How I set up a Windows (10) PC when I first get it. Note: all preformatted text are mostly package names for chocolatey.

There are some new updates from Chris Titus Tech, but I haven’t got the time to go through them.

basic

  • Unbox, physical inspection and setup, charge!
  • Boot up and go though the Windows initial setup
  • create restore point
  • windows update, manufacturer (hardware driver, BIOS) update
  • enable bitLocker (since some BIOS update might need to decrypt the drive etc)
  • install chocolatey powershell Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force; [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol -bor 3072; iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))
  • Debloat windows
  • Disable windows store update

Additional Programmes

Utility

  • Browser firefox
    • Sign in to sync stuff
    • or set up yourself everytime
    • Dark mode for firefox
    • plugins/add-ons (uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, BitWarden, Auto Tab Discard, Facebook Container, Flagfox, Simple Tab Groups, VirusTotal scan etc)
  • Cloud sync
  • Office tools, Email client

Transfer from another PC

  • Greenshot greenshot + sync util to screenshot settings
  • mousewithoutborders Windows only or barrier for cross platform
  • environment variables

Work

  • VPNs
  • IDE
    • Visual Studio (C++)
    • JetBrains
    • VS Code 
      code --list-extensions    # to save all extensions and
code --install-extension  # on new pc

      More programmes somewhat sorted at the end of the page.

later on

  • Settings -> Update & Security -> For developers
    • Developer mode
    • File Explorer options
  • Startup
  • Disable animations Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows
    • What I leave activated are Enable Peek, Show thumbnails, Show windows contents, smooth edges, Smooth-scroll
  • re-enable windows media player Microsoft help (for Preview in QTTabBar)
    • Apparently, just activating in the new windows settings won’t work. Go to the very bottom of Optional features -> More Windows features to get the old Windows Features, activate Media Features->Windows Media Player
  • set up git credentials
    • if you want to have multiple SSH keys, take a look at this post
  • default app
  • disable web search at Start Menu (Guide from howtogeek, check the *.reg file!)
  • Settings
    • System
      • Storage: Turn off Storage Sense
      • Shared experiences
      • Clipboard
      • Remote Desktop
      • power & sleep: adjust sleep time
    • Networking -> WiFi
      • on random hardware addresses
      • off Hotspot 2.0 networks
    • Devices
      • Mouse: theme & size
      • Typing: auto-correction
      • Pan & windows Ink - uncheck all
    • Search
      • Permission & History
      • Searching Windows -> Advance Search Indexer Settings
        • Advanced -> Index location so that when I run TreeSize, I know to ignore it directly
        • Clean up unnecessary locations
          • If you use PowerToys Run, you still need windows indexing
          • If you want Outlook and search function, do not disable it entirely
    • Privacy
    • Update -> Delivery Optimisation
  • Mouse theme & size
  • Save battery: dim screen but not sleep directly!
    • Settings -> Personalisation -> Lock Screen: set to Slideshow temporarily, then Advanced settings
      • disable ‘When my PC is inactive, show lock screen instead of turning off the screen’
    • Settings -> System -> Power & sleep:
  • clean up services.msc
  • create symbolic link privilege
    • local security policy -> security settings -> local policies -> User rights assignment -> Create symbolic links
      • check Groups in object type, then type in Users

All programmes in categories

util

  • chocolateygui
  • choco-cleaner
  • shexview
  • shmnview
  • mousewithoutborders
  • barrier
  • path-copy-copy
  • coretemp
  • treesizefree
  • LinkShellExtension
  • hashmyfiles
  • kde-mover-sizer

    cloud

  • cryptomator
  • cyberduck
  • owncloud-client
  • dropbox
  • googledrive
  • megasync

    alternatives

  • qttabbar
  • ditto
  • greenshot
  • 7zip
  • peazip
  • everything instead of Windows search
  • powertoys
  • sumatrapdf and foxitreader
  • irfanview and irfanviewplugins to browse picture
  • mpc-hc
    • Go to View->Options->Player->Formats and associate the format you what
  • paint.net

    misc

  • inkscape
  • speedtest
  • microsoft-teams
  • signal
  • zoom
  • teamviewer

    Latex

  • miktex
  • texstudio

    programming

  • git
  • tortoisesvn
  • winmerge
  • notepadplusplus
  • nano
  • powershell-core
  • ConEmu
  • procexp
  • vscode
  • FiraCode
  • cmake
  • ninja
  • python3
  • swig
  • jdk8
  • miniconda3
  • sqlitebrowser
  • visual-studio
  • CLion
  • Intel Parallel Studio

Sources