How to make Windows 10 usable

In this post I will explain how to make Windows 10 usable.

1. Do a clean install of Windows 10.
2. Install ClassicShell and change the settings as follows:
1. Disable the Apps menu item
2. Disable searching the internet
3. Press the Start button and search for "Performance". Choose the option "Adjust the appearance and performance of windows". Uncheck everything except:
1. "Smooth edges of screen fonts"
2. "Show thumbnails instead of icons" (useful in picture/camera folders)
4. Change File Explorer folder view options
1. Display hidden items
2. Show file extensions
3. Show protected files and folders
4. Apply these to all folders
5. Disable Windows Search. If left running, this will eventually use up all the space on your drive, while providing no real benefit.
1. Open "Services", look for "Windows Search" and disable the service. Then stop the service.
2. Use File Explorer to go to "c:\programdata". Open the properties applet of the "Search" folder. In the Security tab, do the necessary actions to:
1. Change ownership of the Search folder and all subfolders & files to the local "Administrators" group.
2. Add a Deny rule for Write to "Everyone". Enable inheritance to propagate this security setting to all files and subfolders
3. Delete everything in the Search folder
3. Use the File Explorer to go to "C:\WindowsSearchIndex". Repeat the above procedure to empty and disable write access to this folder.

With these changes, you should find Windows 10 much easier to use, and the OS will also be much better behaved.