winutil/docs/content/KnownIssues.md

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Download not working

If https://christitus.com/win is not working, or you want to download the code from GitHub directly, you can use the direct download link:

irm https://github.com/ChrisTitusTech/Winutil/releases/latest/download/Winutil.ps1 | iex

If you are seeing errors referencing TLS or security, you may be running an older version of Windows where TLS 1.2 is not the default security protocol used for network connections. The following commands will force .NET to use TLS 1.2, and download the script directly using .NET instead of PowerShell:

[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
iex https://christitus.com/win | iex

If it still isn't working and you live in India, it might be due to India blocking GitHub's content domain and preventing downloads. See more on Times of India.

If you are still having issues, try using a VPN, or changing your DNS provider to one of following two providers:

Provider	Primary DNS	Secondary DNS
Cloudflare	1.1.1.1	1.0.0.1
Google	8.8.8.8	8.8.4.4

Script blocked by Execution Policy

1. Ensure you are running PowerShell as admin: Press Windows Key+X and select PowerShell (Admin) in Windows 10, or Windows Terminal (Admin) in Windows 11.

2. In the PowerShell window, type this to allow unsigned code to execute and run the installation script:

   Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope Process -Force
   irm https://christitus.com/win | iex
   

Runtime Issues

WinGet configuration

If you have not installed anything using PowerShell before, you may be prompted to configure WinGet. This requires user interaction on first run. You will need to manually type y into the PowerShell console and press enter to continue. Once you do it the first time, you will not be prompted again.

Windows Issues

Windows takes longer to shut down

This could be for a number of reasons:

• Turn on fast startup: Press Windows key+R, then type:

  control /name Microsoft.PowerOptions /page pageGlobalSettings
  

If that doesn't work, disable Hibernation:

• Press Windows Key+X and select PowerShell (Admin) in Windows 10, or Windows Terminal (Admin) in Windows 11. then type:

  powercfg /H off
  

Related issue: #69

Windows Search does not work

Enable Background Apps. Related issues: #69 #95 #232

Xbox Game Bar Activation Broken

Set the Xbox Accessory Management Service to Automatic:

Get-Service -Name "XboxGipSvc" | Set-Service -StartupType Automatic

Related issue: #198

Windows 11: Quick Settings no longer works

Launch the Script and click Enable Action Center.

Explorer (file browser) no longer launches

• Press Windows key+R then type:

  control /name Microsoft.FolderOptions
  

• Change the Open File Explorer to option to This PC.

Battery drains too fast

If you're using a laptop or tablet and find your battery drains too fast, please try the below troubleshooting steps, and report the results back to the Winutil community.

1. Check Battery Health:

   • Press Windows Key+X and select PowerShell (Admin) in Windows 10, or Windows Terminal (Admin) in Windows 11.
   • Run the following command to generate a battery report:

     powercfg /batteryreport /output "C:\battery_report.html"
     

   • Open the generated HTML report to review information about battery health and usage. A battery with poor health may hold less charge, discharge faster, or cause other issues.

2. Review Power Settings:

   • Open the Settings app, and go to System > Power & sleep.
   • Adjust power plan settings based on your preferences and usage patterns.
   • Click on Additional power settings to access advanced power settings that may help.

3. Identify Power-Hungry Apps:

   • Right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager.
   • Navigate to the Processes tab to identify applications with high CPU or memory usage.
   • Consider reconfiguring, closing, disabling, or uninstalling applications that use a lot of resources.

4. Update Drivers:

   • Visit your device manufacturer's website or use Windows Update to check for driver updates.
   • Ensure graphics, chipset, and other essential drivers are up to date.

5. Check for Windows Updates:

   • Open the Settings app, and go to Update & Security > Windows Update.
   • Check for and install any available updates for your operating system.

6. Reduce Screen Brightness:

   • Open the Settings app, and go to System > Display.
   • Adjust screen brightness based on your preferences and lighting conditions.

7. Enable Battery Saver:

   • Open the Settings app, and go to System > Battery.
   • Turn on Battery saver to limit background activity and conserve power.

8. Check Power Usage in Settings:

   • Open the Settings app, and go to System > Battery > Battery usage by app.
   • Review the list of apps and their power usage. Disable or uninstall any you don't need.

9. Check Background Apps:

   • Open the Settings app, and go to Privacy > Background apps.
   • Disable or uninstall unnecessary apps running in the background.

10. Use powercfg for Analysis:

    • Press Windows Key+X and select PowerShell (Admin) in Windows 10, or Windows Terminal (Admin) in Windows 11.
    • Run the following command to analyze energy usage and generate a report:

      powercfg /energy /output "C:\energy_report.html"
      

    • Open the generated HTML report to identify energy consumption patterns.

11. Review Event Logs:

    • Open Event Viewer by searching for it in the Start menu.
    • Navigate to Windows Logs > System.
    • Look for events with the source Power-Troubleshooter to identify power-related events. These may highlight battery, input power, and other issues.

12. Check Wake-up Sources:

    • Press Windows Key+X and select PowerShell (Admin) in Windows 10, or Windows Terminal (Admin) in Windows 11.
    • Use the command powercfg /requests to identify processes preventing sleep.
    • Use the command powercfg /waketimers to view active wake timers.
    • Check Task Scheduler to see if any of the discovered processes are scheduled to start on boot or at regular intervals.

13. Advanced Identification of Power-Hungry Apps:

    • Open Resource Monitor from the Start menu.
    • Navigate to the CPU, Memory, Network, and other tabs to identify processes with high resource usage.
    • Consider reconfiguring, closing, disabling, or uninstalling applications that use a lot of resources.

14. Disable Activity History:

    • Open the Settings app, and go to Privacy > Activity history.
    • Turn off Let Windows collect my activities from this PC.

15. Prevent Network Adapters From Waking PC:

    • Open Device Manager by searching for it in the Start menu.
    • Locate your network adapter, right-click, and go to Properties.
    • Under the Power Management tab, uncheck the option that allows the device to wake the computer.

16. Review Installed Applications:

    • Manually review installed applications by searching for Add or remove programs in the Start menu.
    • Check settings/preferences of individual applications for power-related options.
    • Uninstall unnecessary or problematic software.

These troubleshooting steps are generic, but should help in most situations. You should have these key takeaways:

• Battery health is the most significant limiter on your device's runtime. A battery in poor health usually cannot be made to last like it used to, simply by closing some applications. Consider replacing your battery.
• Background applications that use CPU and memory, make lots of or large network requests, read/write to disk frequently, or that keep your PC awake when it could be conserving energy are the next major concern. Avoid installing programs you don't need, only use programs you trust, and configure applications to use as little power and run as infrequently as possible.
• Windows performs a lot of tasks that may affect battery life by default. Changing settings, stopping scheduled tasks, and disabling features can help the system stay in lower power states to conserve battery.
• Bad chargers, inconsistent power input, and high temperatures will cause batteries to degrade and discharge faster. Use trusted high-quality chargers, ensure input power is steady, clean any fans or airflow ports, and keep the battery/PC cool.