TechLoungeTweaks 2026.09.12.005702

Fix Driver Booster and TreeSize window attachment.

• Clip duplicate custom window buttons while preserving tool menus. Keep these tools fitted to the host after custom movement or ownership resets.

Add personal Driver Booster and TreeSize integrations; tidy and compress the distribution.

• Verify TreeSize's About window as Professional 9.8.0.2301. Driver Booster is confirmed displaying 13.5 Pro with bundled executable 13.5.1.400.

• Let native smoke checks wait up to two seconds for asynchronous startup suppression and splash-region restoration instead of relying on short fixed delays.

• Preserve Driver Booster's supplied default settings: manual product updates, no automatic scans or driver downloads, and exit on close. Retain unrelated existing preferences and save a first backup. Verify the exact bundled executable hash and reject other running copies so an installed Free version cannot intercept Open.

• Add the supplied Driver Booster 13.5.1.400 and TreeSize Professional 9.8.0.2301 application folders to Extra Tools with host-owned floating windows, movement, hiding and reopening. Preserve their custom headers. Keep these versions separate from official managed updates.

• Exclude the repack launchers, registry-import wrappers, website shortcuts and encrypted thanks4dl.rar archive. The supplied main executables are modified and have invalid publisher signatures; window testing does not establish their safety.

• Move logs to LocalAppData/TechLoungeTweaks/Logs. Keep only TechLoungeTweaks.exe visible beside hidden runtime and resources folders, with hidden attributes stored in the ZIP and restored at startup.

• Use maximum Explorer-compatible ZIP Deflate compression. Keep required app components and help files.

Prevent nested update folders.

• Prepare replacement contents in a separate staging directory and use exact directory renames to install it. Keep the previous installation for rollback.
• Verify the actual PowerShell helper with disposable folders and a marker-only executable: replacement launches at the intended root and the previous installation remains intact.

Fix Restart and apply shutdown handoff.

• Post the native close on the WinForms UI thread instead of synchronously closing from a worker. Return close failures and stop starting update-status requests during shutdown.
• Exercise the Restart and apply API through a real WebView window in the native smoke test, with the disk-update operation mocked for safety.

Fix hosted-tool layout handling and retire the Nuitka experiment.

• Defer window fitting until native layout notifications return, avoiding re-entrant resizing during maximize/restore and scaling changes. Extend native smoke coverage with repeated NVPI maximize/restore and resize cycles.
• Remove Nuitka download links, candidate build/publish scripts and distributable. The two GitHub test releases and tags are removed; the main repository remains.
• Include the dedicated VRAM reporting fix in the standard package.

Fix dedicated VRAM reporting for graphics cards above 4 GB.

• Replace truncated WMI AdapterRAM with DXGI dedicated memory and PCI adapter matching. Preserve 8 GB and 16 GB variants without guessing from the model name, and report N/A if unavailable or ambiguous.

Show only the Nuitka launcher in Explorer by default.

• Mark _internal and resources as hidden support folders in the portable package and explicit ZIP directory entries. Windows Explorer extraction preserves these attributes.
• Restore only those folder attributes on launch if another extractor drops them, without changing Explorer settings or blocking startup when the folder is read-only.
• Preserve hidden support files during app replacement. Keep antivirus scanning unchanged; this presentation change does not resolve the reported bundled-component detections.

Smaller main x64 release and current test-download links.

• Apply the verified BCU architecture reduction to the main release: omit its separate ARM64 files while retaining the complete x64 runtime, official launcher, licences and all other offline tools.
• Add packaging identity metadata so existing main-release users can receive this smaller package through the updater.
• Keep the latest-download button on the main release and expose the cleaned, channel-isolated Nuitka prerelease separately in the README.

Cleaner, smaller Nuitka portable package.

• Put runtime DLLs, extension modules and the compiled backend inside _internal. A small Windows .NET Framework launcher remains at the top level beside _internal and resources.
• Preserve portable-root resolution for tool resources, NVIDIA files, cleanup exclusions and app replacement. Forward launcher arguments for diagnostics.
• Omit BCU's separate ARM64 payload from this Intel/AMD x64 package, retaining its official launcher, full x64 runtime, licences and other bundled tools. Do not remove required DLSS Swapper runtimes or make tools online-only.
• Combine this packaging change with the dedicated Nuitka update channel below.

Keep Nuitka app updates on Nuitka.

• Discover only explicitly marked Nuitka GitHub releases; never fall back to the standard update feed.
• Reject cross-channel metadata and packages at download staging, pending-update recovery and restart, including a final check in the replacement helper.
• Isolate the Nuitka update cache. Preserve official bundled-tool update sources.
• Generate channel metadata with the Nuitka ZIP and add a dedicated prerelease publisher which leaves the stable latest release unchanged.
• First-candidate users need one manual download to acquire the corrected updater. Fresh-Windows antivirus acceptance remains unverified.

Separate Nuitka packaging candidate.

• Add a reproducible Nuitka 4.2.1 standalone build of the existing interface and backend, with a dedicated ZIP and output folder. Keep the standard PyInstaller release and publishing workflow.
• Preserve the existing packaged resource and update layout through a dedicated entry point. End users do not install Python.
• Correct first-launch documentation: folder packaging is not a guarantee against quarantine; distinguish Windows reputation checks from antivirus detections.
• Add a read-only packaged runtime check and more diagnostic context for the intermittent floating-window foreground test. Full release preparation remains blocked when that desktop assertion fails.
• Fresh-Windows Defender acceptance remains unverified. No certificate purchase, review submission, security exclusion or protection change is part of this work.

Reliable publishing of an already-prepared release.

• The push script verifies and reuses an unchanged prepared release instead of rebuilding and repeating desktop focus tests on every upload. Changed or missing files still require full preparation; failed checks still stop publication.
• Supply the native close fixture's missing host-activation callback, matching the actual app's post-hide activation step. Retain the foreground, hidden-window and shutdown assertions.
• Verify both prepared-release reuse and rebuild/failure handling. No app window behaviour or NVPI settings changed.

NVPI startup presentation and feedback.

• Stage NVPI beneath a host-owned DWM-cloaked window while preparing its integrated frame, then transfer it to the main host. Use the previous region guard as fallback if staging is unavailable. Do not modify driver profiles or global graphics settings.
• Skip the extra fixed settling delay for staged NVPI windows. Show Opening… immediately and retain it until the tool is visible, preventing repeated launch clicks.
• Exercise region resets, resizing, uncloaking, temporary-owner cleanup and full host attachment in a separate-process native fixture. Preserve the working BCU close behaviour and verify its existing regression checks.
• Actual monitor flicker on the user's graphics hardware still requires live confirmation; native fixtures verify window presentation, not a display-driver response.
• Refresh README, screenshots and the personal ZIP.

NVPI launch encoding and BCU's exposed native close button.

• Read the actual bundled NVPI settings even when UTF-8 bytes declare UTF-16. Preserve settings and write a matching encoding. Regression checks use both the real bundled file and UTF-8/UTF-16 fixtures.
• Remove BCU's standard caption and system buttons entirely; reapply after publisher style changes and refit the body below the host controls. This addresses the red native X covering the themed X and bypassing the host close route.
• Limit late-title/location startup monitoring to NVPI, restoring the previous BCU/DLSS event range. Activate the host UI after hiding a closing tool.
• Preserve Windows' runtime minimized/maximized state when repairing publisher title-bar styles.
• Native fixtures restore BCU caption styles, verify their removal and body placement, and exercise slow close with a competing window. Publisher-specific live behaviour still needs confirmation.
• Keep Pause Windows Updates enabled by both dashboard apply presets. Refresh documentation, screenshots and the personal ZIP.

Verified update-pause presets, NVPI presentation and simpler Security status.

• Verify that Apply Recommended and Apply All enable Pause Windows Updates from an off state and return the live checked state as On. Browser checks verify the visible System switch and Applied badge after both dashboard actions, without changing this PC's registry.
• Match NVPI caption covers to its saved theme's original header colour, instead of a screenshot-derived grey. Normalize saved maximization, splash and backdrop settings before launch; catch late title and bounds changes during startup and stop forcing NVPI's DWM nonclient frame to reset.
• Native movement/closure checks pass. Elevated NVPI rendering and first-launch flashing still require live confirmation; automated fixtures do not establish publisher compatibility.
• Show Not installed when Windows Security app file...

TechLoungeTweaks 2026.09.11.194525

Prevent nested update folders.

• Prepare replacement contents in a separate staging directory and use exact directory renames to install it. Keep the previous installation for rollback.
• Verify the actual PowerShell helper with disposable folders and a marker-only executable: replacement launches at the intended root and the previous installation remains intact.

Fix Restart and apply shutdown handoff.

• Post the native close on the WinForms UI thread instead of synchronously closing from a worker. Return close failures and stop starting update-status requests during shutdown.
• Exercise the Restart and apply API through a real WebView window in the native smoke test, with the disk-update operation mocked for safety.

Fix hosted-tool layout handling and retire the Nuitka experiment.

• Defer window fitting until native layout notifications return, avoiding re-entrant resizing during maximize/restore and scaling changes. Extend native smoke coverage with repeated NVPI maximize/restore and resize cycles.
• Remove Nuitka download links, candidate build/publish scripts and distributable. The two GitHub test releases and tags are removed; the main repository remains.
• Include the dedicated VRAM reporting fix in the standard package.

Fix dedicated VRAM reporting for graphics cards above 4 GB.

• Replace truncated WMI AdapterRAM with DXGI dedicated memory and PCI adapter matching. Preserve 8 GB and 16 GB variants without guessing from the model name, and report N/A if unavailable or ambiguous.

Show only the Nuitka launcher in Explorer by default.

• Mark _internal and resources as hidden support folders in the portable package and explicit ZIP directory entries. Windows Explorer extraction preserves these attributes.
• Restore only those folder attributes on launch if another extractor drops them, without changing Explorer settings or blocking startup when the folder is read-only.
• Preserve hidden support files during app replacement. Keep antivirus scanning unchanged; this presentation change does not resolve the reported bundled-component detections.

Smaller main x64 release and current test-download links.

• Apply the verified BCU architecture reduction to the main release: omit its separate ARM64 files while retaining the complete x64 runtime, official launcher, licences and all other offline tools.
• Add packaging identity metadata so existing main-release users can receive this smaller package through the updater.
• Keep the latest-download button on the main release and expose the cleaned, channel-isolated Nuitka prerelease separately in the README.

Cleaner, smaller Nuitka portable package.

• Put runtime DLLs, extension modules and the compiled backend inside _internal. A small Windows .NET Framework launcher remains at the top level beside _internal and resources.
• Preserve portable-root resolution for tool resources, NVIDIA files, cleanup exclusions and app replacement. Forward launcher arguments for diagnostics.
• Omit BCU's separate ARM64 payload from this Intel/AMD x64 package, retaining its official launcher, full x64 runtime, licences and other bundled tools. Do not remove required DLSS Swapper runtimes or make tools online-only.
• Combine this packaging change with the dedicated Nuitka update channel below.

Keep Nuitka app updates on Nuitka.

• Discover only explicitly marked Nuitka GitHub releases; never fall back to the standard update feed.
• Reject cross-channel metadata and packages at download staging, pending-update recovery and restart, including a final check in the replacement helper.
• Isolate the Nuitka update cache. Preserve official bundled-tool update sources.
• Generate channel metadata with the Nuitka ZIP and add a dedicated prerelease publisher which leaves the stable latest release unchanged.
• First-candidate users need one manual download to acquire the corrected updater. Fresh-Windows antivirus acceptance remains unverified.

Separate Nuitka packaging candidate.

• Add a reproducible Nuitka 4.2.1 standalone build of the existing interface and backend, with a dedicated ZIP and output folder. Keep the standard PyInstaller release and publishing workflow.
• Preserve the existing packaged resource and update layout through a dedicated entry point. End users do not install Python.
• Correct first-launch documentation: folder packaging is not a guarantee against quarantine; distinguish Windows reputation checks from antivirus detections.
• Add a read-only packaged runtime check and more diagnostic context for the intermittent floating-window foreground test. Full release preparation remains blocked when that desktop assertion fails.
• Fresh-Windows Defender acceptance remains unverified. No certificate purchase, review submission, security exclusion or protection change is part of this work.

Reliable publishing of an already-prepared release.

• The push script verifies and reuses an unchanged prepared release instead of rebuilding and repeating desktop focus tests on every upload. Changed or missing files still require full preparation; failed checks still stop publication.
• Supply the native close fixture's missing host-activation callback, matching the actual app's post-hide activation step. Retain the foreground, hidden-window and shutdown assertions.
• Verify both prepared-release reuse and rebuild/failure handling. No app window behaviour or NVPI settings changed.

NVPI startup presentation and feedback.

• Stage NVPI beneath a host-owned DWM-cloaked window while preparing its integrated frame, then transfer it to the main host. Use the previous region guard as fallback if staging is unavailable. Do not modify driver profiles or global graphics settings.
• Skip the extra fixed settling delay for staged NVPI windows. Show Opening… immediately and retain it until the tool is visible, preventing repeated launch clicks.
• Exercise region resets, resizing, uncloaking, temporary-owner cleanup and full host attachment in a separate-process native fixture. Preserve the working BCU close behaviour and verify its existing regression checks.
• Actual monitor flicker on the user's graphics hardware still requires live confirmation; native fixtures verify window presentation, not a display-driver response.
• Refresh README, screenshots and the personal ZIP.

NVPI launch encoding and BCU's exposed native close button.

• Read the actual bundled NVPI settings even when UTF-8 bytes declare UTF-16. Preserve settings and write a matching encoding. Regression checks use both the real bundled file and UTF-8/UTF-16 fixtures.
• Remove BCU's standard caption and system buttons entirely; reapply after publisher style changes and refit the body below the host controls. This addresses the red native X covering the themed X and bypassing the host close route.
• Limit late-title/location startup monitoring to NVPI, restoring the previous BCU/DLSS event range. Activate the host UI after hiding a closing tool.
• Preserve Windows' runtime minimized/maximized state when repairing publisher title-bar styles.
• Native fixtures restore BCU caption styles, verify their removal and body placement, and exercise slow close with a competing window. Publisher-specific live behaviour still needs confirmation.
• Keep Pause Windows Updates enabled by both dashboard apply presets. Refresh documentation, screenshots and the personal ZIP.

Verified update-pause presets, NVPI presentation and simpler Security status.

• Verify that Apply Recommended and Apply All enable Pause Windows Updates from an off state and return the live checked state as On. Browser checks verify the visible System switch and Applied badge after both dashboard actions, without changing this PC's registry.
• Match NVPI caption covers to its saved theme's original header colour, instead of a screenshot-derived grey. Normalize saved maximization, splash and backdrop settings before launch; catch late title and bounds changes during startup and stop forcing NVPI's DWM nonclient frame to reset.
• Native movement/closure checks pass. Elevated NVPI rendering and first-launch flashing still require live confirmation; automated fixtures do not establish publisher compatibility.
• Show Not installed when Windows Security app files are absent, including when a package registration remains. Keep underlying detection and removal behaviour unchanged.
• Refresh README, screenshots and the distribution package.

Tool close focus, NVPI corners and component-aware Defender removal.

• Transfer input from the active tool to the host before hiding it; hide without changing activation or owner z-order. Remove the timer that reopened a tool during slow shutdown. Test a separate-process delayed close with a competing window.
• Replace NVPI cross-process child caption covers with nonactivating owned windows, clipped to the tool's rounded outline and shell-panel exclusions. Normalize maximized startup styling while hidden.
• Distinguish Windows Security app files from residual provisioning records. Recommend file cleanup when Defender is absent; recommend the combined removal only when both apps are installed.
• Use an explicit Security-only worker mode so it cannot apply antivirus registry changes or remove SmartScreen, even if machine state changes after confirmation.
• Resolve package families from provisioned-only identities and check the DISM policy step before removal. Remove blind retries and exclude earlier AppX logon events from current-operation diagnostics.
• Refresh README and screenshot fixtures. System-removal execution remains mocked; actual removal and elevated publisher rendering require live verification.

Pause Windows Updates in both dashboard presets.

• Add a System toggle using Aetherinox's pause-date registry settings, with expiry 31 December 2051 and a current UTC start date.
• Include it in Apply All and Apply Recommended, with explicit dashboard copy, live registry checks and resume through toggle-off/Windows Defaults.
• Preserv...