Everyone,
I have a blank 500 GB hard drive that I was not using, so I figured it was time for me to start looking at Windows 10. The beauty of having a desktop is that I can unplug my main OS drive (1 TB) and plug in another blank hard drive to test out a new OS, without making any changes to my existing system. When I'm done playing around, or want to go back to "normal", I just shut down my desktop, unplug / re-plug in the right HD's, and all is well.
So that everyone is on the same page, the ISO I am using to install and investigate Windows 10 came from Microsoft, using their Media Creation Tool (version 10.0.10586.0). This version allows me to install Windows 10 Version 1511, OS Build 10586.3.
I am using the 64 bit version of Windows 10, and its Pro not Home.
As most of you may know, I have quite a detailed list of "installation steps" that I have created for Windows 7, and Windows 8.1. It outlines for me everything from what software to install, to changes to the look/feel of the desktop, registry key modifications, services to disable, and so on. Continuing with this process, I am now making myself a "Windows 10 Install" document.
In doing so, I have come up with a few questions that I would like to ask. I've done some google searches, but have not been able to come up with much information.
The first has to do with what is displayed inside of the "users" folder in Computer Management for Local Users and Groups.
[attachment=1]
During the install process, I did figure out how to do the install without using a Microsoft account (which, btw, was actually very easy). So, I created a local account, and that is shown in that list.
The other accounts (Administrator and Guest) were expected, as they have been there in past versions of Windows. My question here has to do with the account called "DefaultAccount". Below is what I see when I right-click on the account name and select properties.
[attachment=2]
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The account is disabled, so if it was to be used, it would have to be enabled first. However, I wonder what its purpose is? Do we really need it? Can it be deleted?
The next question I have has to do with the start menu. As with Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, I do some heavy customization of it. Just like in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, the data that shows up comes from two places (if one is logged in using the local account "Administrator"
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
As part of my process, I take all files/folders from those two locations, and move them to a folder on my desktop. I do this, as I want to move/rename/organize how things look.
When I did that in Windows 7, the start menu was empty, outside of the Startup folder. In Windows 8.1, the start screen was blank as well, outside of the Desktop Tile (I left that just to play it safe so I could get back to the desktop LOL).
However, in Windows 10, the start menu is not blank. There are still a few icons left behind.
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I am not worried about things in that first image (File Explorer, Settings, Power, etc). Its the items shown when you click on "All Apps" that I am wondering about.
Is there a way to move these as well? I would really like to put them in some kind of folder on the start menu as they are all items that I will probably never use.
Speaking of the Start Menu, is there a way to have it not show the Letter headings (like C, M, S, W)? Before I moved everything, any shortcut or folder would show up sorted alphabetically (which was a good thing), but it had the big letters above each group. I would like to keep things as they are, just remove that big letter!
Finally, I do want to point out that the commands I used in Windows 8.1 to remove "most" of the Windows Apps (Bing Sports, Weather, and so on) still works under Windows 10. If you recall, those were all stored in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps. Running these commands from inside of Windows Powershell does remove them
Get-AppXProvisionedPackage -online | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -online Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage
I also ran this command as well, from both an elevated command prompt of my user, and the normal command prompt from the built-in user "Administrator"
psexec -s powershell -c "get-appxpackage | remove-appxpackage"
I do want to point out that you may have to run them two or more times to remove everything, as I think there is some kind of dependency with these. But, in the end, the directory C:\Program Files\WindowsApps is blank. No apps remain. They were also all removed from the start menu as well.
I said "most" above, as there are apps that physically reside in C:\Windows\SystemApps (Cortana is one of them) that one cannot remove using these commands. Here is what comes back when Cortana tries to be removed using these commands.
Remove-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CFA, Removal failed. Please contact your software vendor.(Exception from HRESULT: 0x80073CFA)error 0x80070032: AppX Deployment Remove operation on packageMicrosoft.Windows.Cortana_1.6.1.52_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy from:C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy failed. This app is part of Windows and cannot beuninstalled on a per-user basis. An administrator can attempt to remove the app from the computer using Turn WindowsFeatures on or off. However, it may not be possible to uninstall the app.NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] bfc0c511-a45f-0001-e4d5-c0bf5fa4d101 in the Event Log or usethe command line Get-AppxLog -ActivityID bfc0c511-a45f-0001-e4d5-c0bf5fa4d101At line:1 char:29+ Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : WriteError: (Microsoft.Windo...l_cw5n1h2txyewy:String) [Remove-AppxPackage], IOException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.RemoveAppxPackageCommand
Notice the wording of "This app is part of Windows and cannot be uninstalled on a per-user basis." That is the same messsage that came back with Windows 8.1 when the command would try to remove apps like "Microsoft.MoCamera" or "windows.immersivecontrolpanel".
I'm not really worried about what is left behind. I really just wanted to point out that the commands still work in Windows 10, and all those annoying apps can be removed.
As I continue to investigate Windows 10, I will post further questions or issues that I come up with in this thread. I would like to thank anyone in advance for any information they can provide with the questions I have so far.
Thanks for reading.
--Brian
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--Brian Plencner
E-Mail: CoasterBrian72Cancer@gmail.com
Note: Kill Cancer to Reply via e-mail
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