Check and Set Computer Settings (Windows)

Work in progress... Right now assumes Windows 8+

Power Settings

• References:
  • Start and Shutdown Windows automatically
• Auto power on
  • Boot up your computer and enter your BIOS setup. [Usually this involves pressing the Delete key as your computer boots (your computer should say Press DEL to Enter Setup or something similar as you turn it on).]
  • Navigate to the Power Options.
  • If your BIOS supports it, there should be a function for automatically starting up your computer at a certain time of day, e.g. "Resume by Alarm"
  • Enable that setting and set time
  • Save and Exit the BIOS
• Auto power off
  • Hit Start/Windows key and type in "task scheduler"; open up Task Scheduler from results.
  • In the right pane, select "Create Task"
    • Name it
    • Under the General tab, check "Run with highest privileges" and "Run whether user is logged on or not"
    • Under Settings tab check "Stop the task if it runs longer than" and set it to "1 hour".
    • Under Actions tab, click "New", and choose "Start a Program" as your action
      • Set the Program to shutdown and the arguments to -s.
    • Under Triggers tab click New
      • Set power schedule (e.g. 12:00 AM daily) and hit OK.
    • Hit OK again at the next window and your task should be saved in Task Scheduler.

Software Updates

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/turn-automatic-updating-on-off#turn-automatic-updating-on-off=windows-8

Boot into Desktop

• right-click the desktop taskbar and select Properties

• Click the Navigation tab and use the options here to configure Windows 8.1 to boot to the desktop

  • Also disable the app switcher and charms hot corners

• via: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/8-super-windows-8-1-tweaks-for-power-users/

Disable Notifications

• Press the Win+C shortcut on the keyboard. The Charms Bar will appear on the screen.
• Click the 'Settings' gear icon and click the PC Settings item at the bottom of the screen.
• Go to PC Settings -> Notifications section, if you are in Windows 8 RTM, or PC Settings Search and Apps -> Notifications in case of Windows 8.1
• Turn off all 'Show X notifications' options
• via: http://winaero.com/blog/how-to-disable-metro-toast-notifications-on-the-desktop/

Hostname

Check...

Change...

Bluetooth

Disable

Enable

Wifi

Disable

Enable

Sleep settings

Check..

Change...

Auto-login

Check...

Change...

Start-Up Items

Check...

Add

Delete

Chrome Auto-Update

Turn off

Turn on

Crash Reporting

Turn off

Turn on

Hide Start Menu

Check it

Set it

Disable Screensavers

Check time setting

Remote Login

Check

Turn on

Turn off drives, servers, etc. from appearing on desktop