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How to Access Safe Mode Command Prompt in Windows 10 / 8

October 23rd, 2017 by Admin

Safe Mode Command Prompt is a special boot mode that lets you start Windows with the minimum of drivers and services possible. This is really useful for troubleshooting when you can’t load Windows (for example, user profile is corrupted or broken). In this tutorial we’ll show you how to access Safe Mode Command Prompt in Windows 10 / 8.

Tips: If you’re running Windows 7/Vista/XP, just hold down the F8 key as your computer starts and you can access “Safe Mode with Command Prompt” under Advanced Startup Options.

How to Start Windows 10 / 8 in Safe Mode with Command Prompt?

  1. When you get to the Windows 10/8 login screen, hold down the SHIFT key while you click the Power icon and then select the Restart option.

  2. The system will restart into Advanced Startup Options. Click on Troubleshoot.

  3. Click Advanced options on the next screen.

  4. Click on the Startup Settings option.

  5. Click Restart.

  6. After restarting, you’ll be presented with a list of features and boot options. Here you should press the number 6 key or F6 on your keyboard to enter Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

  7. You will be prompted to choose the account to sign in. After you sign in, you will be brought directly to a administrative Command Prompt rather than the normal Windows desktop.

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Restrict Windows 10 from Collecting Diagnostic and Usage Data

October 20th, 2017 by Admin

By default, Windows 10 will automatically collect diagnostic and usage Data by using the built-in Telemetry feature. According to Microsoft, it helps to improve the quality of Windows. If you’re worry about this automatic data collection for privacy concern, here are simple ways to restrict / disable Telemetry from collecting diagnostic and usage data in Windows 10.

Method 1: Change Diagnostic and Usage Data Settings from Settings

  1. Press the WIN + I keys together to open the Settings app. Click Privacy.

  2. Under the Feedback and diagnostics section, you can select how much data you send to Microsoft. By default, it’s set to Full, which sends pretty much everything. If you choose Basic, Windows 10 will send the minimum amount of data to Microsoft’s servers.

Method 2: Change Diagnostic and Usage Data Settings from Group Policy

  1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor. Browse to the following location:
    Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Data Collection and Preview Builds

    Next, double-click on the policy “Allow Telemetry” appearing on the right pane.

  2. Select the Enabled checkbox. Under the Options section, you can choose the data collection level: Security, Basic, Enhanced, Full.

    Note that the Security option only takes effect for Windows 10 Enterprise edition. If you’re running Windows 10 Home/Pro, Basic is the lowest telemetry level you can choose.

  3. Click OK to save your change. Once you apply this policy, the option to change diagnostic and usage data in Settings app becomes grayed out.

Method 3: Prevent Windows 10 from collecting Diagnostic and Usage Data

If you want to completely stop the Windows 10 telemetry from sending out any data to Microsoft, you can disable the “Connected User Experiences and Telemetry” service. Follow these steps:

  1. Press the WIN + R keys together to open the Run dialog. Type services.msc and press Enter.

  2. When the Services window opens, locate the service “Connected User Experiences and Telemetry” in the right pane, and then double-click it.

  3. Select Disabled from the “Startup type” drop-down box, and click the Stop button to stop the running service. Click OK to save your changes.

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How to Turn On / Off Developer Mode in Windows 10

October 18th, 2017 by Admin

By default, Windows 10 allows you to only get and run certified apps from Windows Store. Developer mode makes it possible for developers to test their own apps before submitting them to the Store. In this tutorial we’ll show you 2 simple ways to turn on / off developer mode in Windows 10.

Method 1: Turn On / Off Developer Mode Using Settings App

  1. Open the Settings app and select Update & Security.

  2. Click the For developers tab in the left pane. On the right pane, you can choose “Windows Store apps”, “Sideload apps” or “Developer mode”.

    • Windows Store apps – Only allow you to install apps from the Windows Store.
    • Sideload apps – Allow you to install apps from outside the Windows Store, as long as they’re signed with a valid certificate.
    • Developer mode – Allow you to install apps from outside of the Windows Store, even if they’re not signed.
  3. If you’ve chosen the developer mode, it will alert you that you might be putting yourself at risk by enabling the developer mode. Click Yes to proceed.

  4. This change takes effect immediately without a restart.

Method 2: Turn On / Off Developer Mode Using Registry Editor

  1. Open the Registry Editor and navigate to the following key:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModelUnlock
  2. Right-click the empty space on the right pane, and create two DWORD (32-bit) values: AllowAllTrustedApps, AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense. Set the associated value data depend on your choice.

    • Windows Store apps – AllowAllTrustedApps = 0, AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense = 0
    • Sideload apps – AllowAllTrustedApps = 1, AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense = 0
    • Developer mode – AllowAllTrustedApps = 1, AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense = 1
  3. When it’s done, close Registry Editor and restart your computer.

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How to Recover or Change HomeGroup Password in Windows 10

October 17th, 2017 by Admin

Forgot or misplaced your HomeGroup password? If your computer is already part of a HomeGroup, you can view or reset the password without using third-party software. In this tutorial we’ll walk you through how to recover or change HomeGroup password in Windows 10.

Part 1: Recover HomeGroup Password in Windows 10

  1. Open File Explorer (previously known as Windows Explorer). Right-click the Homegroup shortcut in the left navigation pane, and then select “View the HomeGroup password” from the pop-up menu.

  2. The HomeGroup password is now shown in a yellow box. You can either write it down or print it by clicking the “Print this page” button at the bottom.

Part 2: Change HomeGroup Password in Windows 10

  1. Open File Explorer. Right-click the Homegroup shortcut in the left navigation pane, and then select “Change HomeGroup settings” from the pop-up menu.

  2. Under the “Other Homegroup actions” section, click the “Change the password” link.

  3. When the “Change Your Homegroup Password” wizard opens, choose the “Change the password” option.

  4. Windows will generate a random password automatically, but you can type your own password. When it’s done, click Next to continue.

  5. Now your HomeGroup password was successfully changed. Now you can write down it and close the wizard.

    That’s it!

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How to Import EFS Certificate into Windows 10, 8 and 7

October 17th, 2017 by Admin

If you lost access to your EFS encrypted files, you’ll not be able to open them unless you have a backup of the EFS certificate to decrypt the data. In this tutorial we’ll show you 2 simple ways to import EFS certificate into Windows 10, 8 and 7, so you can regain access to your EFS encrypted files.

Method 1: Import EFS Certificate into Windows Using Certificate Import Wizard

  1. Right-click on your EFS certificate (.pfx) in Windows Explorer, and then select Install PFX from the context menu.

  2. When the Certificate Import Wizard opens, click Next.

  3. Confirm the EFS certificate file with the .PFX extension is entered in the File name field. Click Next.

  4. Enter the password to access the private key associated with the EFS certificate. Select the box “Mark this key as exportable. This will allow you to back up or transport your keys at a later time“. Click Next.

  5. Click “Automatically select the certificate store based on the type of certificate” and click Next.

  6. Click Finish.

    You should see a message reporting that the import was successful.

Method 2: Import EFS Certificate into Windows Using Command Prompt

  1. Open the Command Prompt as administrator.
  2. If you want to import EFS certificate you’ve backed up, type the following command and press Enter.

    certutil.exe -p [certificate_password] -user -importpfx [certificate_full_path]

  3. You will get a security warning indicating that the self-signed EFS certificate is not signed from a trusted authority. Click Yes to continue.

  4. Now you’ve successfully imported the EFS certificate (.pfx) into the Personal store of Certificates Manager.

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2 Ways to Backup or Export EFS Certificate in Windows 10 / 8 / 7

October 16th, 2017 by Admin

When you encrypts a folder or file with EFS, Windows will create a EFS certificate and store it locally, so you can transparently access encrypted files without being prompted for certificate / password. In the event of a system failure or your EFS certificate is corrupted or lost, you’ll be unable to access EFS encrypted files any more. So it is very important to backup or export EFS certificate in Windows 10 / 8 / 7.

Method 1: Backup or Export EFS Certificate Using Certificates Manager

  1. Press the Windows key + R together to open the Run box. Type certmgr.msc and click OK to open Certificates Manager.

  2. In the left pane of the Certificates console, expand the Personal node and then click on Certificates.

  3. In the right pane, right-click the certificate that lists Encrypting File System under Intended Purposes, and then select All Tasks -> Export.

  4. When the Certificate Export Wizard opens, click Next.

  5. Choose “Yes, export the private key” and click Next.

  6. Click the checkbox next to “Include all certificates in the certification path if possible” and click Next.

  7. Enter a password that will be used to protect your exported EFS certificate. Confirm it and click Next.

  8. Click the Browse button to find a location to save your exported EFS certificate (.pfx). Type in a name such as “my-EFS-certificate.pfx” and then click Next.

  9. Click Finish.

    You can then backup the exported EFS certificate in a safe place!

Method 2: Backup or Export EFS Certificate Using Command Prompt

  1. Open the Command Prompt as administrator.
  2. In order to export EFS certificate stored in Certificates Manager, type the following command:

    cipher /x d:\my-EFS-certificate

  3. Once you press Enter, you’ll be prompted to confirm backing up EFS certificate. Click OK to continue.

  4. Type a password used for protecting your EFS certificate, then confirm the password.

  5. The .pfx file containing the EFS private key certificate is now saved to the location d:\my-EFS-certificate.

    That’s it!

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Enable or Disable Folder Options in Windows 10 / 8 / 7

October 12th, 2017 by Admin

Folder Options is missing from Windows Explorer? How can I remove Folder Options from Control Panel? In this tutorial we’ll show you 2 easy ways to enable or disable Folder Options in Windows 10, 8 and 7.

Method 1: Enable / Disable Folder Options Using Group Policy

  1. Press WIN + R keys to bring up the Run dialog box. Type gpedit.msc and hit Enter.

  2. In the Local Group Policy Editor window, navigate to:
    User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer

    If you’re running Windows 7/Vista/XP, browse to:
    User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Explorer

  3. Double-click on the policy”Do not allow Folder Options to be opened from the Options button on the View tab of the ribbon” on the right pane. For Windows 7/Vista/XP, this policy is called “Removes the Folder Options menu item from the Tools menu“.

  4. Set it to Enabled or Disabled, depend on if you want to disable or enable Folder Options in Windows Explorer.

  5. Click Apply and then OK. This policy setting will take effect without rebooting.

Method 2: Enable / Disable Folder Options Using Registry Editor

  1. Press WIN + R keys to bring up the Run dialog box. Type regedit and hit Enter.

  2. When Registry Editor is launched, navigate to the key:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
  3. If you want to disable Folder Options in Windows, right-click an empty area on the right pane and create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value, named it as NoFolderOptions and set its value to 1.

    If you want to enable Folder Options, just delete the NoFolderOptions value.

  4. Exit the Registry Editor. Restart needed for your registry change to take effect.

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Posted in Tips & Tricks, Video Converter, Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8

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4 Ways to Open Folder Options in Windows 11, 10, 8 and 7

October 12th, 2017 by Admin

How can I open Folder Options through the Command Prompt? If you want to show hidden files or customize how your files are displayed in Windows Explorer, you have to access Folder Options. In this tutorial we’ll show you 4 quickest ways to open Folder Options in Windows 11, 10, 8 and 7.

Method 1: Open Folder Options from Windows Explorer

Press WIN + E keyboard combination to open Windows Explorer (also known as “File Explorer). Click the View tab, and then click Options in the ribbon. This will open Folder Options dialog.

In Windows 11, open File Explorer and click on the See more button (three dots) on the right side of the toolbar, and then select Options.

Method 2: Open Folder Options from Control Panel

Open the Control Panel. Change the View by option to Large icons or Small icons.

Click File Explorer Options to open Folder Options.

Method 3: Open Folder Options from Run or Command Prompt

Press the WIN + R keys together to open the Run command box, and then type control.exe folders and press Enter to access Folder Options.

If you’re at Command Prompt, type control.exe folders and you can also access Folder Options quickly.

Method 4: Open Folder Options by Search

If you’re running Windows 10/8, type folder options into the Cortana Search box on the taskbar. Click on File Explorer Options from the result.

If you’re running Windows 7, click the Start button and type folder options into the search box, then click Folder Options.

That’s it!

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Posted in Tips & Tricks, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows 7, Windows 8

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How to Disable F1 Key from Opening Help in Windows 10 / 8 / 7

October 10th, 2017 by Admin

How can I stop F1 key from opening Windows Help when gaming? In Windows 8 and 7, pressing F1 key opens Windows Help and Support by default. If you’re using Windows 10, pressing F1 will open a browser window and search for “how to get help in windows 10” on Bing. It can be really annoying when you keep hitting the F1 key accidentally. Here is the best way to disable F1 key from opening help in Windows 10 / 8 / 7.

How to Disable F1 Key from Opening Help in Windows 10 / 8 / 7?

  1. Download the registry fix from this link. It is a zip archive which contains two .reg files.
  2. Next, double-click the disable-f1-key-for-help.reg file to import/merge its contents to the registry.
  3. This registry changes take effect without restart. Now press F1 key will no longer open the Help window in Windows.

Note: this wouldn’t prevent F1 key from working in a game or third-party programs.

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How to Format Hard Drive Using PowerShell

October 9th, 2017 by Admin

Is there a simple PowerShell script to format a USB disk? If you have a brand new hard drive, or you want to erase all the data from a disk, you have to format it. In this tutorial we’ll explain how to format a hard drive using PowerShell commands in Windows 10.

How to Format Hard Drive Using PowerShell?

  1. To open Powershell as admin in Windows 10, press the Windows key + X together and then select “Windows PowerShell (Admin)“.

  2. Type the following command to find the hard drive you want to format.

    Get-Disk

  3. To clear all partitions and volumes from your disk, type the following command. Replace 1 with the disk number of the drive you want to format.

    Clear-Disk -Number 1 -RemoveData

  4. Next, create a new partition on your blank disk, and assign a drive letter:

    New-Partition -DiskNumber 1 -UseMaximumSize -IsActive -DriveLetter E

  5. To format the newly-created partition with the NTFS file system, type the following command and press Enter. Replace ‘USB’ with the volume label you want to use.

    Format-Volume -DriveLetter E -FileSystem FAT32 -NewFileSystemLabel USB

  6. Once you’ve completed the steps, you can now access the new partition in Windows Explorer.

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