Aug 13
When issues arrise on a Windows device many of us dive into the eventlogs, check when latest updates were installed, when the device was restarted, how often does a certain app crash… This can be quite a job filtering through logs, looking up info at numerous locations. Windows has a built-in tool that does a …
Jul 31
Windows 11 introduced the new context menu (right-click menu) The new menu has the most used options instantly available where the less used options are ‘hidden’ behind the ‘Show more options’ extra click For me the new menu took some getting used to, but once embraced it’s very nice to use! Not everyone has gotten …
Jul 31
Disabling Short filename Creation frees up performance for other file server tasks This will stop NTFSfrom generating the 8 char filename alias for all files (only required for very old software) Example: Query the current state for the setting: To disable the function, change the following registry value & reboot the system HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation Set …
Jun 21
** updated 9/8/2026 to reflect deprecation of wmic and vbs ** Did a clean install on a device & Windows did not pick up the bios activation key? no 3rd party tools required, these commands will retrieve the key for you Run this in PowerShell (Elevated) to retrieve the key Retrieve & install: (run in …
Jun 19
The Windows 11 release health page found here: Windows 11 Updates Has this great new feature, every month the Patch-Tuesday update changes are neatly bundled with a video explaining what’s fixed & what’s new in this month’s updates and even some tips! Making them easier to understand even for less tech savvy end-users. Here’s the …
Jun 13
This new option in Windows 11 called ‘Get me up to date’ is located in the settings app, under Windows Update / Advanced options Once turned on, Windows Updates will get your device updated as fast as possible restart as needed even if you’re in active hours, a great option to use when going out …
May 29
Yes it’s the all time classic answer calling Helpdesk, but things have changed since Windows has Fast Startup enabled by default. This happened with the release of Windows 8.x, before then a simple restart was equal to turning it of and on again. Users will tell you they already restarted the device & the issue …
May 14
Users having network connection issues are no fun, wired troubleshooting is mostly straight forward. Wireless connections however can be an bigger challenge… 1st thing to do usually is checking for driver updates for the adapter so far easy. Users having issue sometimes & usually not when you’re at the device to help them can be …
May 05
Sysinternals Tools are the must have toolset for any IT-Pro keeping them up2date got a lot easier on Windows 11 since they were added to the Windows Store: https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9P7KNL5RWT25 The entire suite always up to date & at your fingertips: Great for local use, if you want to take the files to another device this …
May 03
In part 1 I wrote about the use of multiple engines at once for 1 file, now let’s see how to quickly check a device for malware using the same technology. The VirusTotal service has an api interface & can be used scripted. Sysinternals a must have toolset for every ITPro has integrated the service …
