Tools to make Windows 10 a proper OS again?

[rl4engc]

I'm persevering with Windows 10 as my main home VM (I use the Long Term Servicing Branch to avoid all the guff) but it just doesn't feel like an OS, it feels like a launcher on a tablet (yes it's not in tablet mode). So any info on stuff I could do with to make it feel like an OS again?

- Everything is so 'big' - I'm running Full HD but it feels like 800x600; fonts are 100% but there's so much wasted real estate everywhere.
- Start Scree;, I hate it, finding application is a chore and even creating shortcuts. I've got Classic Shell ready in the toolkit.
- Got the Sysinternals suite
- Need a decent File Manager (Multi-Commander? XYPlorer?)
- Any "One stop shop" to access most settings, like Control Panel used to be but now it's horribly split between this and the awful "Settings" app.
- ??

Any pointers appreciated, Note this is all hosted on a Windows 2012 R2 Server but I'm keeping that as vanilla as I can so only the VMs get cluttered.

[OwlHoot]

Love your .sig. Might pinch that for use on any other forums I frequent.

Also (non-flippant question, as I 'm genuinely interested in the possibilities), have you considered Linux running some kind of Windows emulator and associated software?

[diseasex]

HTH

[rl4engc]

@Owlhoot

I know I'd love Linux; because I like stuff to have that fine grain of control but I've not currently got the amount of time it'd take to get proficient at it.. I do like the idea that you can write a command line with pipes and regex that would pretty much do anything.

Anecdote: Years ago I worked at a place where I had to use Red Hat Linux, my display went blank for some reason. I approached the in-house guru who turned to his workstation, typed a few commands in (something along the lines of x650 or x(something)), span back round again, said "OK this should fix it", then as we both looked as my blank screen he pressed Enter and voila! My display was up again. Thought that was pretty cool.

If I were to dabble in Linux on a VM, what 'distro' (is it still called that?) should I go for, I'd want it to hold my hand but have to have the potential to be quite powerful.

@diseasex - Can't see the pic it's just a small black X, must be Corp firewall.

[northernladyuk]

If you liked Windows 7:

Classic Shell - Start menu and other Windows enhancements

Gives you Hibernate as well as Sleep on the Shut Down menu.


Edit: whoops, re-read and can see you have classic shell.

[Platypus]

I'm fond of Cygwin ... a full Unix-like shell with all the commands running natively in Windows - Like Command Prompt but 1000 more powerful and flexible.

[vetran]

@Owlhoot

I know I'd love Linux; because I like stuff to have that fine grain of control but I've not currently got the amount of time it'd take to get proficient at it.. I do like the idea that you can write a command line with pipes and regex that would pretty much do anything.

Anecdote: Years ago I worked at a place where I had to use Red Hat Linux, my display went blank for some reason. I approached the in-house guru who turned to his workstation, typed a few commands in (something along the lines of x650 or x(something)), span back round again, said "OK this should fix it", then as we both looked as my blank screen he pressed Enter and voila! My display was up again. Thought that was pretty cool.

If I were to dabble in Linux on a VM, what 'distro' (is it still called that?) should I go for, I'd want it to hold my hand but have to have the potential to be quite powerful.

@diseasex - Can't see the pic it's just a small black X, must be Corp firewall.

Restarting the X Windows server is worrying if you don't know why it broke.

Unfortunately finding the in house guru is the difficult thing. You know you can since Powershell do pretty much the same thing with Windows but only a few people know how. (You could do it before but it was messy.)

Other problem with Linux is it needs an intelligent user and they are in short supply.


https://www.sapien.com/blog/2015/07/...re-do-i-start/

[darmstadt]

I'm fond of Cygwin ... a full Unix-like shell with all the commands running natively in Windows - Like Command Prompt but 1000 more powerful and flexible.

Why don't you just: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/commandline/wsl/about

[greenlake]

Tools to make Windows 10 a proper OS again?

A sledgehammer....?

[SueEllen]

@Owlhoot

I know I'd love Linux; because I like stuff to have that fine grain of control but I've not currently got the amount of time it'd take to get proficient at it.. I do like the idea that you can write a command line with pipes and regex that would pretty much do anything.

It's called Google.

Other than that for normal everyday use it is the like older versions of Windows and similar to Mac but without that stupid command key.

Oh and I use Ubuntu. I have used other flavours but this is the easiest to use as the LTS updates don't break everything.