Windows

This repository contains information and instructions on my standard Windows configuration. This is a comprehensive guide to setting up everything I could possibly need in a given Windows environment. Configuration is for Windows 10 - 10th April, 2016.

Direct download links are provided where possible.

tl;dr setup

• Configure partitions
• Install Chocolatey
• Run the install scripts starting with install-general.bat
• Install manual installation software
• Perform "Addition Configuration Steps"

Manual installation required

These applications need to be installed manually as they are not available or are unstable in the chocolatey repositories.

General

• Chocolatey for nearly painless package management. i advise you install this first, then run the scripts, then install the other manual stuff.
• Notation for synchronising notes with Simplenote
• Magicdisc as the Chocolatey package currently doesn't work. It doesn't install the driver or something
• Toggl - for keeping track of my time spent on projects
• DesktopCoral - for reserving desktop space for stuff like Rainmeter when you maximise windows

Python/Python2/PIP

"pip is already installed if you're using Python 2 >=2.7.9 or Python 3 >=3.4 downloaded from python.org, but you'll need to upgrade pip" - https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/installing/

Home

• SunVox for making wacky modtracker-esque music
• tagspaces for keeping tabs on folder structures - trialling this for now

Work

• SenchaCmd 4.0.5 for building ExtJS web apps at work. Requires work Chocolately script to have been run as that installs Ruby

Games

• Factorio (log in to download) - now on Steam
• Minecraft (.msi link)
• Origin Steam for EA Games

Packages

I now use Chocolatey to install most of my software on Windows. There are three scripts in this repository for installing environment pertinent software packages.

install-general.bat

• less
• googlechrome - default browser
• maven - java dependency management
• jdk - will install the x86 or x64 version depending on your platform
• sublimetext3
• sublimetext3.packagecontrol
• ubuntu.font - Ubuntu font family package for use in Sublime Text
• flashplayerplugin - to make it slightly easier to browse shitty parts of the internet
• 7zip
• sourcetree - great git client
• firefox - backup browser
• filezilla
• silverlight
• wget
• vim
• git - obviously
• putty
• dotnet4.5
• adobereader
• adobeshockwaveplayer - another dated web technology
• dropbox
• virtualbox
• adobeair
• python - temporarily removed. should be replaced with python2 when that decides to work
• 1password
• f.lux
• deluge - torrents
• cygwin
• btsync - BitTorrent Sync
• winmerge
• pandoc
• nodejs
• cyg-get - package manager for cygwin
• poshgit - fancy git command line thingy
• winrar - because it's good for those split rar files
• conemu - all your terminal emulators in one place
• clink - makes using terminal emulators nicer
• lightshot - my new favourite screenshot program. // TODO phase out gyazo
• autohotkey - for macros and disabling caps lock // TODO look into automating more stuff
• ccleaner - keeps things clean
• sourcecodepro - sexy ass font
• figlet-go - port of figlet. works just like it does on linux
• switcheroo - lean and mean app switcher
• yumi - for creating linux boot USBs
• partitionassistant - aomei partition assistant. great tool for managing partitions
• classic-shell - fantastic replacement for the godawful windows 8 and beyond "start menu"
• listary - adds powerful searching features. Win+F to launch, Ctrl+G to go to last open folder in a file manager context
• clover - adds chrome style tabbing to the default file explorer
• rainmeter - because it's sexy. rice rice baby.
• colormania - colour picker
• itunes
• spotify
• ditto - clipboard manager
• shmnview - for managing annoying shell extensions (run from command line as shmnview). this looks good.
• shexview - for managing annoying shell extensions
• sysinternals - suite of system tools. "Autoruns.exe" does some stuff that shellexview can't
• imagemagick - because it does awesome stuff with images
• seer - macOS/OS X spacebar preview style functionality on Windows
• phraseexpress - tab text expansion based on user defined snippets. need to sync settings and phrase file
• hostsman - system level domain blocking manager

install-vps.bat

Pretty much the same as install-general.bat, except that AOMEI Partition Assistant and VirtualBox are missing.

install-home.bat

• steam
• cccp
• mpc-hc
• paint.net
• blender
• handbrake - for video encoding
• teamspeak
• mumble
• unity
• youtube-dl
• goggalaxy - Steam-like client for Good Old Games
• obs - open broadcaster software
• reaper - decent, modern digital audio workstation for windows
• evernote
• winauth - essentially authy for windows
• battle.net - for starcraft 2, really.
• intellijidea-community

install-work.bat

• tomcat
• mysql
• mysql.utilities
• mysql.workbench
• heidisql
• svn
• slack
• ruby - for Sencha CMD
• eclipse - Chocolatey should install the appropriate architecture version
• googledrive - I can just use my work Google account to keep files in sync
• tortoisesvn
• pycharm-community - for python GUI debugging/dissecting
• intellijidea-ultimate
• jdk (x86) - just in case the 32-bit JDK is needed for Eclipse or Spring, etc

Additional configuration steps

• clone dotfiles repository and run dotfiles.bat
• disable OneDrive
• remove homegroup - guide is for Windows 7 but also works on 10
• remove Windows 10 apps
• alias dir to ls in cmd
• disable automatic updates
• set browser homepage
• configure Chrome Remote Desktop
• remove bullshit tiles from the start menu
• set file manager/shell
• You might need to reinstall the sublime package control chocolatey package at this point
• Partition drives (see below)
• Set up FileHistory on separate drive and restore data if necessary
• Configure BitTorrent Sync - see note on simplenote.com
• Relocate default "Documents", "Downloads", and "Music" folders to the separate drive
• Configure paging file
• Set power options and disable random waking from sleep
• Configure VPN profile for work (if applicable)
• Install manual software
• Set Steam libraries
• hide unnecessary system tray icons
• install graphics drivers. choco install geforce-game-ready-driver for nvidia GPUs

Uninstalling Windows 10 apps

Remove more bullshit.

Get-AppxPackage *zunevideo* | Remove-AppxPackage

Partitioning drives

I've had numerous problems with Windows in the past and I now try to keep the OS partition containing as little user created data as possible, to reduce the amount of faff when I inevitably reinstall. The following partition scheme is what I aim to use.

• 100GB (minimum) operating system and applications drive. consider using this for games too, as they can be redownloaded
• Separate partition - ideally on a different physical drive - for documents and other data