Windows 10: Windows 10 Home 1809 - command and powershell windows do not open

Oldish PC recently updated to 1809 via a downloaded iso. Windows is activated and fully updated.


I can open a command windows from taks manager - File - run new task - cmd.exe;

However the procedure of cortana search - cmd - run as admin does not generate a window or response.

Similarly WIndows right click - powershell no response to either admin or normal choice.


sfc/scannow finds no violations. DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth - no change.

TDSSKiller, MBAM anti-rootkit and McAfee anti-rootkit find no issues.


https://www.kaspersky.co.uk/free-virus-scan installs with no issues and a full scan reveals no viruses.


I've tried installing AVAST - it "installs" but wont run - perhaps due to the command prompt/powershell issue.

:)

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

[Windows 10] hide/prohibit install of specific Windows Update

Edit: Try "Show or hide updates" troubleshooter package first and let us know if it works for you.


Adapted from Preventing a certain Windows Update from installing on Windows 10 by Igal Tabachnik.

• Uninstall the problematical driver/update.
• Restart the computer, if necessary, and/or switch to an administrator account.
• Download Windows Update PowerShell Module and extract it to: %WINDIR%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules After doing so, you will have a %WINDIR%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\PSWindowsUpdate folder with a bunch of files.
• Start -> All Apps -> expand Windows PowerShell -> right-click on Windows PowerShell and select Run as Administrator. This is very important or you'll get errors in Windows PowerShell.
• Now you should see the PowerShell window and you'll have to enter a series of commands. First order of business is loading up PSWindowsUpdate. Note: You have to do this every time you restart PowerShell and want to use PSWindowsUpdate commands!
  CommandDescriptionSet-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -ForceAllows the use of unsigned PowerShell scripts.Import-Module PSWindowsUpdateLoads PSWindowsUpdateSet-ExecutionPolicy Restricted -ForceClose the potential security hole.
• Enter Get-WUList. This command will take a little while to execute. It retrieves the list of all available updates on Windows Update. If you do not see the problematical update here, it is either no longer being offered or it is installed.
• Now you need to decide how to filter what update you want to hide. Here's some examples:
  CommandDescriptionHide-WUUpdate -Title "*Realtek High Definition Audio"This looks for a title that ends with (note the asterisk) "Realtek High Definition Audio"Hide-WUUpdate -Title "Realtek*"This looks for a title that starts with (note the asterisk) "Realtek"
  When you enter the above command, it will loop through all results it finds and ask whether or not you want to hide it. Make sure you only say "yes" to the one you want hidden and "no" to the rest.
• It will automatically show the updated results. Verify there is an "H" under the status of the ones you want hidden and not behind the rest. If it is correct, close out of PowerShell and return to your normal user account if necessary. Run Windows Update and the update should not show/install.

If you want to unhide an update, add -HideStatus:$false to the Hide-WUUpdate command.

 

Command windows opening behind other windows

Hi all,

Hopefully a quick one here.

Ive made a small application to poll TeamCity build monitor take data about current and past builds and store them in a data base. Its only a very small application and im using windows task scheduler to run it every five minuets. Its working grand and does everything its meant to however when it runs it open a command window. Im not displaying anything nor taking user input and its finished and closed in under half a minuet but it opens on top of any windows I already have open. Control is still focused on the window I was working in before the command window opened. What id like to know is there a way within either task scheduler or something I can programme within the application to either stop the command window opening up but the application still run as its not needed or to make it automatically open behind all other open windows?

Thanks all