Hello, I have a problem with windows 11 task switcher that is killing me for a long time and I can't find any way to solve this, it is very annoying its killing my workflow for far too long.
The problem is with persistent option that came with windows 11, when you click (ctrl + alt + tab) the task switcher doesn't close and switches to next app when you release the keys, but it stays open waiting for user action. I use (alt + tab) a lot, and I never need it to be persistent.
I have managed to partially solve this problem with using windows PowerToys app, that enables key remapping, but the bigger problem is that very annoying HP laptop FN button, when I accidentally click (FN key) and then (alt + tab), task switcher again stays opened.
The problem with FN key is that is not detected by OS, so I cannot remap this. Also I can't find a way to somehow completely disable this button in bios or something, it only has option to change default lock mode.
So I tried again with something I could modify in windows registry to somehow disable persistent task switcher in windows to always automatically close when I release the keys no matter how I open it..... but all this with no luck.
Any solution for this would be much appreciated!
EDIT:
I have found a solution to this problem. I am sharing it here for anyone that has the same problem, because it drove me nuts for months.
At first I taught that I was mistakenly pressing (ctrl) or (FN key) or some other combiantions, but after I have managed to rewrite most of the key shortcuts and carefully test and the problem was still randomly occurring. I have come to the conclusion that my keyboard sometimes sends additional signal to key combination, and windows would just randomly detect it as if I opened persistent tab switcher.
I have finally managed to solve this issue by bringing back old (alt + tab) switcher from the Windows XP. Its way faster the the new one also it does not have this bug.
The solution to bring back old tab switcher is to modify windows register: 1) Open windows register (regedit) 2) Go to: Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer 3) Add new DWORD (32 bit) Value, name it AltTabSettings 4) Edit AltTabSettings and set Value to (1) 5) Restart explorer process. If you don't want to restart PC, just go to task manager, find (Windows Explorer) process, right click on the process and click restart.

Will probably add images later
• Windows 10-like Action Center but with Windows 11’s design language (floating, rounded, Fluent, etc.) or the Windows 10X one. I like when everything is in one place, instead of the separate Action Center and Notification Center. Option in Settings to separate them just like Windows 11. • Move Copilot to the Start Menu or Action Center. If not, move to the left of the taskbar if it is centered. • Move Search to the left of the taskbar when centered • Add the ability to make your own menu on the taskbar (or a folder) • Add even more telemetry /j • Make Windows Defender fully Fluent • Make OOBE be in dark mode by default and ask if the system should be in dark mode • Bring back the “Hero” wallpaper but with the current Windows logo • Add different-colored variants of the “Bloom” and “Hero” wallpapers • Update Windows 9x/XP/Vista/7 icons to be Fluent • Update Metro stuff to be Fluent • Add support for dark mode to old system components (Run, Control Panel, etc.) • Allow to center just the program icons on the taskbar, not the Start menu • Readd toolbars feature • Readd tablet mode toggle • Add option to keep Widgets in the Start menu, Action Center, Desktop or the taskbar • Add option to merge Desktop and the Start menu • Allow Start menu resizing and making it fullscreen • Add something like Apple’s Stage Manager • Make taskbar icon size configuring an option in Settings (it is possible using regedit on Windows 11 but doesn’t show up as an option anywhere) • Allow taskbar resizing • Add tabs to Paint • Readd Sets feature • Allow hiding the Recommended section and moving All Apps to the main screen in the Start menu • Update the loading icon systemwide (the login screen still has the Windows 10/8 loading icon) • Readd moving taskbar to the left and right of the screen and make moving it to the top an option (it is possible using regedit but is not an option) • More?

Question / poll: how much of your time with Windows is spent engaged in actual work / play / productivity, vs. how much time is spent troubleshooting problems?
I haven't used Windows much since Windows 7, which I used for years and years after finally waiting long enough for it to be nearly as stable as XP. I briefly had a PC in 2018 with Win10 and found it clunky, but at least was able to play a few games on it and use some basic software.
Last year I bought another PC with the aim to learn Windows better, maybe do some light video editing and play some old games on newer hardware.
Ho - ly - hell. What a nightmare it's been.
I tried using the computer when I got it last year, but was so frustrated by all the issues and troubleshooting that I basically let it sit for a year, subconsciously hating the purchase every time I saw it collecting dust in the corner.
This new year, I decided to knuckle down and simply figure out all the issues and get familiar and comfortable with the whole system, from the BIOS up to Win 10.
Since then, I have dumped something along the measure of 80+ hours over the course of 6 weeks banging my head on the desk and basically being used by Windows as a voluntary system admin. Every single time I turn on the PC there's a new problem, bug, broken driver, something that I finally got working now broken or missing.
It. Is. Maddening.
I'm ready to give up once again (after spending another 6 hours on fixing one problem last night, only to turn on the PC this morning to find 3 new problems, and multiple BSOD to boot).
​
Rather than asking for troubleshooting help, I'm simply wondering what the experience is like for other people.
Is this normal? Do you spend most/all of your time in Windows chasing down problem after error after crash symptom after fault? Endlessly reading through troubleshooting forums, researching error codes, rummaging through regedit, installing/uninstalling drivers, rebooting, rebooting, rebooting, rebooting, rebooting, and, just for good measure, rebooting again? If so, is there an argument to be made that this is kinda the point with this OS? (Psychologically maybe it feels to some people like they have more ownership or control over their system when they constantly need to tinker around under the hood?)
I'm surprised the OS stayed alive long enough this afternoon to write this post.

This is how I activate Windows XP without a key. You can install XP without a key but you get a limit on how many days before you need to activate it.
​

• 1 Click on the "Start" button
• 2 Find and click the "Run" button
• 3 Type: "REGEDIT"
• 4 Click the plus next to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"
• 5 Click the plus next to "SOFTWARE"
• 6 Click the plus next to "Microsoft"
• 7 Click the plus next to "Windows NT"
• 8 Click the plus next to "CurrentVersion"
• 9 Click "WPAEvents"
• 10 On the right panel, find "OOBETimer" and double click it.
• 11 Now, highlight all values, then delete them
• 12 Then type in the following value: FF D5 71 D6 8B 6A 8D 6F D5 33 93 FD
• 13 After that, click "OK"
• 14 Next, on the left panel, right-click "WPAEvents"
• 15 Then click on "permissions"
• 16 Click "SYSTEM"
• 17 Click the box "Deny Full Control"
• 18 Click "OK"
• 19 Click "YES" and exit out of Registry Editor. You can do this by clicking on the red X in the upper-right corner of the Title Bar or, while holding down the ALT key, press the F4 key.
• 20 To verify that it works, Click on "Start" and then "Activate Windows." Or you can click on "Start," then "All Programs," then "Activate Windows" If these options don't work, type this text in the space provided: %systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe \a
• 21 Click on "ACTIVATE ON THE PHONE" and then "CHANGE Product Key"
• 22 Type: THMPV - 77D6F - 94376 - 8HGKG - VRDRQ
• 23 Click "UPDATE"
• 24 Click "REMIND ME LATER"
• 25 Restart Windows
• 26 Once your computer is back up, click "START" and "RUN" and "%system"
• 27 Click "OK"

I found this years ago from this website. http://www.americancomputerenterprises.com/downloads/how_to_activate_windows_xp_witho.htm

I am sorry if this is the wrong sub/flair to post something like this, I just couldn't find anything else.
​
So I have been completing my Microsoft Office collection from Office 95-2021 on my Windows 11 PC (64-bit OS and processor) by downloading them all on my D: drive (external HDD) because I am curious about each version, bored, and also just to flex on my friends. I currently have the following Offices installed (listed in installation order):

1. Office 2003 Enterprise, 2. Office 95 Pro, 3. Office 2000 Premium, 4. Office XP Pro, 5. Office 97 Small Business 1 + Pro (cause SB doesn't come with PowerPoint for some reason) 6. Office 2010 Pro Plus, 7. Office 2007 Enterprise

I am currently waiting to get Office 2013, 2019, and 2021 and I currently have the 32 and 64-bit ISOs for Office 2016. However, when I try to install both, I get hit with the following errors: 32-bit setup: Setup Error. We can't install the 32-bit version of Office because we found the following 64-bit programs on your PC: Office 16 Click-to-Run Extensibility Component. Please uninstall all 64-bit Office programs, then retry installing 32-bit Office. If you want to install 64-bit Office instead, please run the 64-bit setup
64-bit setup: Setup Error. We can't install the 64-bit version of Office because we found the following 32-bit programs on your PC: Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010. Microsoft Office Access database engine 2007 (English). Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007. Please uninstall all 32-bit Office programs, then retry installing 64-bit Office. If you want to install 32-bit Office instead, please run the 32-bit setup Now my end goal is to have all the offices at least with their core programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access) by the end of the installations hoping I would not have to delete and re-install any of my offices. I have tried the Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products for regedit and I have removed all the Office 16 files I found in both "C:\Windows\Installer" and "C:\Users\(user)\Appdata\Local" (with %localappdata%) and the setups still error. Is my office collection doomed or could I set up all the offices after 2003 in reverse chronological order and will it work (as in 2021, then 2019, then 2016, etc.) or not? Thank you

To the explanation of what I am trying to say is that in Windows, in any Windows there is regedit, because what I mean is that there is one similar to regedit, it is gpedit, okay here everything is fine but the thing is that I used to use older Windows like xp or Windows 7 ok but on the screen to execute the gpedit command it just now appears so what I notice is that it It says gpedit.msc, as far as I remember, it didn't say .msc. I don't know if anyone can help me or explain why I remember that or what's really happening? Why do I know that only the gpdit is set no gpdit.msc?

Before few days I installed Windows XP on my friends PC with legit XP CD.
Its an old machine and it has a sticker with cd key on it, proped cd rom etc... After installing SP3, updating it was notification with 30 days of activation period which was strange but I ignored it.
Few days after he got locked out with the screen of activating it via internet or telephone.
​
I remember back in the day as a kid we all used same cd key without problem but not its funny that I can't activate it with proper legal cd key.
Internet activation doesn't work.
I tried everything with regedit activation disable, copied certification and installed on that PC, set a proper date... Activation via phone accepts the key (not saying its invalid) but I can't proceed after that.
​
Is there any legit way, any bat script, anything that it will remove that lockout windows and remove activation or activate it with the key provided?
​
​

and if so, under what conditions are these improvements benefiting the most?
I remember in the ancient times, we used to follow guides on how to regedits to squeeze every ms we could while playing counter strike 1.3 on windows XP.

Context

I was trying to get 7th Stand User to work in Linux. As you know, RPG Maker games requires the RPG Maker run time package, which contains other assets. So instead of the typical one exe launch that Wine pulls off, we have to do a bit of trickery to get things working.
Even after launch, due to the 32 bit nature of the game, multimedia libraries like gstreamer might mention 32 bit incompatibility in the Wine logs, graphics can be cut off if the setup is not done right.
Other than that, audio does not work fully off the bat. You’ll notice that while you can hear game SFX, the BGM is missing from the game. This is due to a Linux not having a built in synthesizer unlike Windows with Windows Media Player, as such you are required to launch your own synthesizer daemon and download your own sound font so that it can convert the MIDI instructions to an actual audio output to ALSA.
This guide was written specifically for RPG Maker 2000, but it might work for other RPG Maker versions with a bit of tweaking. Also note there are various ways to go about it, but the important things in this guide is to get MIDI audio and win32 games running. It could be easier for other versions of RPG Maker, I hope someone could update this guide if they have some experience for other versions.

Methods summary

Method 1: Use Wine or in my case Lutris to manage Wine

• Lutris is just a launcher that manages wine configurations and installations
• I prefer Lutris as it lets me manage all my games from one place

Method 2: Use Proton from Steam (I'm too lazy to write this)

Getting RPG Maker 2000 to work in Linux guide (Lutris method)

Download Lutris from your package manager.
Set up a manual game entry using Wine as runner

• Set the prefix path as somewhere predictable (In Arch you can set to ~/Games)
• Change the Installer Preset to Windows XP 32-Bit (Important else the 64-bit multimedia libraries will be used, and you cannot set your WINEARCH to win32 afterwards
• Save the game but you don't need to open it yet, it will simply fail without the RPG Maker RTP
  • The goal of this step is to make the directory structure within the Wine application for the game

Go to RPG Maker’s Website and download the exe for the RPG Maker 2000 Runtime Package installer
Copy the RTP installation file into the “drive_c” folder within the game folder

• For example, if my game folder is ~/Games/7th-stand-user, then the drive_c folder is located at ~/Games/7th-stand-usedrive-c
• You can place the installer file anywhere in to the drive_c folder,as it acts just like Windows C drive, this tricks the installer to downloading the runtime package inside

Configure game options to point to the installer executable, instead of the game executable. Run the executable, which starts the RPG Maker installer. The default download path should be within the drive_c folder.

Changing the wine runner

The default wine runner for Lutris might give warnings for no support for Fsync. As such you can change the runner by clicking the small home button at the left side bar of Lutris under Wine.
The one that I have tested that works is Lutris-X.x. This should resolve the warning.

Fixing Audio Issues

If you have already changed your Installer Preset to “Windows XP 32-bit” and still get warnings from the Wine logs, it means that you do not have the lib32 version of gstreamer.
You have to find the gstreamer package from your package repository (apt for Debian/Ubuntu, Arch repos etc.) of the correct architecture (i386). I don’t use Debian, and I’ve seen that there may be issues getting multi arch support so my instructions are strictly for Arch users. If anyone wants to contribute how they got lib32 versions of gstreamer on their particular distro, let me know.

• Add multilib support into pacman.conf
• Update your pacman using pacman -Syu
• Install lib32-gstreamer

Wine running under WINEARCH=win32 and 32 bit prefix will use lib32-gstreamer automatically.

Fixing MIDI BGM

To get MIDI background working, you need a way to synthesize MIDI audio. MIDI files are just instructions, and without a synthesizer to map a sound file to the instruction, it will not play. Either you have a physical hardware synthesizer, or a software synthesizer running on your system to interpret and play the MIDI files. The latter is obviously the choice for users.
You’ll also need a soundfont, which is the set of sound files of samples/recordings of instruments and sounds stored on a file or ROM chip.
Fun fact: In Windows, Windows Media Player can play MIDI files since it has a default software synthesizer hence no need to managing soundfonts.
Firstly, pick a software synthesizer. There are two good options: Timidity++ or Fluidsynth. I went for Timidity++. These will create software ALSA ports which they will output to.
Then install a soundfont, there are a list of soundfonts which you can find here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/MIDI#List_of_SoundFonts

• FatBoy
• FluidR3
• FreePats
• GeneralUser GS

FluidR3 sounds better than FreePats in my opinion. I installed mine through my package manager but you might have to do it manually on other distros.
For Arch users, the command is pacman -S soundfont-fluid freepats-general-midi if you want both FluidR3 and FreePats. On other distros, you have to probably unzip the soundfont and add its .sf2 file to /usshare/soundfonts/something.sf2.
Then, open /etc/timidity/timidity.cfg with a text editor and add this line “soundfont /usshare/soundfonts/FluidR3_GM.sf2” for FluidR3, or “soundfont /usshare/soundfonts/freepats-general-midi.sf2” for FreePats.
Go to google, install a MIDI file of your choosing. Note that some MIDI files are broken and will result in segmentation faults, so if you encounter this, install another.
Run the command timidity path/to/midi_file.midi to test MIDI output via timidity standalone. If it plays audio, you have configured timidity correctly.
Now, we want to run timidity as a daemon instead, and have it boot when we login as user, so that any MIDI files played are routed through it and output to ALSA. This is done via a service file which is not given by Timidity++ package.
Paste this file into ~/.config/systemd/usetimidity.service to create a user-specific service task.
[Unit]
Description=TiMidity++ Daemon
After=sound.target
[Service]
ExecStart=/usbin/timidity -iA -Os
[Install]
WantedBy=default.target
From Wine’s documentation, ExecStart command can be replaced by `timidity -iAD -B2,8 -Os1l -s 44100` to reduce choppiness. Your choice, both worked fine for me. If you do edit the service file while the daemon is started, remember to daemon reload using systemctl –user daemon-reload.
Now have it enabled on user login using systemctl –user enable timidity and start it with systemctl –user start timidity
Test your timidity daemon with aplaymidi -p128:0 path/to/midi. If the port number you wrong you can check with aconnect -o, the format is :.
Now when you run the game via Wine, the BGM should now be playing. This also activates support for MIDI throughout your system so that’s a bonus plus.
Do note, there are some caveats where the ordering of devices can be different based on your system such as some systems with both ALSA and OSS installed. This results in Wine mapping to the wrong ALSA client. If so, you have to use regedit on Wine to change your Current Instrument, as documented by the Wine page on MIDI. It worked out the box for me personally as I only have ALSA.

Fixing the Steam Icons (Minor)

From Lutris you can make Steam shortcuts. However, by default you’ll realise that there is no icon on the side.
The trick is to steal the icon from the exe either using icoutils or 7zip.

• Method 1: icoutils
  • Install icoutils
  • Run wrestool -x –output=. -t14 /path/to/windows.exe
• Method 2: 7zip
  • Run 7z x /path/to/windows.exe .rsrc/ICON
  • As documented here: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/510338/extract-icons-from-windows-executable

With the .ico file, convert it to png using imagemagick

• convert image.ico image.png

In Steam, set the icon to the path of the png icon.

Context

I was trying to get 7th Stand User to work in Linux. As you know, 7th Stand User requires the RPG Maker 2000 run time package, which contains other assets. So instead of the typical one exe launch that Wine pulls off, we have to do a bit of trickery to get things working.
Even after launch, due to the 32 bit nature of the game, multimedia libraries like gstreamer might mention 32 bit incompatibility in the Wine logs, graphics can be cut off if the setup is not done right.
Other than that, audio does not work fully off the bat. You’ll notice that while you can hear game SFX, the BGM is missing from the game. This is due to a Linux not having a built in synthesizer unlike Windows with Windows Media Player, as such you are required to launch your own synthesizer daemon and download your own sound font so that it can convert the MIDI instructions to an actual audio output to ALSA.

Methods summary

Method 1: Use Wine or in my case Lutris to manage Wine

• Lutris is just a launcher that manages wine configurations and installations
• I prefer Lutris as it lets me manage all my games from one place

Method 2: Use Proton from Steam (I'm too lazy to write this)

Getting RPG Maker 2000 to work in Linux guide (Lutris method)

Download Lutris from your package manager.
Set up a manual game entry using Wine as runner

• Set the prefix path as somewhere predictable (In Arch you can set to ~/Games)
• Change the Installer Preset to Windows XP 32-Bit (Important else the 64-bit multimedia libraries will be used, and you cannot set your WINEARCH to win32 afterwards
• Save the game but you don't need to open it yet, it will simply fail without the RPG Maker RTP
  • The goal of this step is to make the directory structure within the Wine application for the game

Go to RPG Maker’s Website and download the exe for the RPG Maker 2000 Runtime Package installer
Copy the RTP installation file into the “drive_c” folder within the game folder

• For example, if my game folder is ~/Games/7th-stand-user, then the drive_c folder is located at ~/Games/7th-stand-usedrive-c
• You can place the installer file anywhere in to the drive_c folder,as it acts just like Windows C drive, this tricks the installer to downloading the runtime package inside

Configure game options to point to the installer executable, instead of the game executable. Run the executable, which starts the RPG Maker installer. The default download path should be within the drive_c folder.

Changing the wine runner

The default wine runner for Lutris might give warnings for no support for Fsync. As such you can change the runner by clicking the small home button at the left side bar of Lutris under Wine.
The one that I have tested that works is Lutris-X.x. This should resolve the warning.

Fixing Audio Issues

If you have already changed your Installer Preset to “Windows XP 32-bit” and still get warnings from the Wine logs, it means that you do not have the lib32 version of gstreamer.
You have to find the gstreamer package from your package repository (apt for Debian/Ubuntu, Arch repos etc.) of the correct architecture (i386). I don’t use Debian, and I’ve seen that there may be issues getting multi arch support so my instructions are strictly for Arch users. If anyone wants to contribute how they got lib32 versions of gstreamer on their particular distro, let me know.

• Add multilib support into pacman.conf
• Update your pacman using pacman -Syu
• Install lib32-gstreamer

Wine running under WINEARCH=win32 and 32 bit prefix will use lib32-gstreamer automatically.

Fixing MIDI BGM

To get MIDI background working, you need a way to synthesize MIDI audio. MIDI files are just instructions, and without a synthesizer to map a sound file to the instruction, it will not play. Either you have a physical hardware synthesizer, or a software synthesizer running on your system to interpret and play the MIDI files. The latter is obviously the choice for users.
You’ll also need a soundfont, which is the set of sound files of samples/recordings of instruments and sounds stored on a file or ROM chip.
Fun fact: In Windows, Windows Media Player can play MIDI files since it has a default software synthesizer hence no need to managing soundfonts.
Firstly, pick a software synthesizer. There are two good options: Timidity++ or Fluidsynth. I went for Timidity++. These will create software ALSA ports which they will output to.
Then install a soundfont, there are a list of soundfonts which you can find here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/MIDI#List_of_SoundFonts

• FatBoy
• FluidR3
• FreePats
• GeneralUser GS

FluidR3 sounds better than FreePats in my opinion. I installed mine through my package manager but you might have to do it manually on other distros.
For Arch users, the command is pacman -S soundfont-fluid freepats-general-midi if you want both FluidR3 and FreePats. On other distros, you have to probably unzip the soundfont and add its .sf2 file to /usshare/soundfonts/something.sf2.
Then, open /etc/timidity/timidity.cfg with a text editor and add this line “soundfont /usshare/soundfonts/FluidR3_GM.sf2” for FluidR3, or “soundfont /usshare/soundfonts/freepats-general-midi.sf2” for FreePats.
Go to google, install a MIDI file of your choosing. Note that some MIDI files are broken and will result in segmentation faults, so if you encounter this, install another.
Run the command timidity path/to/midi_file.midi to test MIDI output via timidity standalone. If it plays audio, you have configured timidity correctly.
Now, we want to run timidity as a daemon instead, and have it boot when we login as user, so that any MIDI files played are routed through it and output to ALSA. This is done via a service file which is not given by Timidity++ package.
Paste this file into ~/.config/systemd/usetimidity.service to create a user-specific service task.
[Unit]
Description=TiMidity++ Daemon
After=sound.target
[Service]
ExecStart=/usbin/timidity -iA -Os
[Install]
WantedBy=default.target
From Wine’s documentation, ExecStart command can be replaced by `timidity -iAD -B2,8 -Os1l -s 44100` to reduce choppiness. Your choice, both worked fine for me. If you do edit the service file while the daemon is started, remember to daemon reload using systemctl –user daemon-reload.
Now have it enabled on user login using systemctl –user enable timidity and start it with systemctl –user start timidity
Test your timidity daemon with aplaymidi -p128:0 path/to/midi. If the port number you wrong you can check with aconnect -o, the format is :.
Now when you run the game via Wine, the BGM should now be playing. This also activates support for MIDI throughout your system so that’s a bonus plus.
Do note, there are some caveats where the ordering of devices can be different based on your system such as some systems with both ALSA and OSS installed. This results in Wine mapping to the wrong ALSA client. If so, you have to use regedit on Wine to change your Current Instrument, as documented by the Wine page on MIDI. It worked out the box for me personally as I only have ALSA.

Fixing the Steam Icons (Minor)

From Lutris you can make Steam shortcuts. However, by default you’ll realise that there is no icon on the side.
The trick is to steal the icon from the exe either using icoutils or 7zip.

• Method 1: icoutils
  • Install icoutils
  • Run wrestool -x –output=. -t14 /path/to/windows.exe
• Method 2: 7zip
  • Run 7z x /path/to/windows.exe .rsrc/ICON
  • As documented here: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/510338/extract-icons-from-windows-executable

With the .ico file, convert it to png using imagemagick

• convert image.ico image.png

In Steam, set the icon to the path of the png icon.

finally did it, but windows vista like every other haswell and onwards intel generation falls victim to the varying levels of bugginess and instability. if you dislike tons of errors being thrown at you, don't do this. if you do, a tutorial for you:
1: download this iso: https://archive.org/details/windows-vista-with-extended-kernel-v-10262021-wim 2: burn it to a usb. i used rufus for this, in that remember to set the partition style to mbr 3: head to the bios and enable csm 4: here you can either jump into winpe and install vista normally or you can install it manually with cmd with an os that has the dism /apply-image command, which is what i did assuming winpe would have no working usb drivers, which it does as i checked it. 5: while we're in cmd, make sure to add vista to the boot menu (since i forgot the cmd i just used easybcd) and do bcdedit /set {identifier} /nointegritychecks yes and you must enable debugging mode by default (i also did this with easybcd) to save you having to press f8 and selecting it every time you try to boot vista, and because you will get a 0x0000001e bsod when trying to boot normally. same applies to safe mode. 6: boot into vista. you will get the "the system contains invalid file paths" error which we can fix by doing shift+f10 to pull up cmd, launching regedit, heading to hkey_local_machine/system/setup/status/childcompletion and setting the value of setup.exe to 3 and clicking ok on the error to cause a reboot. 7: proceed with the oobe as usual, and enjoy the wave of errors. this will never leave you alone. 8: you're done. extended kernel is installed which as of writing i havent tested out much but i'm going to make a seperate post on it. just remember to use windows 7 as your main os if you want a version of windows that isn't bloated and actually designed for a desktop pc.
this concludes me installing every version of windows from 11 to xp, easier than i expected.
yes, rhys is my real name.

For about a month or so I'm trying to make my old build which has Windows XP installed work properly but I encountered the "complex" problem with activating it. I don't have the key or the installation disc anymore and I tried multiple methods of activating it (changing registry entries in regedit, crack programs, using keys from internet etc.) but none of them work. Now, at start I could access some files using the narrator shortcut but because I saw a tutorial saying that I could solve this problem booting into safe mode (and then accessing the cmd.exe etc.) I changed the boot options in msconfig to automatically boot into safe mode as a default option (Because I wasn't able to boot it from the F8 key). Now I am stuck with the screen of logging into 1 of my 2 users and every time I try to log in it says "Windows must be activated before...".
Also, I can't use/boot into "Start Windows Normally" or "Safe Mode with Command Prompt" options, both of them booting into normal Safe Mode.
If someone could help me do something about this, much respect.

At some point between instances of me using my computer, it shut itself off, and though I have updates disabled, it now does not show the sleep button anywhere, nor is there (seemingly?) any other way to access that function. I can choose Hibernate, Restart, or Shut Down. If I choose to Hibernate, it restarts immediately instead - though without closing any of my programs, so it seems it's not a full restart, although it does not accomplish the goal of saving power / PC lifespan. I've searched online and tried all kinds of backdoor solutions and supposed fixes, even exploring command prompt and regedit fixes, none of which created any discernible difference (one way or another).
I would love to troubleshoot this with some more educated folks as my previous OS was XP and I'm a fair bit behind with regards to the more complex operations of Windows nowadays.

I recently upgraded to Windows XP Pro on a Dell Dimension 4500. I did not have the product key when I upgraded, so I proceeded on without one.
After about 3 days, I could not proceed. When Windows prompted me with the activation window at login, it only brought me to a blank desktop. If I click no, it brings me back to the user screen (as expected).
Before this, when I clicked on the activation balloon or option on start, the only thing it did was run an idle task.
In safe mode, I reset the activation back to 30 days. Then, I went into regedit and I gave User, System, and Administrator access to the WPAEvents folder. I also attempted to give full control of the C Drive, but the window closed unresponsive. The window still did not work after a reboot.
I heard IE may be the problem, but I’m not too sure. Does anyone know a fix?

Tout le temps, mais parfois, une machine dans laquelle vous devez accéder ne sera pas activée par RDP, même avec un paramètre de stratégie de groupe. Voici comment le faire en silence:
XP: Ouvrez Regedit, allez dans le registre du réseau ouvrir, entrez le nom de la machine Allez à, HKLM-> System-> CONTURANT CONTRÔLE SET-> CONTRÔLE-> Terminal Server
Trouvez les clés de fENYTSConnections le changent de 1 à 0
Profit!
Vista / 7
Ouvrez MMC, puis gestion informatique. Cliquez avec le bouton droit sur la gestion de l'ordinateur dans le volet gauche et sélectionnez Connectez-vous à un autre ordinateur. Entrez le nom de la machine.
Ouvrez les services sur la machine distante et démarrez le registre distant service.
Ouvrez Regedit, allez dans le registre du réseau ouvrir, entrez le nom de la machine Allez à, HKLM-> System-> CONTURANT CONTRÔLE SET-> CONTRÔLE-> Terminal Server
Trouvez les clés de fENYTSConnections le changent de 1 à 0
Traduit et reposté à partir de la publication https://www.reddit.com/mwdbr

Posted about this about a month ago, but I only "fixed it" by doing some one-time switchover bullshit with Windows Ink and now it's happening again.
Please help me. This is like death of a thousand papercuts. It feels like having someone unexpectedly come up behind me while I'm drawing and sew a dozen pinecones into the inside of my shirt.
I'm running Windows 10.

The Problem

Basically, sometimes, my XP-Pen Artist 12 will change "modes" on me, and I don't know why it does it or how to make it stop doing it.
Regular Friend Mode, which is what I want:

• Cursor is shaped like a regular "cursor arrow" shape.
• Pressure sensitivity functions as expected and normal.
• Pen controls the cursor on the tablet screen.
• For all intents and purposes, using the pen with the tablet behaves in movement and function like a computer mouse, albeit with pressure sensitivity.
• There are no extra visual cues when certain mouse functions are executed.

Broken Mode

• Cursor is shaped like a small white circle with four lines coming off of it, like a dot-crosshairs.
• No pressure sensitivity whatsoever.
• Pen controls the cursor on whichever monitor is set as the primary monitor.
• Using the pen feels a bit more like using a mobile device's touchscreen; clicking and dragging does a "scrolling" function, there are various minor "phone" graphical elements (like scrolling past the bottom of a page drags the window slightly downward, etc)
• Right-clicking and double-clicking cause white circles to appear around the cursor.

There are solutions I have found online to some of these, but not all, and all the solutions are just band-aid solutions which make minor graphical fixes while not fixing the actual problem (like "if you go into Settings, you can change the way that Broken Mode works to look a little more like Regular Friend Mode", when I would prefer not to be using Broken Mode).
I think, based on all the searching I've been able to do, this is somehow connected to Windows Ink. (more on that in the Solutions section)
Incredibly frustratingly, I do not know what the trigger is, so I cannot replicate this on command. It has happened multiple times a day for the past couple days, but I do not know how to make it happen intentionally.
I do know some things that the trigger is not:

• Pressing any of the shortcut keys on the tablet.
• Pressing the power button on the tablet.
• Enabling Windows Ink in the configuration software.
• Pressing either of the buttons on the pen.

Solutions I've Tried

I've been searching the internet desperately for, like, a while at this point, and I've assembled a fun collection of solutions that do not work. Some of these will switch the tablet back to Regular Friend Mode, but none of them will prevent it from switching back to Broken Mode at random.
Solutions that switch it back to Regular Friend Mode, but do not prevent it from switching back to Broken Mode on its own again shortly afterwards:

• Rebooting the computer.
• Restarting the tablet.
• Unplugging and re-plugging the tablet at any end of the cord(s).
• Uninstalling and reinstalling the driver (because it triggers a computer reboot).

Solutions that do absolutely nothing whatsoever:

• Adding a REGEDIT thingie to kill/suppress Windows Ink.
• Literally any option in the "Pen and Touch" section of Control Panel.
• Literally any option in the "Windows Ink" section of the Windows 10 "Settings" program.
• Checking or unchecking the Pentablet software's "Windows Ink" checkbox.
• Any other option I've been able to find in the Pentablet software.
• Updating Pentablet software.
• Updating driver (I think? The only thing I found on the XP-Pen site in terms of downloads seems to be the Pentablet software, so I guess that comes with the driver? I don't understand)
• Killing Pentablet.exe in Task Manager.
• Crying

Please help.
Please.

I initially tried programs like OpenShell and StartAllBack to modify my Windows 11 to look more like Win7 or XP, and I tried different ways to approach that. None of the free programs changed my taskbar, expect something called RetroBar (and OpenShell only adding it's logo to the corner of the taskbar).
I tried WindowBlinds11 30-day trial and every theme I applied did change things like the "titlebars" of programs and the colors of file explorer and task manager, etc. I would've liked that, but WindowBlinds didn't modify my taskbar at all. I even tried it by combining OpenShell, but it still didn't allow me to change the look of the taskbar.
I ended up uninstalling OpenShell, WindowBlinds and all these UI-altering programs. I still noticed, that certain areas of Windows, like notification boxes when deleting a file from the trashbin or the background color in registry editor had changed to a brown-ish color, when it should be white by default and always has been. (I think this color had been associated with a WindowBlinds -theme I had tried earlier)
I Googled this and someone had recommended the "Purge" command to undo these changes by Stardock. I purged and rebooted, nothing happened. I reinstalled WindowBlinds, applied the default theme, then purged, rebooted and nothing happened...
So, I had a System Restore -point, that was created when first installing OpenShell a few days earlier (I believe this was before I had installed or tried WindowBlinds). So I reverted Windows back to that point and nothing else had changed, expect that the background color in these different Windows -boxes was now blue (this was similar or the same color as the "accent color" that had been chosen in 'Settings > Personalization > Colors', although the option "Show accent colors on tile bars and windows borders" had been unchecked.
As an example, I just chose an ordinary picture of regedit (from the internet), and as an reference just added the color change in Paint, like so.
It's not the correct color I'm seeing, but just an example. And also, in my reference pic, there's an upper bar that has "Name", "Type" and "Data" in the colored area, which is actually still remained white.
When removing a file to Recycle Bin or deleting it from there, the notification area should look like this, but instead it looks like this.
How should I fix this, is this even Stardocks/WindowBlinds fault, is there an easy fix for this or what?
UPDATE: Apparently, I still had WindowBlinds installed when I checked (I thought it was uninstalled even after the System Restore -point) but I couldn't open it or uninstall it and the "Purge" command just said errors. So I re-installed WindowBlinds and effectively, whenever I choose the "Default" -theme, it's basically like default Windows, except for the background changes in some areas (like the screenshots above).
So, Reinstalling WB, changing back to "Default" theme, doing the 'Purge' -prompt and rebooting Windows didn't do anything once again.

I initially tried programs like OpenShell and StartAllBack to modify my Windows 11 to look more like Win7 or XP, and I tried different ways to approach that. None of the free programs changed my taskbar, expect something called RetroBar (and OpenShell only adding it's logo to the corner of the taskbar).
I tried WindowBlinds11 30-day trial and every theme I applied did change things like the "titlebars" of programs and the colors of file explorer and task manager, etc. I would've liked that, but WindowBlinds didn't modify my taskbar at all. I even tried it by combining OpenShell, but it still didn't allow me to change the look of the taskbar.
I ended up uninstalling OpenShell, WindowBlinds and all these UI-altering programs. I still noticed, that certain areas of Windows, like notification boxes when deleting a file from the trashbin or the background color in registry editor had changed to a brown-ish color, when it should be white by default and always has been. (I think this color had been associated with a WindowBlinds -theme I had tried earlier)
I Googled this and someone had recommended the "Purge" command to undo these changes by Stardock. I purged and rebooted, nothing happened. I reinstalled WindowBlinds, applied the default theme, then purged, rebooted and nothing happened...
So, I had a System Restore -point, that was created when first installing OpenShell a few days earlier (I believe this was before I had installed or tried WindowBlinds). So I reverted Windows back to that point and nothing else had changed, expect that the background color in these different Windows -boxes was now blue (this was similar or the same color as the "accent color" that had been chosen in 'Settings > Personalization > Colors', although the option "Show accent colors on tile bars and windows borders" had been unchecked.
As an example, I just chose an ordinary picture of regedit (from the internet), and as an reference just added the color change in Paint, like so.
It's not the correct color I'm seeing, but just an example. And also, in my reference pic, there's an upper bar that has "Name", "Type" and "Data" in the colored area, which is actually still remained white.
When removing a file to Recycle Bin or deleting it from there, the notification area should look like this, but instead it looks like this.
How should I fix this, is this even Stardocks/WindowBlinds fault, is there an easy fix for this or what?
UPDATE: Apparently, I still had WindowBlinds installed when I checked (I thought it was uninstalled even after the System Restore -point) but I couldn't open it or uninstall it and the "Purge" command just said errors. So I re-installed WindowBlinds and effectively, whenever I choose the "Default" -theme, it's basically like default Windows, except for the background changes in some areas (like the screenshots above).
So, Reinstalling WB, changing back to "Default" theme, doing the 'Purge' -prompt and rebooting Windows didn't do anything once again.