2

IconFile=explorer.exe,3

[Taskbar]

Command=ToggleDesktop

AUTO RUN A COMMAND ON BOOT Up

You need to create 3 files to accomplish this.

*open notepad.exe enter code and "save as" .bat or .vbs to create files

1.) a .bat file containing the command.

2.) a .vbs file to auto run the .bat file

3.) a shortcut to the .vbs file located in the windows startup folder.

DOS Batch File Examples: (filename.bat)

Example 1:

cd C:\inetpub\wwwroot\node\server

node server.js

Example 2:

cd c:\inetpub\wwwroot\KiwiIRC

kiwi start

Virtual Basic Script Example (filename.vbs)

Set oShell = CreateObject ("Wscript.Shell")

Dim strArgs

strArgs = "cmd /c nodestart.bat"

oShell.Run strArgs, 0, false

*replace "nodestart" with the name of your batch file.

Shortcut Directions (Shortcut file)

Right click your filename.vbs file and select "Create Shortcut".

Open a new instance of Windows Explorer (Start Menu > Explorer)

Navigate to: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Click and drag your filename.vbs - shortcut file into the startup folder.

CORRECT an UNRECOGNIZED COMMAND

For example if (ipconfig) is no longer recognized, check that the default "long" command (windows\system32\ipconfig /all) still works.

To fix this right click "My Computer" & select "Properties." > Click "Advanced" tab. >Click "Environment Variables" button. Then in the "System variables" box, scroll down to "PATH" and highlight it. Click the "Edit" button and in the "Variable value:" box, add this string to the very beginning of the text "C:\WINDOWS\system32;" without my quotation marks. Make sure you include the semicolon. Then click OK three times.

That should of have done it to test open cmd, right-click and select "run as administrator", Type cd C:\ hit enter, Type ipconfig, hit enter.

CLEARing the PRINTER SPOOLER

Navigate to the spooler folder where print jobs are cached

\\computername\c$\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS

and delete all items.

HOW TO FIND the SERVICE TAG VIA CMD

Run CMD: (C:/windows/system32/cmd.exe)

Type: wmic bios get serialnumber

If you're on a LAN and access the PC remotely.

Type: nsclookup "Name of PC" to find it's IP4

Type: wmic /node:10.0.0.0 /user:admin /password:creds bios get serialnumber

FORCE READ PRIVILIAGES ON a FOLDER

Navigate to the containing directory of the folder you want to edit in CMD. cd C:\inetpub\wwwroot\ then type command: icacls trickyfolder /grant:r "Administrators":(OI)(CI)M

Open Windows explorer (Start Menu > explorer).

Right-click "My Computer" & select "Properties."

Click "Advanced/Advanced System Settings" tab.

Click "Environment Variables" button.

In the "System variables" box, scroll down to "PATH" and highlight it. Click the "Edit" button. In the "Variable value:" box, add to the very beginning of the text "C:\WINDOWS\system32;" without my quotation marks. (replace system32 with system depending on the location of icacls) Make sure you include the semicolon.

Click OK three times.