Some Notes on the Machines

Appx’s are a method used for application install, first delivered in Windows 8.1. There are a lot of builtins which take live system resources in hidden fashion, usually not showing up in Task Manager very much or at all. And there have been a lot of changes in this over recent years. Here’s an overview of items for cleanup as of this writing. One can free a lot of resources on machines this way.

The first thing to know is that many appx’s are “provisioned”, they are embedded in the current (“online”) DISM image, and will be automatically activated whenever a new user profile is made. To get a list of these:

Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | Sort-Object | ft DisplayName, PackageName

To get a list of all apps installed for all users, in nicely sorted form:

Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Sort-Object | ft

To remove several of these, that I like to have gone in business desktops, both from provisioning and from any user for which any of them may be installed:

#Begin Script

$RemovalItems =  @(
"Microsoft.Advertising.Xaml",
"Microsoft.BingWeather",
"Microsoft.BingFinance",
"Microsoft.BingNews",
"Microsoft.BingSports",
"Microsoft.SkypeApp",
"Microsoft.WindowsCommunicationsApps",
"Microsoft.XboxGameOverlay",
"Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay",
"Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI",
"Microsoft.Xbox.TCUI",
"Microsoft.XboxApp",
"Microsoft.XboxSpeechToTextOverlay",
"Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider",
"Microsoft.YourPhone",
"Microsoft.ZuneVideo",
"Microsoft.ZuneMusic",
"MicrosoftTeams",
".DellDigitalDelivery",
".DellSupportAssistforPCs",
".DellUpdate",
".Power2GoforDell",
".PowerDirectorforDell",
".DellDigitalDelivery",
".DellWatchgdogTimer",
".DelltypeCStatus",
".DiscoverHPTouchpointManager",
".HPDesktopSupportUtilities",
".HPEasyClean",
".HPJumpStart",
".HPPCHardwareDiagnosticsWindows",
".HPPowerManage",
".HPPrivacySettings",
".HPProgrammableKey",
".HPQuickDrop",
".myHP",
".HPSupportAssistant",
".HPSystemInformation",
".HPWorkWell",
".HPAccessoryCenter"
)

$ProvisionedItems = Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online
foreach ($ProvItem in $ProvisionedItems) {
	foreach ($RemItem in $RemovalItems) {
		If ($ProvItem.DisplayName -like "*$RemItem*") {
			Write-Host "Deprovisioning:" $ProvItem.DisplayName
			$error.clear()
			try {
				Remove-AppXProvisionedPackage -Online -PackageName $ProvItem.PackageName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Out-Null
			}
			catch { "Failed: Microsoft does not allow, or other error." }
			if (!$error) { "Succeeded!" }
		}
	}
}

$InstalledItems = Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers
foreach ($InstItem in $InstalledItems) {
	foreach ($RemItem in $RemovalItems) {
		if ($InstItem.Name -like "*$RemItem*") {
			Write-Host "User-level removal operation:" $InstItem.Name
			$error.clear()
			try {
				Get-AppxPackage $InstItem.Name -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage -Allusers -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Out-Null
			}
			catch { "Failed: Microsoft does not allow, or other error." }
			if (!$error) { "Succeeded!" }
		}
	}
}

# End Script

The above first gets rid of the provisioned, then the user-level for all user profiles, for the whole list. There are some for which Microsoft prevents all removals; errors are thrown for these.

Something relatively new. Very interesting changes from some Microsoft documentation, searchable here. Performance improvements have been visible in general behavior of all machines tested for this so far. On some, reported CPU speed does still change over time. BIOS changes are likely to assist as well.

The lines below work in administrative Powershell. It creates a new power scheme called “Maximum Performance”, based on the hidden built-in “Ultimate Performance” if it exists on your system. To revert, just go into Power in the Control Panel and reselect your original power scheme.

# Begin script
powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61

$oldpower = powercfg -getactivescheme
"Creating power scheme:  Maximum Performance"

$newpower = powercfg -duplicatescheme scheme_current
$newpower = ($newpower[19..54] -join "")
powercfg -changename $newpower "Maximum Performance"
powercfg -setactive $newpower

# Makes maximum CPU speeds available, by default they're not
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFBOOSTMODE 2
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFBOOSTMODE1 2
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFINCTHRESHOLD 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFINCTHRESHOLD1 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFINCTIME 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFINCTIME1 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFDECTHRESHOLD 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFDECTHRESHOLD1 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor LATENCYHINTPERF 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor LATENCYHINTPERF1 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFAUTONOMOUS 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFDUTYCYCLING 0

# Sets overall throttles to maximum
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PROCTHROTTLEMAX 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PROCTHROTTLEMAX1 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PROCTHROTTLEMIN 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PROCTHROTTLEMIN1 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor HETEROCLASS1INITIALPERF 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor HETEROCLASS0FLOORPERF 100

# Turns off CPU core controls, tells OS to just use them all.
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPMAXCORES 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPMINCORES 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor DISTRIBUTEUTIL 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPDISTRIBUTION 0

# Minimizes CPU spinup time, and maximizes spindown time, just in case
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPINCREASETIME 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPDECREASETIME 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPHEADROOM 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPCONCURRENCY 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor LATENCYHINTUNPARK 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor LATENCYHINTUNPARK1 0

# Sets energy savings preference to zero
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFEPP 0

# Commits all above changes to current power plan
powercfg -setactive scheme_current
# End script

Some detail can be had here and here.

These changes are disrecommended for cooling-poor laptops. And one might want to watch the temperatures of poorly built desktops and even some poorly built servers, too.

A version of the above which alters the original power scheme, and runs in administrative CMD, is below. The below is not very easily reversible. It does not use the “Ultimate Performance” builtin.

# Begin script
REM Makes maximum CPU speeds available, by default they're not
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFBOOSTMODE 2
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFBOOSTMODE1 2
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFINCTHRESHOLD 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFINCTHRESHOLD1 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFINCTIME 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFINCTIME1 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFDECTHRESHOLD 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFDECTHRESHOLD1 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor LATENCYHINTPERF 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor LATENCYHINTPERF1 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFAUTONOMOUS 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFDUTYCYCLING 0

REM Sets overall throttles to maximum
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PROCTHROTTLEMAX 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PROCTHROTTLEMAX1 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PROCTHROTTLEMIN 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PROCTHROTTLEMIN1 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor HETEROCLASS1INITIALPERF 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor HETEROCLASS0FLOORPERF 100

REM Turns off CPU core controls, tells OS to just use them all.
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPMAXCORES 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPMINCORES 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor DISTRIBUTEUTIL 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPDISTRIBUTION 0

REM Minimizes CPU spinup time, and maximizes spindown time, just in case
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPINCREASETIME 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPDECREASETIME 100
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPHEADROOM 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor CPCONCURRENCY 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor LATENCYHINTUNPARK 0
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor LATENCYHINTUNPARK1 0

REM Sets energy savings preference to zero
powercfg -setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_processor PERFEPP 0

REM Commits all above changes to current power plan
powercfg -setactive scheme_current
# End script

This works:

Write-Host "Beginning..."

# Manual / forced Automate agent removal
# from https://docs.connectwise.com/ConnectWise_Automate/ConnectWise_Automate_Documentation/070/020/010

TASKKILL /F /IM LTSVC.exe 2> $null
TASKKILL /F /IM LTSvcMon.exe 2> $null
TASKKILL /F /IM LTTray.exe 2> $null

CMD /C 'SC DELETE LTSERVICE 2>NUL' | Out-Null
CMD /C 'SC DELETE LTSVCMON 2>NUL' | Out-Null

CD HKLM:\SOFTWARE
Remove-Item LABTECH -Force -Recurse 2> $null
CD HKLM:\SOFTWARE\WOW6432NODE
Remove-Item LABTECH -Force -Recurse 2> $null

Remove-Item C:\WINDOWS\LTSVC -Force -Recurse 2> $null

Write-Host "Done!"

The following updates Roboform v9. Whenever v10 comes out, this will need to be changed to fit. winget does not appear able to do this job, at least when Roboform is installed via exe.

cd $env:TEMP
taskkill /f /im robotaskbaricon.exe
curl.exe -O https://www.roboform.com/dist/RoboForm-v9-Setup.exe
.\roboform-v9-setup.exe /silent /unatt /close

This command line will upgrade many things, run it in administrative shell:

winget upgrade --all --include-unknown

Don’t try this with Autodesk products installed, and there are probably other situations to watch for too.

It’s built into most OEM installs of Windows 10 and 11, and can often be installed. On server builds it’s touch and go.

To see if you have it, try winget list from CMD or Powershell.

One good way to test it, is to install Microsoft .NET framework (SDK) 6, thus, from administrative Powershell:

winget install --id Microsoft.DotNet.Runtime.6 --silent --accept-source-agreements

I learned just now that if you add other seemingly valuable options to the one above, e.g., --scope machine, at least while running as SYSTEM, it will fail citing package not found. So you’ll want to test carefully.

Here’s one proven just now for 7zip (there’s a “search” option in winget to get the ID):

winget install --exact --id 7zip.7zip --accept-package-agreements --silent --scope machine

Here’s one for Google Chrome, needs a bit of extra:

winget.exe install --exact --id Google.Chrome --silent --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements --scope machine

And here’s a way to upgrade everything Winget can upgrade. There are some systems to not use this on, e.g., anything with some Autodesk products:

winget upgrade --all --include-unknown

If you do want to use it from the SYSTEM account, in scripting, it gets interesting. You’ll want to first run the below, and then winget will run as expected.

[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
# Function to find the path to winget.exe
function Find-WinGet-Path {
    # Get the WinGet path (for use when running in SYSTEM context).
    $WinGetPathToResolve = Join-Path -Path $ENV:ProgramFiles -ChildPath 'WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_*_*__8wekyb3d8bbwe'
    $ResolveWinGetPath = Resolve-Path -Path $WinGetPathToResolve | Sort-Object {
        [version]($_.Path -replace '^[^\d]+_((\d+\.)*\d+)_.*', '$1')
    }
    if ($ResolveWinGetPath) {
        # If we have multiple versions - use the latest.
        $WinGetPath = $ResolveWinGetPath[-1].Path
    }

    # Get the User-Context WinGet exe location.
    $WinGetExePath = Get-Command -Name winget.exe -CommandType Application -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

    # Select the correct WinGet exe
    if (Test-Path -Path (Join-Path $WinGetPath 'winget.exe')) {
        # Running in SYSTEM-Context.
        $WinGet = Join-Path $WinGetPath 'winget.exe'
    } elseif ($WinGetExePath) {
        # Get User-Context if SYSTEM-Context not found.
        $WinGet = $WinGetExePath.Path
    } else {
        Write-Output 'WinGet not Found!'
        Stop-Transcript
        exit 1
    }

    # Return WinGet path
    return ($WinGet -replace '\winget.exe','')
}

Function Add-PathVariable {
    param (
        [string]$addPath
    )
    if (Test-Path $addPath){
        $regexAddPath = [regex]::Escape($addPath)
        $arrPath = $env:Path -split ';' | Where-Object {$_ -notMatch 
"^$regexAddPath\\?"}
        $env:Path = ($arrPath + $addPath) -join ';'
    } else {
        Throw "'$addPath' is not a valid path."
    }
}

Add-PathVariable (Find-Winget-Path)

Installing has been even more interesting. I’ve tried a lot of things. The below worked very well recently on Server 2019 as well as Server 2022. Sometimes it fails once and has to be re-run. It is a script which installs prerequisites, and installs another script called winget-install. After the installations, it will run winget-install. Once successful, winget runs.

#begin script

[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Force > $null

Function PrepareModule {
	param( [string]$ModuleName )

	"Preparing Powershell environment: Getting online " + $ModuleName + " info..."
	$OnlineModuleInfo = Find-Module $ModuleName -Repository PSGallery
	"Preparing Powershell environment: Getting local " + $ModuleName + " info (if exists)..."
	$LocalModuleInfo = Get-InstalledModule $ModuleName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue > $null

	If ($OnlineModuleInfo.Version -ne $LocalModuleInfo.Version) {
		"Preparing Powershell environment: Removing old " + $ModuleName + " (if exists)..."
		Uninstall-Module -Name $ModuleName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue > $null
		"Preparing Powershell environment: Installing new " + $ModuleName + "..."
		Install-Module -Name $ModuleName -Repository PSGallery
		"Preparing Powershell environment: Importing new " + $ModuleName + "..."
		Import-Module -Name $ModuleName
		}
}

"Setting up to use Powershell Gallery..."
Install-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -MinimumVersion 2.8.5.201 -Force
Install-Module PowerShellGet -Force
Set-PSRepository -InstallationPolicy Trusted -Name PSGallery

PrepareModule("NuGet")	

Install-Script -Name winget-install 
winget-install

#End script

There has been a complete replacement:

www.apc.com/us/en/product-range/61932-powerchute-business-edition/#overview

There has been a complete replacement:

www.apc.com/us/en/product-range/61932-powerchute-business-edition/#overview

Here’s page current as of now:

www.apc.com/us/en/product-range/61932-powerchute-business-edition/#overview

The Powershell below, calls all of the tools listed for it here.

#begin script

if (([Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal][Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()).IsInRole([Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole] "Administrator"))
    {
    "Running elevated; good."
    ""
    } else {
    "Not running as elevated.  Starting elevated shell."
    Start-Process powershell -WorkingDirectory $PWD.Path -Verb runAs -ArgumentList "-noprofile -noexit -file $PSCommandPath"
    return "Done. This one will now exit."
    ""
    }

Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force

[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls -bor [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls11 -bor [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12;

$dfolder = "C:\OptimizeTemp"

$ps_script_list = @(
    'mma-appx-etc.ps1',
    'RunDevNodeClean.ps1',
    'wt_removeGhosts.ps1',
    'TweakDrives.ps1',
	'TweakSMB.ps1',
    'OWTAS.ps1',
    'OVSS.ps1',
    'CATE.ps1',
	'TweakHardware.ps1'
    'TweakMemTCP.ps1'
    )

mkdir $dfolder

"Downloading..."

ForEach ($ps_script in $ps_script_list) {
	$download_url = "https://github.com/jebofponderworthy/windows-tools/raw/master/tools/$ps_script"

	""
	"--- Downloading $ps_script... ---"
	Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $download_url -Outfile "$dfolder\$ps_script"
	}

""
"Running..."

ForEach ($ps_script in $ps_script_list) {
	$run_script = "$dfolder\$ps_script"
	& $run_script

	Remove-Item "$dfolder\$ps_script"
	}	

Remove-Item $dfolder -Recurse -Force

#end of script