Fix Windows problems
The following tips and tricks will help you restore missing features, as well as curb some of Windows 10’s more annoying habits.
Let’s start by checking that System Restore is enabled (it’s switched off every time Windows 10 performs a major update). Type system restore into Cortana’s search box and then choose ‘Create a restore point’. Check your system drive – if it’s off, select it and click Configure… Choose ‘Turn on system protection’, then set the slider to 5GB or five percent of available space before clicking OK.
Worried that Windows Update might suddenly attempt to reboot without warning while you’re using your PC? Click Settings > ‘Update & security’ and choose ‘Change active hours’ under Windows Update. Set your start and end times – and Windows Update won’t automatically restart during these hours. While you’re here, select Advanced Options > ‘Choose how updates are delivered’, then select ‘PCs on my local network’ or flick the switch off to stop your PC being used to deliver updates to other computers over the Internet.
Microsoft is doing its best to reduce reliance on the System Control Panel by replacing it with Settings, and from the Creators Update onwards, it’s harder to find. If you’re a Control Panel fan, you can still jump straight to it by pressing Win-Pause/Break. You can also press Win-R, type sysdm.cpl and then press Enter to go to its Advanced, System Protection and Remote tabs.
DISABLE CORTANA
Microsoft makes it harder to disable its Cortana search tool with every release – if you didn’t click ‘No’ when setting up the October 2018 Update, you can disable Cortana and convert the search box into a regular search tool.
Press Win-R, type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\ Windows\WindowsSearch. With ‘WindowsSearch’ highlighted, look for a value marked ‘AllowCortana’ in the right-hand pane. If it’s not present, choose Edit > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value to create it. Once created, double-click the AllowCortana value and change its value to 1. Click ‘OK’.
Finally, either reboot or right-click the Taskbar and choose Task Manager. Choose ‘More Details’ to bring up the Processes tab, scroll down, select File Explorer and click Restart. The search box should now simply say ‘Search Windows’ – use it to search for files, folders, programs and settings.
MORE TWEAKS
If you have resisted logging in with a Microsoft account when you upgraded to Windows 10, you may now want to switch for convenience’s sake. To do this, go to Settings > Accounts > ‘Your info’. You’ll see an option to sign in with your Microsoft account instead – select it and follow the prompts.
If you want to go back, you can do that to from the same dialog box – this time, choose ‘Sign in with a local account instead’. Enter your Microsoft account password, then choose a local username, password and password hint. Click ‘Next’ to sign out and back in – you’ll need to sign into the Microsoft Store to access apps you’ve previously installed from there as well as other cloud services if you use them, but the underlying account will be a local one.
One new feature in Windows 10 is that you can now scroll inactive windows without selecting them – move the mouse over the window and scrolling affects that window, not your currently selected one. If the behaviour