Confidential Files! – A computing blog

AdminScripts: End of year update

The 25H2 update to my repo contains four new scripts and a new function.

AdminScripts: May 2025 update

This post contains a summary of changes to my GitHub's AdminScripts repo, where I share my open-source code with the public.

AdminScripts: January 2025 update

This post contains a summary of changes to my GitHub's AdminScripts repo, where I share my open-source code with the public.

When Windows says your PIN isn’t “available”

The Windows logon screen bears an ominous message: "Something happened, and your PIN isn't available. Click to set up your PIN again." Two options are available: "Set up my PIN" and "Sign-in options." Three buttons are visible in the lower right corner: "Internet," "Ease of access," and "Power."

Imagine you turn on your PC, but instead of the usual prompt for PIN, you get an ominous error message: Something happened and your PIN isn't available. Click to set up your PIN again. It is as if Microsoft paid someone to write the most irritating error message in the world. This message is unhelpfulContinue reading "When Windows says your PIN isn’t “available”"

Why Sysinternals Autoruns flags ShellExt.dll’s signature as invalid

The 32-bit version of Sysinternals Autoruns has a bug: It incorrectly marks good digital signatures as bad.

HP z440: CSM setting change, six beeps, then no beeps at all

Today, I changed the CSM setting on an HP z440 system. (More accurately, I turned off CSM and enabled Secure Boot). As a result, the PC refused to produce any display output, instead generating six beeps. The power light also went red. In response, I reset the CMOS using the CMOS Reset key inside theContinue reading "HP z440: CSM setting change, six beeps, then no beeps at all"

Ctrl+Shift+V: A false rumor

Have you ever heard the rumor about the Ctrl+Shift+V key combination? Allegedly, it is a universal Windows shortcut that pastes the content of Windows clipboard without formatting, i.e., in plain text. But does it?

What every Windows user must know about DISM and SFC

DISM repairs an unhealthy component store with the help of a Microsoft server. SFC repairs unhealthy legacy files with the help of a healthy component store.

Microsoft Windows offers two built-in utilities for repairing the operating system: DISM and SFC. As of this writing, these utilities have gained farcical popularity! People who see the slightest sign of something wrong with their dog run them. This article briefly covers what everyone who would ever run these tools must know.

Top themes of Visual Studio 2022… and their defects

Microsoft released Visual Studio 2022 (VS2022) on 8 November 2021. I had been expecting this release with enthusiasm because Microsoft had promised that VS2022 would support better color themes, on par with what you see in VS2022's more celebrated sibling, Visual Studio Code (VSCode). Nine months have passed since the initial release. Did Microsoft make good on its promise? Let's find out.

How can I tell if a file in the “Windows” folder is from Microsoft?

Question: I'm looking at a file in the "C:\Windows\System32" folder. How do I know whether it is from Microsoft or a rouge file?

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