Windows 10 Setup

Install windows subsystem for linux
Install an x server for wsl
Configure windows ten
Configure a web browser

Install windows subsystem for linux

To get underway we need to enable wsl. This requires a 64bit installation of Windows 10.

powershell.exe Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux

After enabling the wsl feature we need to download the debian installer and open it.

cd "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads"
powershell.exe curl.exe -L -o debian.appx https://aka.ms/wsl-debian-gnulinux
powershell.exe Add-AppxPackage .\debian.appx

Note: If you encounter an error while adding the package, I have needed to use the wsreset command in the past to first reset the windows store application.

After the installer runs we need to manually enter a username and password for the unix account that wsl will use.

Install an x server for wsl

One of the ways we extend standard wsl functionality is installing an x server on windows to allow graphical applications to be run.

This has the added benefit of allowing command line clipboard tools like xclip to be used within wsl.

The x server I've found to be rock solid for this purpose is VcXsrv. Which is also open source.

cd /mnt/c/Users/$USER/Downloads/
wget https://sourceforge.net/projects/vcxsrv/files/latest/download
mv download installer.exe
cmd.exe /c installer.exe

After following through the installer we want to ensure VcXsrv launches at startup with our desired configuration.

To achieve this we can add an xlaunch configuration which is just xml with a fancy extension to our machines startup folder.

cd /mnt/c/ProgramData/Microsoft/Windows/Start\ Menu/Programs/Startup
cat > VcXsrv.xlaunch << EOF
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<XLaunch WindowMode="MultiWindow" ClientMode="NoClient" LocalClient="False" Display="-1" LocalProgram="xcalc" RemoteProgram="xterm" RemotePassword="" PrivateKey="" RemoteHost="" RemoteUser="" XDMCPHost="" XDMCPBroadcast="False" XDMCPIndirect="False" Clipboard="True" ClipboardPrimary="True" ExtraParams="" Wgl="True" DisableAC="False" XDMCPTerminate="False"/>
EOF
cmd.exe /c VcXsrv.xlaunch

Configure windows ten

Enable all tray icons to be visible and restart explorer

powershell.exe Set-ItemProperty HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Micorosoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer EnableAutoTray 0  
powershell.exe ps explorer | kill

Additionally I normally take the following actions:

Update taskbar layout

I normally take the following steps immediately for a new installtion, I have not found an easy way of automating this as yet:

Hide the search box.
Hide the task view button.
Unpin all but explorer.

Update start menu layout

I prefer to have no pinned "tiles" in my start menu. The script below will unpin all applications from start.

 powershell.exe -NoLogo 
    (New-Object -Com Shell.Application). 
NameSpace('shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}'). 
Items() | 
%{ $_.Verbs() } | 
?{$_.Name -match 'Un.*pin from Start'} | 
%{$_.DoIt()}

Lock screen configuration

Untick show tips
Set background to be picture and use in folder
Remove status detailed or otherwise for apps on lock screen

Fix inactive window title colors

https://winaero.com/blog/change-color-of-inactive-title-bars-in-windows-10/

Configure a web browser

My current browser of choice is Firefox. This is primarily due to their respect for open source, user privacy and security and customisation.

cd "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads"
powershell.exe curl.exe -L -o firefox.exe https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-stub&os=win64&lang=en-U
firefox.exe

One of the customisations we apply is to update the color of the newtab page in firefox to match the rest of the theme we use and prevent white glare. To achieve this we use usercss.

Note there is an about:config setting that needs to be set to enable these stylesheets to be used toolkit.legacyUserProfileCustomizations.stylesheets

cd /mnt/c/Users/jmhbnz/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/jamqyxbf.default-release/chrome/
cat > userContent.css << EOF
/* https://userstyles.org/styles/90565/firefox-adjust-white-flash-when-opening-new-tab */
/* https://userstyles.org/styles/142191/remove-new-tab-flash */
@-moz-document url-prefix(about:preferences), url-prefix(about:blank), url-prefix(about:newtab) {
  html, body, #newtab-customize-overlay {
    background: #323232 !important;
    color: #b2b2b2 !important;
  } 
}

@-moz-document url(chrome://browser/content/browser.xul)
{

  browser[type="content-primary"]
  {
    background: #323232 !important;
    color: #b2b2b2 !important;
  }
}

@-moz-document url(chrome://browser/content/browser.xul)
{

  browser[type="content-primary"], tabbrowser tabpanels, #appcontent > #content
  {
    background: #1B1B1B url("chrome://global/skin/media/imagedoc-darknoise.png") repeat fixed !important;
    color: #b2b2b2 !important;
  }
}

@-moz-document url(about:blank),
               url(about:preferences),
               url(about:config),
               url(about:newtab)
{
  #newtab-window,
  html,
  body, 
  #newtab-customize-overlay 
  {
    background: #1B1B1B url("chrome://global/skin/media/imagedoc-darknoise.png") repeat fixed;
    color: #b2b2b2 !important;
  }
}

EOF

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