Windows 10: Install apps via Powershell cmd line OR via Chocholatey GUI App (easy)

Despite the abundance of endless text here, it's just my way of being very clear and yes sometimes redundant. The actual 'labor' lol required to install this takes a whopping 1 minute if that. I just provided a tad more info than might be required here instead of just pointing you to a web page.

I know many of us browse for certain apps to do certain things in Windows (e.g. Notepad++, 7zip, etc.). There is another (I think) much simpler way to instantly find an app (4792+ at current) or driver like Flash, Java, etc. and with one click or one small command, install it without having to read (like any of us do...lol) the license agreement, clicking no when it asks you to install extra included things like Toolbars, etc. and more.

The app is Chocolatey and has been around for sometime and is used by a lot of businesses and end users. It's powerful and simple. It's somewhat like 'Ninite' however, this app has a massive repository of apps we all use and is very simple to use....especially with the GUI version. At present it has 4,792 packages available for quick installation....and not just little ones, however, apps like LibreOffice and The Gimp. etc.

It works much like my favorite OS, Linux. Don't let that tell you 'oh man. no way..too complicated. This is absolutely a really cool tool. The GUI app is a simple package manager.

THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO USE IT:

1. By way of the Powershell interface. You will use a simple command 'choc install <package name>' to install things and uninstall things. The command syntax is the same for any package. Substituting 'uninstall' will of course remove it. You will have access to an entire set of command line options, switches and settings as well using this method for more control over how you want to automate things.

AND/OR

2. Using the GUI utility app as shown at the bottom of the post. It is very simple once installed. Just look at it and you will see what I mean. It's like the Add/Remove Programs applet in Windows, however, this will allow you not only to uninstall but install apps from a massive repository (over 4,792 at present)

This is the way the Linux OS/Distributions handle installing things via a GUI. It's a nice package manager (minus the colors it uses...

. Remember though, the app's name is 'Chocolate' and most of that candy is brown...lol.

NOTE: Either method you choose requires you to install the underlying code via the Powershell tool. After that, you either use the PS to do everything (the last How-to at the bottom) OR you the GUI app. There is one additional step to install the GUI app as it's a 3rd party app created so you can use a front end or GUI and has to be installed via below.

HERE IS HOW TO INSTALL IT - (Underlying Code - Mandatory)
Note: The underlining/colors/bolding of the scripts and text below is just for clarification or visual reference and will not show up when you copy and paste them into the console.

1. Open a Powershell terminal as an ADMINISTRATOR.
2. Enter the following command: " Get-ExecutionPolicy " - Minus the quotes.
* If it returns 'Restricted', run the command directly below.....if not, move to step 3
" Set-ExecutionPolicy AllSigned " or " Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass " - Again minus the quotes.

3. When done, run the following script. This will install the underlying code that is required for the GUI app.
" iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://chocolatey.org/install.ps1') " - Again no quotes.

NOTE: That is all that needs to be done with respect to installing the underlying code. The last How-to below has the Powershell/CLI command list/syntax information. Now if you choose to use the GUI app as shown below, follow the simple installation directly below. Keep the Powershell utility open. If you closed it, open it back up and proceed below.


GUI APP INSTALLATION - Many will use this instead of the command line method...which is fine.

Now we simply need run a single command to install the GUI package. Running the GUI app will allow you to do things without having the mess around with the command line. I (being a Linux user) install everything using the command line, however, most Windows users prefer a GUI to do so.

We ONLY need to do the command line method again (as above) to install the GUI package. It is not available as a separate download. After this step you don't have to use this method again if choose not to and can simply launch the app from the Start Menu. The screenshot below has info on it as well. It's extremely simple to use.

1. Now from within the Powershell app, run this command to download the GUI application (the app looks like the pic below). This must be installed this way.

Type: " choco install chocholateygui " - It will install the GUI and create an entry within your start-up menu like any app - again no quotes...in fact none ever.

That is all. Now go find it, open it and have at it. There is more information I wrote on the screenshot of the app as shown below.

REFERENCES:

Project installation homepage: Installation
Software (app) repository listing: Chocolatey Gallery | Packages - This shows you all the apps they have available and gives you additional info on each one as well as other information.

---=== END ===---







FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO USE THE POWERSHELL/COMMAND LINE TO DO THINGS INSTEAD OF THE GUI.


Simply use the following commands to install/remove packages. The syntax is the same for all packages (unless noted).
This command 'choco' must precede any installs, uninstalls, etc. if your using the Powershell command line method to install/uninstall packages...otherwise, you will use the GUI app.

To install any package: ' choco install <package name>
To uninstall any package: ' choco uninstall <package name>
To get a list of commands, switches, options, etc.: ' choco -? 'or just ' choco 'To access a howto on a specific command: ' choco <command name> --help '

Simply typing ' choco ' will display everything except for extended help. Additionally, it will show the Switch/Options you have access to in order to setup any automated scripts, default options, etc.

Example: PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> choco -?
This is a listing of all of the different things you can pass to choco.

* list - lists remote or local packages
* search - searches remote or local packages (alias for list)
* info - retrieves package information. Shorthand for choco search pkgname --exact --verbose
* install - installs packages from various sources
* pin - suppress upgrades for a package
* outdated - retrieves packages that are outdated. Similar to upgrade all --noop
* upgrade - upgrades packages from various sources
* uninstall - uninstalls a package
* pack - packages up a nuspec to a compiled nupkg
* push - pushes a compiled nupkg
* new - generates files necessary for a chocolatey package from a template
* sources - view and configure default sources (alias for source)
* source - view and configure default sources
* config - Retrieve and configure config file settings
* feature - view and configure choco features
* features - view and configure choco features (alias for feature)
* setapikey - retrieves or saves an apikey for a particular source (alias for apikey)
* apikey - retrieves or saves an apikey for a particular source
* unpackself - have chocolatey set it self up
* version - [DEPRECATED] will be removed in v1 - use `choco outdated` or `cup <pkg|all> -whatif` instead
* update - [DEPRECATED] RESERVED for future use (you are looking for upgrade, these are not the droids you are looking for)

There are more options available - I didn't want to include everything here.

---=== END ===---

Tim
ARS

:)

 

Windows Mail, Windows Calendar, and Windows Store Apps are not Working.

On my side, I noted that issues with Store can be addressed cleaning the store cache .

In the Cortana search field, type

cmd

open cmd as administrator. Once cmd is open type:

WSReset.exe

press enter

this will reset the store and open it (it will take some seconds to open, it is not immediate)

if you succeed with the Store, then a possibility could be to uninstall the Mail and Calendar App. You need to do it via powershell command, because this app does not have the direct uninstall command. To do so:

In the Cortana field, type powershell and open it as admin,

then type the command:

Get-AppxPackage *communicationsapps* | remove-appxpackage

the App will be uninstalled. Then you can open the Store and install it again.

 

Microsoft Photo

same here, I uninstalled via the command prompt went to windows store and reinstalled. I am a student who needs easy access to phoos for my on-line classes so I installed another photo app.