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

The journal can get huge over time, slowing machines down a lot. Here’s how to delete it and recreate it for C:, in CMD. The process can cause interference and conflict with Windows internals and applications, though I have not seen this happen so far. On a machine that has been in use a while, it can help a whole lot.

fsutil usn deletejournal /n C: & fsutil usn createjournal C:

Here are quick pastes for D: and E:.

fsutil usn deletejournal /n D: & fsutil usn createjournal D:

fsutil usn deletejournal /n E: & fsutil usn createjournal E:

In 2012R2/8.1 and before, we must be more specific in the creation:

fsutil usn deletejournal /n C: & fsutil usn createjournal m=1000 a=100 C:

fsutil usn deletejournal /n D: & fsutil usn createjournal m=1000 a=100 D:

fsutil usn deletejournal /n E: & fsutil usn createjournal m=1000 a=100 E:

And here’s Powershell, to do it all for every drive letter in the system:

########################################
# Delete and Recreate NTFS USN Journal #
########################################

# This script iterates through all lettered NTFS drives in Windows, 
# and deletes and recreates the USN Journal of each one.
# Considerable performance gain results if the image has been running
# for a year or more.

# There are slightly different commands between some OS versions.
$OSVer = [System.Environment]::OSVersion.Version
If ($OSVer.Major -gt 10)
{
	"OS > 10. Create uses short command."
	$ShortCommand = $True
} ElseIf ($OSVer.Major -eq 10) {
	If ($OSVer.Build -le 14393)	{
		("OS is 10 build " + $OSVer.Build + ". " + "Create uses long command.")
		$ShortCommand = $False
	}
	Else {
		"OS is 10, build > 14393. Create uses short command."
		$ShortCommand = $True
	}
} ElseIf ($OSVer.Major -lt 10) {
	"OS < 10. Create uses long command."
	$ShortCommand = $False
}	

Get-CimInstance -Query "Select * FROM Win32_LogicalDisk WHERE DriveType=3" | ForEach-Object {
	$DriveID = $_.DeviceID

	If ($DriveID -match "[A-Z]")
	{
		"Deleting USN Journal on " + $DriveID + " ..."
		fsutil usn deletejournal /n $DriveID

		"Recreating USN Journal on " + $DriveID + " ..."
		if ($ShortCommand) {
			fsutil usn createjournal $DriveID
		}
		else {
			fsutil usn createjournal m=1000 a=100 $DriveID
		}
	}
}
# End Script

Reference:

docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/fsutil-usn

This venerable tool:

https://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php/

is still by far the best. It optimizes Windows settings for speed on the Internet. It can help at both home and enterprise, and quite a lot. Still being kept up to date for Windows 11.

NETBIOS is a very legacy protocol, security of it is very poor. Substantial performance gains by disabling it have been noticed. This is probably because when active it broadcasts constantly to every single NIC on its LAN, creating NIC and switch contention. Also, a large proportion of security violation exploits use it, so disabling becomes a very good idea in general. The only exceptions occur when there are needs to do SMB sharing with very old machines, machines all long out of support. By default, it is still active on all current Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Here is a paste to Powershell that does it all:

Get-CimInstance -ClassName 'Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration' | Invoke-CimMethod -MethodName 'SetTcpipNetbios' -Arguments @{ 'TcpipNetbiosOptions' = [UInt32](2) }

Get-WmiObject Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration | Invoke-WmiMethod -Name SetWINSServer -ArgumentList @('','')

$nicall = [wmiclass]'Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration'
$nicall.enablewins($false,$false)

Set-Service -Name "lmhosts" -StartupType Disabled
Stop-Service -Name "lmhosts"

The various bits are below.

Turn off NETBIOS over TCP/IP, for each NIC:

Get-CimInstance -ClassName 'Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration' | Where-Object -Property 'TcpipNetbiosOptions' -ne $null | Invoke-CimMethod -MethodName 'SetTcpipNetbios' -Arguments @{ 'TcpipNetbiosOptions' = [UInt32](2) }

Get rid of all WINS entries, if present (sorry, no CimInstance code yet):

Get-WmiObject Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration -Filter "IPEnabled='True'" | Invoke-WmiMethod -Name SetWINSServer -ArgumentList @('','')

Uncheck of LMHOSTS lookups:

$nicall = [wmiclass]'Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration'
$nicall.enablewins($false,$false)

Disable the service “TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper”:

Set-Service -Name "lmhosts" -StartupType Disabled
Stop-Service -Name "lmhosts"

If Microsoft DHCP is in use, DHCP can tell clients to do the simple disable, the first item above:

learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/networking/disable-netbios-tcp-ip-using-dhcp

And if you want to combine the above with a new Microsoft standard preventing Windows port exhaustion:

Get-CimInstance -ClassName 'Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration' | Invoke-CimMethod -MethodName 'SetTcpipNetbios' -Arguments @{ 'TcpipNetbiosOptions' = [UInt32](2) }
Get-WmiObject Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration | Invoke-WmiMethod -Name SetWINSServer -ArgumentList @('','')
$nicall = [wmiclass]'Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration'
$nicall.enablewins($false,$false)
Set-Service -Name "lmhosts" -StartupType Disabled
Stop-Service -Name "lmhosts"
netsh int ipv4 set dynamic tcp start=49152 num=16384
netsh int ipv4 set dynamic udp start=49152 num=16384

Below is another script, to reenable the protocols, though it does not try to put back any WINS server IPs that may have been deleted, and it cannot override Microsoft DHCP:

Get-CimInstance -ClassName 'Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration' | Invoke-CimMethod -MethodName 'SetTcpipNetbios' -Arguments @{ 'TcpipNetbiosOptions' = 0 }

$DisableLMHosts_Class=Get-WmiObject -list Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration
$DisableLMHosts_Class.EnableWINS($true,$true)

Set-Service -Name "lmhosts" -StartupType Manual
Start-Service -Name "lmhosts"

This:

medium.com/@mail2wesley/increase-memory-quota-for-wmi-classes-to-avoid-wmi-quota-violation-error-ee2070092674

Here is Group Policy:

Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / News and interests

There are machines with (say) 16 gigabytes of RAM, where Task Manager shows 97% or more memory in use, but the numbers don’t add up even close to 16G. The first step is to get RAMMap:

learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/rammap

and study the Use Counts tab list. There may be more than one cause, but the one I’m looking at, shows most of my RAM used by “Driver Locked”. Microsoft says updated drivers will fix it. Will continue this article when I have data. Current references:

learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/128755/driver-locked

learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/test/assessments/windows-assessment-console

learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/get-started/adk-install

At least on this office LAN, this is helping. Not clear whether it helps everywhere and all.

In Regedit, go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces

You’ll notice several GUIDs. These are all of the network interfaces Windows knows about, virtual, Bluetooth, whatnot. You’ll want to try adding the below to any of them that you use.

TCPAckFrequency = 1

Technically this is called “disabling delayed ACK”. It seems to be helping me a lot for all accesses, including SMB, intranet, and Internet.

This one has a lot of very nice performance tweaks, and a defrag within that seems to do a good job, though one cannot defrag an SSD, only TRIM.

www.wisecleaner.com/wise-care-365.html