ChrisTitusTool Shortcut

Runs PowerShell 7 (can be manually changed)

Right-click on your desktop and go to New -> Shortcut

It should ask for the location of the item, copy and paste the following:

"C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\pwsh.exe" -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "Start-Process pwsh.exe -verb runas -ArgumentList '-Command "irm https://christitus.com/win | iex"'

Press Next/Enter

It should ask what you want to name the shortcut, enter WinUtil

Right-Click the new WinUtil shortcut on your desktop, and select Properties

In the Shortcut tab, select Advanced...

Tick the box for Run as administrator

Press OK then press OK again.

Running a ps1 script

I downloaded a fido script and extracted it onto the desktop.

I opened PowerShell 7 as admin and pasted this in.

cd $env:USERPROFILE\Desktop

Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force

.\fido.ps1

script will stop so hit enter

The above can all be pasted into PowerShell admin at the same time

If the ps1 file is on the desktop

ExecutionPolicy will be temporarily bypass

File will be executed

To check Execution policy

Get-ExecutionPolicy -List

 Default looks like this:

Scope                         ExecutionPolicy

        -----                         ----------------

        MachinePolicy                 Undefined

        UserPolicy                    Undefined

        Process                       Undefined

        CurrentUser                   Undefined

        LocalMachine                  Restricted

Hilarious . . . Claude.ai Created This From My Previous 7 Line Post.

 

The Magical Fix: When Your PC Won't Show Up in Its Own Network

Have you ever encountered that maddening moment when you open File Explorer, click on "Network," and your own PC is nowhere to be found? You're not alone. This perplexing issue has stumped countless users, myself included, for what feels like an eternity.

The Problem That Wouldn't Go Away

I had one PC that suffered from this mysterious ailment for years. Despite countless troubleshooting attempts, the computer stubbornly refused to appear in its own network neighborhood. Just when I thought I'd have to live with this digital ghost forever, a second PC developed the same issue. That's when I decided enough was enough – it was time to crack this case once and for all.

The Simple Solution That Actually Works

After exhausting what felt like every possible fix in the book, I stumbled upon a surprisingly simple solution that sounds almost too good to be true. Here's the step-by-step process that worked like magic:

The Fix:

1. Navigate to Settings
2. Go to Network
3. Select Advanced Network
4. Choose Advanced Sharing
5. Turn the Network Discovery option OFF, then ON
6. Turn the File and Printer Sharing option OFF, then ON

That's it. No registry edits, no command line wizardry, no reinstalling network drivers – just a simple toggle dance that somehow awakens your PC's network presence.

The Moment of Truth

After applying this fix to my second PC, I held my breath and checked File Explorer. There it was – my computer finally showing up in its own network list like it should have all along. The relief was immediate, but then came the real test: would this work on my original problem PC that had been acting up for years?

I rushed to my first computer, applied the same fix, and... magic happened again. After years of frustration, both PCs now appear in their respective network lists without fail.

Why This Works (And Why It's So Frustrating)

The beauty of this solution lies in its simplicity, but that's also what makes it so frustrating. Sometimes Windows just needs a gentle nudge to remember its basic networking functions. By toggling these settings off and on, you're essentially forcing Windows to refresh its network discovery services and re-register itself with the network.

It's one of those fixes that makes you wonder why Microsoft hasn't built an automatic refresh mechanism for these services, especially given how common this issue appears to be.

Final Thoughts

If you've been battling this same issue and have tried everything from flushing DNS to sacrificing small electronics to the tech gods, give this simple toggle method a try. Sometimes the most elegant solutions are hiding in plain sight, disguised as basic settings that seem too simple to be the answer.

Trust me – after years of trying complex fixes, this refreshingly simple approach might just be the magical solution you've been searching for. Your future self will thank you for not spending another weekend diving into network adapter properties and registry hacks.

Have you encountered this issue before? Did this fix work for you, or do you have another solution that saved the day? Share your network discovery horror stories and victories in the comments below!

My Own PC Not Showing On It's Own Network File Explorer

I have one PC that has had this problem for years, and I was stumped.

Now I have the second one, so I wasn't giving up.

This worked:

Go to: Settings, Network, Advanced Network, Advanced Sharing. Turn the Network Discovery and File and Printer Sharing options on and off.

Now, to go to the first one and see if it works twice. 😎

!!! It's magical. You won't believe all the things I've tried.

LoL - Claude is very wordy and emotional.

The above fix doesn't stick or even work every time. It's a Windows 11 thing.

I'm back  to giving up.

If you want to check the shares on "MyPC"

\\mypc

or

\\your IP address

Winaero Tweak List

 Winaero Tweak List

Take Ownership

Restart Explorer

Classic Fun Menus

Enable NumLock on Log Screen

Disable " — Shortcut"

Shut Down

Command Prompt as Administrator

An .ini file can be exported and imported.

So, You Want to "Upgrade" to Windows 11?

So, You Want to "Upgrade" to Windows 11? Here's How to Do It Right

Upgrading to Windows 11 can be a challenge, especially if you're dealing with older hardware or unsupported systems. After wrestling with multiple machines and various upgrade methods, I've compiled this comprehensive guide to help you navigate the process successfully.

The Simple Upgrade Method

Try Flyby11 first.

This is basically what Flyby11 does without the Media Creation Tool:

1. Download the Media Creation Tool and grab the Windows 11 ISO in your preferred language and location
2. Mount the ISO (it'll appear as a new drive, let's say drive E)
3. Open Command Prompt as an administrator
4. Type e: to switch to the mounted drive
5. Run the setup with: setup.exe /product server

For those who want more control over the process, use this extended command:

setup.exe /product server /auto upgrade /quiet /compat ignorewarning /dynamicupdate disable /eula accept /noreboot

Post-Installation Cleanup

Once Windows 11 is installed, you'll want to clean up the bloatware:

• O&O AppBuster makes removing unwanted apps a breeze
• O&O Shutup10++ helps disable privacy-invasive features
• Wintoys will help you with many settings

Dealing with Unsupported Hardware

Most of my computers are older machines with unsupported hardware, and I've found success with tools like Flyby11 and Rufus for in-place upgrades. Interestingly, as of June 4th, 2025, Windows Defender has started flagging Flyby11 for deletion – which might actually be a good sign that it's effective!

Rufus Method

If you're struggling with Rufus (like I was with creating bootable drives), try running it as administrator. Alternatively, use the Media Creation Tool to create your boot drive and add Schneegan's autounattend.xml file.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

When Upgrades Fail

Even machines with identical CPU generations can behave differently during upgrades. Here's what to try:

1. Update all drivers before attempting the upgrade
2. Perform a clean boot using MSConfig (avoid Safe Boot – it won't work with in-place upgrades)
3. Let the process run longer – I've seen upgrades get stuck at 31% for extended periods before completing

Success Story: Dell Optiplex 9010

One stubborn 3rd-gen i7 Dell Optiplex 9010 refused every upgrade method until I:

1. Installed a blank drive
2. Set BIOS to UEFI mode
3. Used Media Creation Tool with Schneegan's autounattend.xml
4. Disabled NIC boot options in BIOS

Success at last!

Essential Preparation Steps

Before attempting any upgrade:

1. Clone your drive if you have important data (use disk clone, not system transfer)
2. Update all drivers to the latest versions
3. Close running applications that might interfere with the process

Backup and Recovery Strategy

Disk Cloning Advice

Finding reliable free cloning software can be challenging. Here are my recommendations:

• Partition Wizard (older versions) – reboots and clones without Windows running, plus adjusts to use entire larger drives
• Avoid Hasleo for USB-attached drives – it only allows "transfer OS" which doesn't copy all files
• Rescuzilla on a Ventoy drive – perfect for cloning when Windows won't boot

Before cloning with Rescuzilla

Wintoys  > go to Health

1. Turn off Fast Startup

2. Turn off Hibernation

Pro tip: When cloning, choose "copy/clone disk" instead of "transfer OS" to ensure all files are copied.

Optimizing with Schneegan's Autounattend.xml

For clean installations, Schneegan's autounattend.xml file is invaluable. Key settings to enable:

• Bypass TPM requirements
• Hide PowerShell scripts
• Add local offline account
• Show file extensions
• Use classic context menu
• Hide search and widgets
• Left-align taskbar
• Disable app suggestions
• Prevent device encryption
• Turn on num lock

Final Tips and Tools

• Remove annoying features: Use registry entries from Winaero to eliminate the "Learn more about this picture" icon
• File management: FreeFileSync makes moving large numbers of files effortless
• Patience is key: Some upgrades take much longer than expected – don't give up too early

Conclusion

Upgrading to Windows 11 on older or unsupported hardware requires patience and the right tools, but it's definitely achievable. The key is preparation: backup your data, update your drivers, and be ready to try multiple methods if the first one doesn't work.

Remember, if disaster strikes, you'll have that cloned drive as your safety net. Good luck with your upgrade journey!

BatToExe (In case I forget)

 Turn a bat file into exe and embed an icon.

Download this . . .

https://github.com/Makazzz/BatToExePortable

This is stand alone program so nothing installs.

Make a bat file. Here are a couple examples:

(To access a local folder)

@ECHO OFF 

start "" "%userprofile%\Pictures\Gimp Work"

or

(To open a web site)

@ECHO OFF 

start "" https://www.dropbox.com/h

Find an image you want to attach. 

Probably remove the background. 

Run it through icon software like Greenfish.

Attach this .ico file in BatToExe and convert.

Medicat

 Medicat is full of stuff Widows Defender hates. You can't get it near a running OS.

Solution: I have an "Excluded" folder and I exclude it from Defender's scan.

Why bother? Sometimes I want to use something in Medicat without booting it up.

I can keep the PortableApps platform up to date as well.

Curl, Wget, Winget & Powershell Install or Download Commands

After the mess I made in previous posts this summary might be useful.

    Thanks PatchMyPC, the great and powerful program downloader and updater.

Note: With both curl and wget, if a command keeps repeating without doing anything try

    curl.exe or wget.exe.(it has to do with alias or system path not worth tracing down)

curl

    Downloads into folder in which consol is active

curl -O https://patchmypc.com/freeupdater/PatchMyPC.exe

    Downloads into a specific folder

mkdir C:\Portable

curl -L https://patchmypc.com/freeupdater/PatchMyPC.exe -o C:\Portable\PatchMyPC.exe

In a multiple entry bat file I use the curl.exe command on each item

wget

    Download wget into the working directory (if link changes, fix it)

curl -o C:\Windows\System32\wget.exe https://eternallybored.org/misc/wget/1.21.4/64/wget.exe

    Downloads into folder in which consol is active

wget https://patchmypc.com/freeupdater/PatchMyPC.exe

    Downloads into specific folder

mkdir C:\Portable

wget https://patchmypc.com/freeupdater/PatchMyPC.exe -O C:\Portable\PatchMyPC.exe

    Downloads into folder in which consol is active from a list of urls in a .txt file

    (list.txt in the folder in which consol is active)

wget -i list.txt

    Downloads into specific folder from a list of urls in a .txt file

wget -i "path to list\list.txt" -P C:\Portable

If a "certifacte" error occurs ad this --no-check-certificate. It's good to add if processing a list.

powershell

    Downloads into specific folder

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://patchmypc.com/freeupdater/PatchMyPC.exe -OutFile $env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\PatchMyPC.exe 

winget

    Download winget installed programs list to specific folder

winget export -o %userprofile%\desktop\list.json

    Install from a downloaded .json file

winget import -i %userprofile%\desktop\list.json --accept-source-agreements --accept-package-agreements

    If  cmd or powershell is active in the same directory as the list.json

winget import -i list.json --accept-source-agreements --accept-package-agreements

Notepad++ does a great job of deleting the unwanted install lines in the exported json file.

It is also fast if you want to create a bat file from it.

    highlight a symbol ctl+f mark all & bookmark, search bookmark, remove bookmarked lines.

    highight the first " on the install line ctl+f all and replace with install commands

    alt+click and drag to highlight any column and delete.

    click and drag down/up to select rows for deletion

Notepad++ is the mother of all text editors :)

Linking To A Specific Spot On A Url Page

Linking to a specific spot on a url page

url#:~:text=word1%20word2%20word3

%20 is used in place of a space

Find or if creating a post, add a word or phrase to which you want to link within the page.

Then create a link as usual and add the above without a space after the url