Windows 10: I know what I'm doing

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Serious Hardware/Software Crap > Windows 10: I know what I'm doing

dirby: Sep 21, 2004; Helping goons with math

Is there an easy way in Windows 10 to have a wallpaper pull from a URL (updating only on boot is often enough). So when https://www.somewebsite.com/dirbywallpaper.jpg is updated the wallpaper is (eventually) updated. All my google searching seems to pull up ~~"Wallpaper webpage"~~ "WallpaperWebPage" which is not what I want.

dirby fucked around with this message at 17:59 on Sep 11, 2016

# ? Sep 11, 2016 17:42

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 14:09

Geemer: Nov 4, 2010

A quick Google turned up this for Windows 7: http://www.thewindowsclub.com/display-interactive-webpage-wallpaper-windows-desktop-wallpaperwebpage
Maybe it still works. And otherwise, have you been searching for active desktop? That's what the feature was called on Windows 98.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 17:53

dirby: Sep 21, 2004; Helping goons with math

Geemer posted:

A quick Google turned up this for Windows 7: http://www.thewindowsclub.com/display-interactive-webpage-wallpaper-windows-desktop-wallpaperwebpage
Maybe it still works. And otherwise, have you been searching for active desktop? That's what the feature was called on Windows 98.

I didn't search for "Active Desktop", but stumbled upon a million articles like the one in your link, telling me WallpaperWebPage is the new replacement for active desktop. That wouldn't do what I want since it would hide the icons on the desktop, which I don't want to do.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 17:58

dirby: Sep 21, 2004; Helping goons with math

I figured out a solution: I made a task in Task Scheduler like "When dirby logs on, run wget with the command-line options to download from the URL the newest version of the image to the folder where the wallpaper slideshow pulls from". Googling suggests that maybe special windows/powershell commands could have made it so I didn't need wget, but this works.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 19:46

Dylan16807: May 12, 2010

dirby posted:

I didn't search for "Active Desktop", but stumbled upon a million articles like the one in your link, telling me WallpaperWebPage is the new replacement for active desktop. That wouldn't do what I want since it would hide the icons on the desktop, which I don't want to do.

What a trashy "replacement" then. The real active desktop certainly didn't hide your icons.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 19:55

nielsm: Jun 1, 2009

dirby posted:

I figured out a solution: I made a task in Task Scheduler like "When dirby logs on, run wget with the command-line options to download from the URL the newest version of the image to the folder where the wallpaper slideshow pulls from". Googling suggests that maybe special windows/powershell commands could have made it so I didn't need wget, but this works.

PowerShell:

code:

$download = Invoke-WebRequest "http://site.com/wallpaper.jpg"
if ($download.StatusCode -eq 200) {
  [System.IO.File]::WriteAllBytes("C:\Users\dirby\Pictures\wallpaper.jpg", $download.Content)
}

Assuming your web host returns sensible status codes.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 20:06

djssniper: Jan 10, 2003

Well seems Windows anniversary and my western digital drive are no longer friends, wont see the external drive

# ? Sep 11, 2016 21:48

Double Punctuation: Dec 30, 2009; Ships were made for sinking;
Whiskey made for drinking;
If we were made of cellophane
We'd all get stinking drunk much faster!

Fabio Lanzoni posted:

Has anyone here with Windows 10 Education received the anniversary update? It's never showed up in Windows Update for me.

Just use the Education Media Creation Tool. It just needs your product key, and it will upgrade it for you.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 22:12

Im_Special: Jan 2, 2011; Look At This!!! WOW!
It's F*cking Nothing.

Dylan16807 posted:

Well that was fun. Windows 10 can get stuck in a situation where programs that have previously been pinned won't show up in all apps or search. Adding a shortcut to the start menu folder just makes it show up pinned again, not in all apps or search, and unpinning deletes the shortcut. You have to blow away the tile settings to fix it, and this requires either copying from a new user account or deleting the files and using voodoo commands to reinitialize all your apps.

I have exactly this problem, and I've never been able to figure out how to fix it, mind sharing your fix?

# ? Sep 12, 2016 01:19

Sheep: Jul 24, 2003

Upgrading from Windows 10 Home to Pro via digital entitlement (or using an upgrade key) doesn't actually fully upgrade your install to Pro. Lots of stuff (lusrmgr.mmc for example) insist you're still on the wrong edition of Windows.

More fun broken poo poo to discover in 10 every day!

# ? Sep 13, 2016 20:47

nielsm: Jun 1, 2009

Sheep posted:

Upgrading from Windows 10 Home to Pro via digital entitlement (or using an upgrade key) doesn't actually fully upgrade your install to Pro. Lots of stuff (lusrmgr.mmc for example) insist you're still on the wrong edition of Windows.

More fun broken poo poo to discover in 10 every day!

What if you do a system reset (reinstall)?

# ? Sep 13, 2016 21:04

Sheep: Jul 24, 2003

That's exactly what I'm trying right now, which is sad because it shouldn't be remotely necessary. Fresh install -> Upgrade -> ... reinstall again?

Edit: yep that fixed it.

Sheep fucked around with this message at 21:46 on Sep 13, 2016

# ? Sep 13, 2016 21:24

Xarn: Jun 26, 2015

There have been rumors that if you have Win10 upgraded from OEM Win7 and bound to your MS account, you get a full licence that you could transfer. Is this actually true?

Because if so, I could take the licence from my old-as-balls and dead laptop, and move it to my new gaming rig. :getin:

# ? Sep 13, 2016 22:05

EoRaptor: Sep 13, 2003; by Fluffdaddy

Xarn posted:

There have been rumors that if you have Win10 upgraded from OEM Win7 and bound to your MS account, you get a full licence that you could transfer. Is this actually true?

Because if so, I could take the licence from my old-as-balls and dead laptop, and move it to my new gaming rig.

As of the anniversary update, the license has switched from hardware specific to a digital entitlement. You must have the anniversary update installed on the source hardware, and must be logged in to a microsoft account for this to successfully occur.

In theory, you can then log into your microsoft account, and terminate that source machine, giving you an available windows license to apply to some other windows 10 anniversary install you log into.

# ? Sep 14, 2016 02:41

Xarn: Jun 26, 2015

EoRaptor posted:

In theory, you can then log into your microsoft account, and terminate that source machine, giving you an available windows license to apply to some other windows 10 anniversary install you log into.

And in practice?

# ? Sep 14, 2016 08:16

Maneki Neko: Oct 27, 2000

Oh hay, glad they're finally fixing this:

quote:

Improving your PC upgrade experience: One of the ongoing feedback items we�ve heard is how the apps that come preinstalled with Windows will reinstall after each upgrade � particularly noticeable for our Insiders that receive multiple flights per month. We�ve heard your feedback, and starting with Build 14926, when your PC updates it will check for apps that have been uninstalled, and it will preserve that state once the update has completed. This means if you uninstall any of the apps included in Windows 10 such as the Mail app or Maps app, they will not get reinstalled after you update to a newer build going forward.

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/09/14/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-14926-for-pc-and-mobile/

# ? Sep 14, 2016 18:14

Xarn: Jun 26, 2015

Maneki Neko posted:

Oh hay, glad they're finally fixing this:

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/09/14/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-14926-for-pc-and-mobile/

Finally.

# ? Sep 14, 2016 18:40

Dylan16807: May 12, 2010

Im_Special posted:

I have exactly this problem, and I've never been able to figure out how to fix it, mind sharing your fix?

First you need to delete your AppData\Local\TileDataLayer folder. This requires either logging in to another user, or stopping the State Repository Service.

Then you need to reconstruct it. Either copy the folder from another user, and you should be done, or re-login and you need to repopulate the start menu. It should find the normal shortcuts after a couple minutes, or you can move a file in the Start Menu folders to make those show up. Then to make apps show up you need to run the following in an admin powershell: Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

Searching some of those terms should find more detailed instructions of varying quality.

You could also try the start menu troubleshooter. It didn't sound like it did the right thing at the time I found it, but maybe it's capable of fixing the problem.

# ? Sep 14, 2016 18:42

Sininu: Jan 8, 2014

So this has been happening with increasing frequency lately:

An update gets stuck on 0% and uses up 15-30% of the CPU and it even persists after restarts.

What can do?

# ? Sep 14, 2016 23:05

vanity slug: Jul 20, 2010

SinineSiil posted:

So this has been happening with increasing frequency lately:

An update gets stuck on 0% and uses up 15-30% of the CPU and it even persists after restarts.

What can do?

What happens if you open Powershell (as admin) and run Update-MpSignature?

You can also try downloading the latest definitions here and see if that solves the problem.

There's some more information here: https://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/definitions/adl.aspx

# ? Sep 14, 2016 23:14

EoRaptor: Sep 13, 2003; by Fluffdaddy

Xarn posted:

And in practice?

I'm not sure if it will actually work, as I haven't tried it. I also haven't read the license, so I'm not sure if this is the intended effect from MS or not.

# ? Sep 14, 2016 23:15

Double Punctuation: Dec 30, 2009; Ships were made for sinking;
Whiskey made for drinking;
If we were made of cellophane
We'd all get stinking drunk much faster!

SinineSiil posted:

So this has been happening with increasing frequency lately:

An update gets stuck on 0% and uses up 15-30% of the CPU and it even persists after restarts.

What can do?

This Patch Tuesday was especially hosed. Not even nuking the BITS cache, SoftwareDistribution and CatRoot2 helped. I had to use the Microsoft Update Catalog (that still requires IE for God knows why) and download the update manually. Look for KB3189866.

# ? Sep 14, 2016 23:22

Sininu: Jan 8, 2014

Jeoh posted:

What happens if you open Powershell (as admin) and run Update-MpSignature?

You can also try downloading the latest definitions here and see if that solves the problem.

There's some more information here: https://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/definitions/adl.aspx

I tried the Powershell command and I also made Defender update its definitions from its own UI (says they are up to date), neither fixed it. That file I downloaded doesn't seem to do anything that I can see?

dpbjinc posted:

This Patch Tuesday was especially hosed. Not even nuking the BITS cache, SoftwareDistribution and CatRoot2 helped. I had to use the Microsoft Update Catalog (that still requires IE for God knows why) and download the update manually. Look for KB3189866.

That site is still in XP era. :/
Thanks, downloading now.

Sininu fucked around with this message at 23:27 on Sep 14, 2016

# ? Sep 14, 2016 23:23

Xarn: Jun 26, 2015

dpbjinc posted:

This Patch Tuesday was especially hosed. Not even nuking the BITS cache, SoftwareDistribution and CatRoot2 helped. I had to use the Microsoft Update Catalog (that still requires IE for God knows why) and download the update manually. Look for KB3189866.

gently caress, of course its stuck in the background.

Ugh, its after midnight, gonna fix this tomorrow.

# ? Sep 14, 2016 23:27

dud root: Mar 30, 2008

dpbjinc posted:

This Patch Tuesday was especially hosed. Not even nuking the BITS cache, SoftwareDistribution and CatRoot2 helped. I had to use the Microsoft Update Catalog (that still requires IE for God knows why) and download the update manually. Look for KB3189866.

I had to use this method for KB3189866 on 3 completely different sets of hardware, and 2 VMs. They all got stuck at various % downloading levels :/

# ? Sep 15, 2016 00:52

Grim Up North: Dec 12, 2011

Same, what the hell happened there? Thanks, dbpjinc.

E: Uh, I installed it now, rebooted, and verified that it is, but the Update UI is still saying it's 45% done downloading it.

Grim Up North fucked around with this message at 09:26 on Sep 15, 2016

# ? Sep 15, 2016 07:37

HMS Boromir: Jul 16, 2011; by Lowtax

I didn't see it stuck downloading but I did see Windows Update eating 25% CPU for a while there so presumably that was the culprit. Thanks for the heads up about the Microsoft Update Catalog.

# ? Sep 15, 2016 16:16

dud root: Mar 30, 2008

Grim Up North posted:

Same, what the hell happened there? Thanks, dbpjinc.

E: Uh, I installed it now, rebooted, and verified that it is, but the Update UI is still saying it's 45% done downloading it.

Mine did that. Eventually it should timeout, possibly on another reboot, and say Retry. That will trigger a fresh check for updates which should find nothing.

# ? Sep 16, 2016 01:24

Im_Special: Jan 2, 2011; Look At This!!! WOW!
It's F*cking Nothing.

Dylan16807 posted:

First you need to delete your AppData\Local\TileDataLayer folder. This requires either logging in to another user, or stopping the State Repository Service.

Then you need to reconstruct it. Either copy the folder from another user, and you should be done, or re-login and you need to repopulate the start menu. It should find the normal shortcuts after a couple minutes, or you can move a file in the Start Menu folders to make those show up. Then to make apps show up you need to run the following in an admin powershell: Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

Searching some of those terms should find more detailed instructions of varying quality.

You could also try the start menu troubleshooter. It didn't sound like it did the right thing at the time I found it, but maybe it's capable of fixing the problem.

I mean thanks for the solution, but gently caress that noise. I'll just keep on using Classic Shell because it just werks. _{_{_{boot virus notwithstanding}}}

# ? Sep 16, 2016 19:57

freezepops: Aug 21, 2007; witty title not included; Fun Shoe

I recently had windows 10 install two sound driver updates:
update 1: Adjusted sound volume such that 100% volume was required for my headphones to operate at a normal volume
*1 update later*
update 2: Adjust sound volume such that near max volume blows up my god drat ear drums.

Is the device driver settings detailed in http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/stop-automatic-driver-updates-windows-10 the only place I need to turn off driver updates or is there another windows update setting I also need to disable to keep this from ever happening? Because if this poo poo happens again I may literally go deaf when windows decides to jack up my volume by 94dB after a reboot.

# ? Sep 17, 2016 07:22

Klyith: Aug 3, 2007; GBS Pledge Week

freezepops posted:

Is the device driver settings detailed in http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/stop-automatic-driver-updates-windows-10 the only place I need to turn off driver updates

That's all you need to do BUT it's another one of those things that will get reset by major updates (most recently for me by anniversary).

It pays to have a text file where you note down all the things you do like this so you can go through it item by item on the next big update.

# ? Sep 17, 2016 08:52

ufarn: May 30, 2009

What's a good CBR/CBZ viewer for W10? I tried the olde CBR Viewer, but it's not served from an HTTPS site, and it bundles some opt-out BS in the installer so I'd rather not go with that.

# ? Sep 18, 2016 12:04

Twibbit: Mar 7, 2013; Is your refrigerator running?

ufarn posted:

What's a good CBR/CBZ viewer for W10? I tried the olde CBR Viewer, but it's not served from an HTTPS site, and it bundles some opt-out BS in the installer so I'd rather not go with that.

Cover, I have been using it for awhile and it works great. the last update brought it up to windows 10 from Windows 8, supports pdf based comics as well

# ? Sep 18, 2016 12:17

Ghostlight: Sep 25, 2009; maybe for one second you can pause; try to step into another person's perspective, and understand that a watermelon is cursing me

I've used the same copy of CDisplay since Geocities was a thing, and after searching for it it seems that's also when development stopped, so I imagine the setup file is still clean.

# ? Sep 18, 2016 12:17

FronzelNeekburm: Jun 1, 2001; STOP, MORTTIME

Ghostlight posted:

I've used the same copy of CDisplay since Geocities was a thing, and after searching for it it seems that's also when development stopped, so I imagine the setup file is still clean.

CDisplay's author apparently died, so it's been revived as CDisplayEx by a different author.

# ? Sep 18, 2016 13:02

GreenNight: Feb 19, 2006; Turning the light on the darkest places, you and I know we got to face this now. We got to face this now.

New Windows 10 build allows Xbox app removal. About drat time.

# ? Sep 18, 2016 15:41

lunar detritus: May 6, 2009

My mom's computer got forcibly upgraded to Windows 10 and now it's kinda slow (or maybe it was always slow?). I haven't used Windows in years so I'm not really sure what I can do to optimize it besides defragmenting and running a malware scan. Any recommendations?

# ? Sep 18, 2016 17:32

fishmech: Jul 16, 2006; by VideoGames; Salad Prong

gmq posted:

My mom's computer got forcibly upgraded to Windows 10 and now it's kinda slow (or maybe it was always slow?). I haven't used Windows in years so I'm not really sure what I can do to optimize it besides defragmenting and running a malware scan. Any recommendations?

First it'll be useful to know the CPU etc of the computer. I mean it could easily just be a slow older computer, and nothing's going to fix that.

Windows has run its own defrag automatically since Vista came out, so defragging manually is unlikely to make a big difference.

# ? Sep 18, 2016 17:42

Blue Footed Booby: Oct 4, 2006; got those happy feet

Win10 worked great until the anniversary update. From then on it would randomly freeze for about 30 seconds. I could move the cursor, but nothing in the UI would respond. Google provided some folks with similar symptoms who claimed to have fixed it through various means, such as updating chipset drivers, updating the firmware on their SSD (I have an SSD), etc. I basically tried all of the suggestions that took the form "update your _____" on the theory that this shouldn't be able to break anything.

I used the machine for a couple hours after this, and the freezes seemed to have stopped. Then I went and did other stuff for a while before coming back to my desk and waking the computer up. Seconds after waking it froze, and never unfroze.

I hard reset it, it booted...and then took me to that black and gray "select your OS" menu. The choice were "Windows Developer Preview" and "Windows 7." I am not and have never been dual booting. I had Win7, installed 10, then deleted the old windows install.

The first option just straight wouldn't work. The second pretended to work, restarted, and then dumped me back at the same recovery window.

I figure I'm going to try blindly reinstalling Win10, then if the SSD is dead I'll just get a new one. But in the mean time I'm wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences.

# ? Sep 18, 2016 20:08

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 14:09

Hed: Mar 31, 2004; Fun Shoe

Is there a way to stop Windows Defender from notifying me "No threats were found since the last time we scanned! :downs:

" without turning off all Windows Defender notifications?

# ? Sep 18, 2016 20:11

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