This section covers Windows-based articles and reviews, including Microsoft Windows installation tutorials, comprehensive security guides, and popular software tests. You will also find advanced topics like BSOD analysis, EMET and exploit protection configuration, group policies, WMIC, Powershell tricks, dual-booting side by side with Linux, and other useful tips and tricks.
A few select, recommended articles are shown as thumbnail previews just underneath this paragraph. A full listing of published articles is available farther below.
Windows NetBT Initialization failed error - Check your VPN
Updated December 31, 2022
Windows 10 & remove "non-removable" keyboard layouts
Updated August 23, 2022
Moving from Windows to Linux - Disk management
Updated April 27, 2022
How to delete files with weird characters in Windows
Updated March 30, 2022
Moving away from Windows - the software checklist
Updated March 9, 2022
How to make Explorer more responsive in Windows 11
Updated March 2, 2022
Moving away from Windows - It begins
Updated February 21, 2022
Windows 11 - six months later, still totally meh
Updated February 9, 2022
Disk space cleanup tools and methods in Windows
Updated November 1, 2021
How to correctly disable unnecessary services in Windows
Updated October 5, 2021
Performance tweaks for Windows 11
Updated October 1, 2021
Windows 11 will be the new Vista (or Windows 8)
Updated September 22, 2021
How to set up default programs in Windows 11
Updated September 15, 2021
How to configure a local user account in Windows 11
Updated September 6, 2021
How to use a classic menu in Windows 11 with Open-Shell
Updated August 30, 2021
Windows 11 - first round of desktop usability tweaks
Updated August 25, 2021
WinSCP - A capable, useful FTP client
Updated August 20, 2021
How to pin random folder shortcuts to taskbar in Windows 11
Updated August 9, 2021
Windows 11 early review - Shiny, inefficient, confusing
Updated July 9, 2021
Windows 11 - How to install the preview Dev release
Updated July 2, 2021
Windows 10 annoyances - Episode 9000
Updated May 24, 2021
Windows 10 upgrade - Build 1909 to 20H2 - Not fun
Updated May 7, 2021
My latest round of Windows 10 update adventures - going 20H2
Updated April 23, 2021
How to uninstall stubborn software in Windows 10
Updated April 12, 2021
Windows 10 version 2004 review - Okay, sort of
Updated July 29, 2020
HWiNFO - Your hardware info one-stop shop
Updated June 24, 2020
PortableApps - Mobility, convenience, value
Updated June 22, 2020
Winget - The Windows (Package Manager) gets it all
Updated June 1, 2020
BleachBit - Spring cleaning all year long
Updated May 13, 2020
Open-Shell - Classic Shell Reborn, and pretty neat too
Updated March 21, 2020
Windows 10 essential post-installation tweaks
Updated February 26, 2020
How to block Internet Explorer in Windows
Updated February 15, 2020
Windows 10 upgrade (from Windows 7) - Surprisingly smooth
Updated January 15, 2020
Messed up laptop: Windows 10 recovery
Updated January 11, 2020
How to make Windows 10 USB install media in Linux
Updated January 4, 2020
Windows 7, KB4474419 & failed update - Tutorial
Updated November 27, 2019
How to calibrate display in Windows - colors suddenly wrong
Updated November 18, 2019
Windows 7 end of support - What to do next guide
Updated October 26, 2019
Windows 10 recent builds & local account setup
Updated October 19, 2019
KDE Connect on Windows - Sneak a peak
Updated September 23, 2019
Sandboxie review - Application isolation for experts
Updated September 14, 2019
Windows 7 & security-only telemetry - What gives?
Updated July 15, 2019
Windows user backup - The quick 'n' dirty guide
Updated July 5, 2019
I wanted to try Windows Defender Application Guard
Updated July 3, 2019
Karen's Replicator - Works on Windows 10 once more
Updated May 27, 2019
Windows 10 updates - One small step for man, one big ...
Updated April 27, 2019
OneDrive shortcut in Windows 10 explore won't go away
Updated March 18, 2019
I finally upgraded Windows 10 to Build 1809 - Results
Updated February 8, 2019
SyncBack Free review - It's elementary, data
Updated December 8, 2018
Windows 10 - best tools for your admin shed
Updated November 12, 2018
Windows 10 - No group policy editor? Policy Plus!
Updated October 20, 2018
Windows 10 updates - One step forward, one step back
Updated October 6, 2018
Windows 10 - How to hide updates
Updated September 26, 2018
Windows 10 fresh install - What gives?
Updated August 24, 2018
Windows 10 & SMBv1 - Does it work?
Updated July 11, 2018
Windows 10 Update 1804 - Agile Shmagile
Updated June 25, 2018
Windows Subsystem for Linux - Many distros!
Updated May 11, 2018
Windows 10 telemetry - Open up, Sesame
Updated March 2, 2018
Windows Phone navigation - Road test
Updated February 10, 2018
Meltdown and Spectre - Performance and stability
Updated January 24, 2018
How to deploy Meltdown patches - in Windows 7/8/10
Updated January 12, 2018
Windows 10 exploit protection - Tutorial
Updated December 20, 2017
Windows 10 Fall Creators Update Build 1709 review
Updated December 4, 2017
Fix Windows 10 time sync offset - Tutorial
Updated November 1, 2017
The hunt for the tabbed explorer
Updated September 16, 2017
Windows 10 & limited account - edit startup programs
Updated September 13, 2017
MBAM + Ataport.sys BSOD = What now?
Updated September 6, 2017
AOMEI Backupper review - Needs more resilience
Updated June 26, 2017
Windows 10 Creators Update - Let there be light
Updated June 9, 2017
Windows 10 & new processors policy - The explanation
Updated May 10, 2017
Windows 8.1 gets stuck searching for updates
Updated May 5, 2017
Windows 10, annoying ads & ultimate privacy setup
Updated April 24, 2017
Winaero Tweaker - Taming the Shrew ... again
Updated April 14, 2017
ATI, UEFI and Windows 8.1 - How to recover partitions
Updated April 1, 2017
Windows 10 & SuRun - Stand and deliver
Updated February 15, 2017
Windows 7 cumulative rollup updates - Any good?
Updated December 3, 2016
Ultimate Windows Tweaker - Taming the Shrew
Updated November 25, 2016
Microsoft UX expert talks about Windows 10
Updated October 28, 2016
Powershell on Linux - Early taste
Updated October 22, 2016
How to run graphical apps in BASH in Windows 10
Updated October 17, 2016
SuRun on Windows 7 - Worth trying?
Updated September 30, 2016
How to fix slow Windows 7 updates - Tutorial
Updated September 30, 2016
Let's bash Windows 10. I mean BASH on Windows 10!
Updated September 23, 2016
Windows 10 Anniversary Update - Not too bad
Updated August 27, 2016
WSUS Offline - Update thy Windows
Updated August 26, 2016
Autopatcher - Fix for slow Windows Updates
Updated August 19, 2016
Windows makes USB disconnect-connect sounds - Fix
Updated July 11, 2016
GWX Stopper - A tool to stop Windows 10 upgrades
Updated July 2, 2016
Never10 - Not likey Windows 10? No ragrets.
Updated June 29, 2016
Fight 'em, tooth and nail - Corporate greed be gone
Updated June 25, 2016
Windows 10 user management - Account Savant
Updated June 24, 2016
Windows IFEO, GWX, Nirvana, and more
Updated June 16, 2016
How to block Windows 10 upgrades - Many solutions!
Updated June 10, 2016
Windows XP - April 2016 report; sign of life?
Updated May 11, 2016
Microsoft EMET 5.5 review - The goodness abides
Updated May 7, 2016
Windows 10 & GWX Control Panel
Updated April 23, 2016
April security sensationalism and FUD
Updated April 20, 2016
Windows 10 GWX upgrade removal - second guide
Updated April 11, 2016
Windows security updates with ads - Continued
Updated April 4, 2016
Slow Windows Update? Here's a fix. Maybe.
Updated March 31, 2016
Windows disk space usage - unknown files
Updated March 23, 2016
Windows security updates come with ads? Let's check.
Updated March 18, 2016
Partition Master review - Or maybe a servant?
Updated March 7, 2016
Power Data Recovery review - Get your bytes back
Updated March 2, 2016
Cameyo V3 - Application virtualization, not this time
Updated February 12, 2016
Windows 7 + USB 3.0 external hard disk disconnects
Updated February 6, 2016
More Windows 10 privacy with W10Privacy
Updated January 27, 2016
Older articles
If you are looking for Windows-related articles published BEFORE 2016, please check my Windows archive page, or use the search box at the top of this page.