Because this device might be on show in a space no longer managed with the aid of us, we needed to make it as air-tight and automated as possible. I’m going to put in writing a separate publish at the software I wrote to release and control the video games, however, I desired to post the customary steps that can be taken to ensure that any Windows 10 pc is exhibition geared up.
What does “exhibition prepared” imply? Well, the pc desires to show itself on and off at set instances, release the program it is meant to run at startup, and not get interrupted through such things as Windows updates and other software nonsense.
Given that current computers barrage you with lot’s of garbage meant to assist customers, this may be trickier than you might guess.
I wrote a guide for Death By Audio Arcade to use internally and thought I might put up it here as properly. This manual is heavy, heavily based in this wonderful Windows 7 guide with the aid of Eva Schindling. Much of it is precisely the identical, however, a few matters needed tweaking.
Setting up a Windows 10 Machine for exhibition
1. Turn off Sleeping
-Control Panel
-Hardware and Sound
-Power Options
-Change while the pc sleeps
-Set it all to “by no means”
2. Disable Windows Fast Startup
If you place awake time in BIOS (extra on that in a piece) but it doesn’t work, that can be because Windows Fast Startup is turned on. This makes the pc startup quicker, however, does it via hibernating as an alternative of really shutting down.
While in Power Options
-Select Change What Power Buttons Do
-click “Change settings which might be currently unavailable”
-uncheck “Turn on speedy startup
-shop modifications
three. Go to settings and flip the screen saver off
Four. Disable updates
The manual above works for the most component, but this has changed on account that Windows 7. I found this guide this manual alternatively. It involves enhancing the registry. I’m going to submit the steps right here in case that page is going down.
-Use the home windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
-Type regedit and click OK to open the Registry.
-Browse the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows
-Right-click the Windows (folder) key, select New, and then click on Key.
-Name the brand new key WindowsUpdate and press Enter.
-Right-click the newly created key, select new, and click on Key.
-Name the brand new key AU and press Enter.
-Inside the newly created key, proper-click at the proper facet, pick out New, and click on on DWORD (32-bit) Value.
-Name the brand new key AUOptions and press Enter.
-Double-click the newly created key and change its value the use of one of the following options:
2 – “Notify for download and notify for installation.”
three – “Auto download and notify for installation.”
4 – “Auto download and schedule the installation.”
5 – “Allow neighborhood admin to pick settings.”
-You probably want alternative 2
-Click OK.
-Close the Registry to finish the assignment.
5. Disable some startup procedures
-Press the home windows key and look for “startup”
-Find “See which procedures startup mechanically when you begin Windows”
-Disable all of them
6. Set Apple Software Update to never test for updates
If you have got Quicktime or something else mounted, you’ll want to open Apple Software Update and set it to in no way take a look at.
7. Hide the taskbar
Right-click the taskbar and choose “Taskbar settings”
8. Add shortcuts/aliases to the startup folder
On Windows 7, this folder turned into smooth to discover. Now less so.
You’ll want to press Win-R for run activate and enter “shell: startup”
You can drop for your AutoHotkey scripts or applications which you need to run on startup, however you are higher off leaving them wherein they’re and in preference to dragging shortcuts to this folder.
-Right-click your script or program and pick “Create Shortcut”
[Note: AutoHotkey is a scripting language for automating Windows. We use it a lot to create simple scripts that launch a game and reset the computer on a specific keypress. It is very useful for arcade machines]
nine. Set the pc time
Make certain the system clock has the proper time. This is important to automate startup/shutdown
-Right-click on the time inside the bottom proper nook of the taskbar
-Select “Adjust date/time”
10. Setting the laptop to shut down routinely
Eva Schindling’s manual above has this manner with images and it’s miles unchanged in Windows 10, but right here are the steps:
-Control Panel
-System and Security
-Administrative Tools
-Task Scheduler
-Action Menu
-Create Basic Task
-Add name and description
-Task Trigger: select Daily
-Set your close-down time and recurrence
-Action: select Start a application
-Program/script: C:WindowsSystem32shutdown.Exe
-Add arguments: /s
-Click Finish
11. BIOS to show the computer on at a set time
BIOS is firmware placing at the pc.
Enter BIOS by means of preserving or tapping F12 at the same time as restarting
-If F12 does no longer paintings, appearance up to the way to input BIOS. Different manufacturers use one-of-a-kind keys, but it’s miles quite lots always retaining or tapping a key while it restarts.
You are searching out a putting along the lines of “Resume via Alarm” or “Wake Settings.” For example, on the pc we used for the Dream Boxx is became under Advanced->S5 RTC Wake Settings
12. Install Notepad ++
While now not strictly necessary, having a lightweight however functional text editor will make your lifestyles a whole lot, tons easier. Notepad++ is outstanding as it adds a little “edit with Notepad++” option to any report you right-click on. You are going to edit a file on that computer sooner or later and you’ll be kicking yourself in case you land up the usage of the default Notepad app.