As a developer, what changes do you make to installing Windows for Windows?

Question

When I get a vanilla Windows system, there are tons of things that I change to make it more developer friendly.

I remember some of them every time, other things that I do only when and when.

Examples:

• Show extensions of all file types
• Make hidden and system file visible
• Disable Windows Defender

I think I remember a blog post from Jeff on this topic, but I can’t find it!

What else do you do, and do you have any tools that automate this process?

Answer 1

Indeed, I do the above, plus I deactivate Zip support ( regsvr32 /u zipfldr.dll ) by activating the underline on the Alt (Advanced Appearance) shortcuts, replacing Courier New with Andale Mono (replace it with your favorite font) in all program settings (after installation, of course), installing my favorite utilities (UnxUtils, Sysinternals, SciTE, FileMenu Tools with the command line here and many other goodies, etc.), etc.

Oh, and deactivate support for two keyboards (French / English), deactivate task grouping, install VirtuaWin (4 desktop computers), CLCL (clipboard manager), AutoHotkey and my favorite macros, as well as many other free resources, more or less required .

No automation, alas.

Answer 2

I install Cygwin to have nix and Xemacs command line tools to have a useful editor.

Answer 3

I install:

• Common suspects: Visual Studio, Sql Management Studio, Firefox, Chrome, etc.
• Paint.Net
• Notepad ++
• Launchy

Answer 4

The first thing I do is open a command prompt and then open properties for it:

• Enable quick editing. Why is this disabled by default?
• Increase window size. Why limit the size of a postage stamp?
• Increase the vertical buffer to the maximum possible. Why limit it to a few hundred lines?
• Change the foreground color to white instead of gray. Why is it less readable than it can be?

In short: WHY?

Answer 5

Using Add / Remove Windows Components in Control Panel, I always uninstall ...

• Games
• Document Templates
• MSN Explorer
• Outlook express

For appearance, I ...

• Return to the classic Start menu; however, if it is Vista, I leave it as it is because I like the indexed search feature.
• Return to the classic desktop with large icons and make sure "My Computer" is the first icon (compared to "My Documents").
• I am also doing what you mentioned above.

Before installing any software, I ...

• Install any outstanding Windows updates.
• Run Disk Cleanup
• Run Disk Defragmenter
• Set up scheduled tasks for cleaning, defragmenting and other personal tools.

For tools (outside my IDE and other necessary development tools) I install ..

• Tweakui
• IE6, IE7, Safari, Chrome, Opera and Firefox
• Install the set of Firefox plugins that I always use for development
• 'Open command line here' shell extension
• Install Consolas and set it as the default font for my editors (IDE, Notepad ++, etc.).

Answer 6

• Install the Consolas font and enable (and configure) ClearType.
• Set ZoomIt to increase the display during presentations.
• Install FireFox / Firebug
• Install XYplorer Alternative Win Explorer (can not live without it!)
• Install DeskPins to make any window temporarily topmost .
• Make sure OneNote is installed with Office.
• Install Visio.
• Install your favorite editor (whatever it is at the moment, currently SCiTE).
• Install 7Zip.
• Correct the Windows colors for me and set the RatPack (Dean my hero) picture as wallpaper.

Answer 7

I wipe it and install Linux. Everyone is always amazed at how productive I can be. This is because I do not spend half my time fighting a machine.

Answer 8

Disabling shortcuts for FilterKeys, StickyKeys and ToggleKeys - nothing prevents me more than dealing with this rude function, because I press the shift key several times while I think or hold it for eight seconds (again, while thinking), before i start typing!

Change the default action for the search folder instead of open.

Answer 9

Over the years, I have come to the decision that I make as few settings as possible, as jobs change and computers change (both at home and at work).

I used all kinds of crazy tricks with a sheet, setting up sections, etc. These days I communicate with the base, and I do not need much time to set up the car and have a familiar environment.

in addition to the usual "win32dev" setup (a classic circuit optimized for performance, special effects, does not show all files, details in explorer views, blue background, etc.) I have the following stack:

• cygwin (gcc, vim, curl, wget, perl / ruby ​​/ python, svn, git, ssh, netcat, etc. rxvt for the terminal)
• ffox + adblock + dev plugins
• clipx for a simple stacked clipboard with preview
• text panel + several basic syntax indicators
• virtuawin is the only minimal window manager that does everything I need and nothing else
• autoHotKey for basic application shortcuts
• procexp to replace task manager
• all other sysinternals tools
• turtle svn
• putty + agent + keys
• 7zip
• Keepass
• Wireshark

everything that I install manually goes to c: \ programs (to simplify without spaces, line paths).

Answer 10

Command line scripts

To store the scripts that I use from the command line, I create the Command Line Scripts in the Program Files section and add it to the PATH environment variable. I use the following batch file to list and edit these scripts:

 @echo off setlocal set UTILPATH=C:\Program Files\System Tools\Command Line Utilities if not "x%1"=="x" ( start "" "notepad" "%UTILPATH%\%1.bat" ) else ( dir /b "%UTILPATH%" | grep -v com.bat | grep -P "(exe|bat|cmd)" | sed "s/\.\(exe\|bat\|cmd\)//" echo. ) 

(note that filtering the directory list depends on some unix commands that I installed through Cygwin )

I give it the name com.bat (short for the command), then I can:

• list the scripts in this directory by typing com at the command prompt
• edit any script in the list by typing com script-name at the command line *, similarly:
• create new scripts in this directory by typing com new-script-name at the command line *
• and if I ever need to edit com.bat, I just type com com

* When I start Vista, I need to use the elevated command prompt, since the directories under Program Files are protected. To quickly launch the extended command line, just click the Win key button; type cmd ; press Ctrl+Shift+Enter ; and then press Alt+C to confirm the height request. Six keystrokes on the command line with elevated privileges! ([Via] [4])

Script commissioning

One of the scripts stored in my Command Line Scripts directory is a script that runs when you log in to Windows (through Task Scheduler , type Task in the Vista Start menu). I use this script to configure multiple virtual disks using the subst command for directories that I often access or want a quick way to access on the command line or to shorten path names in compiler warnings, logs or debug output.

My script run looks something like this:

 @setlocal @set _MYDOCS_=%USERPROFILE%\Documents @REM Note: first delete the drives so I can run script again @REM to fix drives that failed to get mapped subst /d W: subst /d T: subst /d S: subst /d R: subst /d N: subst /d L: subst /d H: subst W: "%_MYDOCS_%\Work\SVN Working Copy\Website\trunk\www" subst T: "%_MYDOCS_%\Work\SVN Working Copy\project 1\trunk" subst S: "%_MYDOCS_%\Work\SVN Working Copy" subst R: "%_MYDOCS_%\Work\SVN Working Copy\project 2\branches\12.50" subst N: "%_MYDOCS_%\Work\SVN Working Copy\project 2\trunk" subst L: "%_MYDOCS_%\Work\" subst H: "%_MYDOCS_%\My Projects\Haslers.info\Working Copy" 

Note that subst can be a bit temperamental, and sometimes disks are not created, and I have to start the script manually again.

Answer 11

Regarding

• Show extensions of all file types
• Make hidden and system file visible

I do not like to constantly open hidden files (this makes two desktop.ini visible on the Windows Vista desktop for beginners), so I use the explorer extension to make it easier to turn it on and off. There is also a corresponding file extension:

• HiddenFilesToggle Context Menu Shell Extension
• FileExtensionToggle Context Menu Shell Extension

Answer 12

I am surprised that no one mentioned ClipX . I find that I cannot develop without this clipboard history tool.

Answer 13

Step 1: fix windows

• Disable System Restore
• Disable Windows Defender
• Remove any antivirus or other antivirus software provided by the OEM if it is an OEM unit
• Get SysInternals AutoRuns and lay smackdown for all 8000 useless startup elements and the services you are imposing, including the slow and useless vista search indexing service.

Step 2: install the material.

Now that my shiny new Core 2 Duo PC isn’t bogged down in useless crap that works like 386, I can create it again.

• Install Firefox
• Install the firefox plugin for FlashPlayer (why, why is it not related to FF?)
• Run windows update and let it boot / reload cycle 50 times until it becomes happy
  • While this is happening, I can use firefox to view stackoverflow and read reddit :-)
• Get UnixUtils and either unzip them to system32, or otherwise make sure that they are on the way.
  • This is necessary because I cannot stand cygwin, but my memory keeps typing ls mouse when I try to enter dir and the windows still have not heard of grep yet
• Install Droid Sans Mono and Monaco Fonts for Programming
• Install E-TextEditor
• If I install a visual studio, do it. If you do not install the .NET framework runtime
• Install Firefox add-ons (firebug, sharing, web developer, adblock).

Answer 14

I add Wordpad to the Submit context menu. Instructions for XP are here . Also works in Vista.

Answer 15

Someone gave me the "Delete all folders of SVN folders" script - this is a must for me, now (it's somewhere on this thread).

I am leaving UAC - the last thing I want to do is write code that works with UAC but cannot handle it. Before I started using Virtual PC to set up test environments for my code, I tried to leave my desktop as 'vanilla' as possible - I wanted to test under conditions quite similar to a regular non-developer user.

All of the above applies to my home development system. I try to do the same at work, to a reasonable extent. Except for SVN materials, because we use TFS in my office.

Answer 16

I always set the following to simplify management and interaction with windows

• Taskix - Windows Reorder Buttons
• KatMouse - scroll the window directly below the mouse cursor
• WinSplit Revolution - organize your windows by breaking, resizing and placing them
• allSnap - windows are automatically snapped to the edges of the window and (optionally) to the edges of other windows

Answer 17

I like:

• Make the taskbar larger so that it can contain two lines of applications
• Turn off personalized start menus
• Disable grouping of similar taskbar items

I also accidentally open many PuTTY sessions for different machines, so I like to create the “bin” directory in my home folder, add it to PATH, and then create a shortcut for PuTTY in it called “p”, (among other shortcuts). Then I can easily start Windows-R (run) and type p [putty-session-name] to open a session. It saved me a lot of time / mouse clicks.

Answer 18

I am following an extensive recipe for creating a useful Windows system created and maintained by Simon Payton Jones.

Answer 19

Turn off autorun so that I don't accidentally install malware or crapware.

Here are some of the many links:

http://antivirus.about.com/od/securitytips/ht/autorun.htm http://news.cnet.com/8301-13554_3-9894970-33.html?tag=mncol;txt

Answer 20

A couple of things that no one mentioned

• Install Console2 for cmd windows tabs
• Install Powershell
• Replace Notepad2 Notepad completely

Answer 21

I install some set of * nix command line utilities and a process explorer with a minimum minimum.

In addition, on XP systems I will turn off any theme and use the classic coloring of windows. Vista just doesn’t look or work without an Aero theme, so I can’t do it on Vista without switching almost completely to nuts.

Also forgot, I install Chrome. (Used for Firefox, but Chrome is better out of the box)

Answer 22

• Install full IIS.
• Set the resolution high enough.
• Set the background to gray.
• Show hidden and system files.
• Toolbar 2 or 3 high (I run one monitor from the side).
• Always show file extensions.

Answer 23

I use nLite to prepare my Windows installation disc to install some typical settings right after installation.

For example:

• Explorer-associate additional file types using Notepad
• Explorer-Classic Control Panel
• Explorer-Disable beep on error
• Explorer-disable prefix: shortcut to
• Explorer-Show extensions of known file types
• Explorer - view hidden files and folders
• Explorer - show the full path in the title bar
• Disabling error information in files and folders
• Shutdown performance. Last available timestamp for files.
• Taskbar from the taskbar - disable similar taskbar buttons
• Taskbar with a disabled panel
• Taskbar - Lock the taskbar - Yes

You can also remove useless parts of the system:

• Availability Options
• portfolio
• Clipbook viewer

Answer 24

I install all shell extensions that I usually use (e.g. TortoiseSVN and CommandHere).

In addition, one of the first things I do after I redo the machine is to make sure that it is correctly connected to all my network resources. Few things frustrate my work as fast as wrestling with the network to get the file at the wrong time.

Answer 25

Install emacs + gnuwin32 package selection.

In addition, proexp for replacing the task manager.

Answer 26

Edie Weitz describes his settings well: Making Windows Use Linux Launch

Answer 27

• Switch to the classic menu
• Increase the height of the taskbar to have more shortcuts and lock the taskbar.
• Performance Options -> Tuning for Better Performance
• Copy all backups of shortcut files to the Favorites folder
• Install the necessary software (JDK, DBMS, Editplus, MS Office, etc.).
• Sound card driver
• New network connection for broadband ...

Answer 28

I usually leave Windows Defender on the network, but I do not use antivirus, so ....

I set the start menu to display small icons and not have active "last applied programs." Instead, I write everything in my menu:

My start menu is http://www.robpaveza.net/pub/startmenu.png

I also make sure that all extension menus are the actual menu, not just links, and that my computer file and user file icons are displayed on the desktop.

Answer 29

Download and install Cygwin and Xming .

Answer 30

Wow, this is a really good topic ... I will need to go through all the suggestions and see what I'm aiming for: :)

With the bat, I install:

• Google chrome
• Visual studio 2008
• aShampoo CD Burning suite (or any of my other current favorite burning packages)
• IZArc (or whatever, my current favorite)
• RocketDock - I use it to replace Quick Launch.
• Songbird

When I used XP (now I'm on Vista), I always install the Tweak interface and configure everything to my liking. How to list My computer before My documents. I remove the help icon from the Start menu. I make Network Neighborhood appear on the Start menu. I have a display of file extensions and a display of hidden files / folders.