Windows 10 went on sale in 2015, but many users already want to install and configure the applications they need to work, despite the fact that some of them have not yet been updated to work flawlessly in this version of the operating system.

How to find out what programs are installed on Windows 10

In addition to the traditional list of programs, which can be viewed by opening the “Programs and Features” item in the “Control Panel,” in Windows 10 you can find out what applications are installed on your computer through a new system interface that was not present in Windows 7.

Opening a list of programs from the main Windows settings

Unlike previous versions of Windows, you can get to the list of available applications by following the path: “Start” - “Settings” - “System” - “Applications and Features”.

To find out Additional information about the program, click on its name

Calling a list of programs from the search bar

Open the Start menu and start typing “programs,” “uninstall,” or “uninstall programs.” Search bar will return two search results.

In recent Windows versions you can find a program or component by name

“Add or Remove Programs” is the name of this component in Windows XP. Starting with Vista, it changed to Programs and Features. In later versions Windows Microsoft The program manager was returned to its previous name, as was the “Start” button, which was removed in some builds of Windows 8.

Launch Programs and Features to get directly to the Windows Application Manager.

How to run an incompatible program on Windows 10

Applications for Windows XP/Vista/7 and even 8, which previously worked without problems, in the vast majority of cases do not work in Windows 10. Do the following:

1. Select the "problematic" application right click mouse, click “Advanced” and then “Run as administrator”. There is also a simpler launch - via context menu the application's startup file icon, and not just from the program's shortcut menu in the Windows main menu.

   Administrator rights will allow you to apply all application settings

2. If the method helps, make sure that the application always runs with administrator rights. To do this, in the properties, in the “Compatibility” tab, check the box next to “Run this program as an administrator.”

   Check the box next to “Run this program as an administrator”

3. Also, in the “Compatibility” tab, click on “Run the compatibility troubleshooter.” The Windows Program Compatibility Troubleshooter opens. If you know which version Windows program started, then in the sub-item “Run the program in compatibility mode for” from the list of operating systems, select the desired one.

   The Windows 10 Windows 10 Troubleshooting Wizard offers: additional settings compatibility

4. If your program is not in the list, select "Not in the list". This is done when launching portable versions of programs that are transferred to Windows by simply copying them to the Program Files folder and work directly without a standard installation.

   Select your application from the list or leave the option “Not in the list”

5. Choose how to diagnose an application that stubbornly refuses to run despite your previous attempts to start it.

   To manually specify the compatibility mode, select “Program Diagnostics”

6. If you have chosen standard method check, Windows will ask you which versions of the program worked well with.

   Information about the version of Windows in which it was launched required program, will be submitted to Microsoft to solve the problem associated with the inability to open it in Windows 10

7. Even if you chose a non-affirmative answer, Windows 10 will check information about working with this application on the Internet and try to launch it again. You can then close the Program Compatibility Assistant.

If all attempts to launch the application completely fail, it makes sense to update it or change it to an analogue one - rarely, but it happens that during the development of the program, comprehensive support for all future versions of Windows was not implemented at one time. Thus, a positive example is the Beeline GPRS Explorer application, released in 2006. It works with both Windows 2000 and Windows 8. And the negative is the drivers for the HP LaserJet 1010 printer and HP ScanJet scanner: these devices were sold in 2005, when nothing was known about Windows Vista Microsoft company didn't even mention it.

The following can also help with compatibility issues:

• decompiling or parsing the installation source into components using special programs(which may not always be legal) and installing/running them separately;
• installing additional DLLs or system files INI and SYS, the lack of which the system may report;
• processing parts of the source code or working version(the program is installed, but does not work) so that the stubborn application still runs on Windows 10. But this is a task for developers or hackers, and not for the average user.

Video: Working with the Program Compatibility Wizard in Windows 10

How to assign priority to an application in Windows 10

Any program corresponds to a specific process (several processes or copies of one process, launched with different parameters). Each process in Windows is divided into threads, and those, in turn, are further “layered” into descriptors. Without processes, neither the operating system itself nor third party programs that you are used to using. Prioritizing certain processes will speed up programs on old hardware, without which fast and efficient work is impossible.

You can assign priority to an application in the Task Manager:

Do not experiment with low priority for vital processes of Windows itself (for example, Superfetch service processes). The Windows system may begin to malfunction.

You can also set the priority using third-party applications, for example, using CacheMan, Process Explorer and many other similar manager applications.

To quickly manage the performance of programs, you need to figure out which process is responsible for what. Thanks to this, in less than a minute, you will sort the most important processes by their priority and assign them the maximum value.

Video: How to give an application the highest priority in Windows 10

How to install a program into startup on Windows 10

Most quick way enable program autostart when Windows startup 10 - through the already familiar “Task Manager”. IN previous versions Windows did not have this feature.

Autostart of a large number of applications after starting a new session with Windows is a waste of PC system resources, which should be sharply limited. The remaining methods - editing the system “Startup” folder, setting the autorun function in each application (if such a setting exists) are classic, “migrated” to Windows 10 from Windows 9x/2000.

Video: enabling application autostart through the registry and Task Scheduler

How to prevent installation of programs in Windows 10

In previous versions of Windows, for example, Vista, it was enough to prohibit the launch of any new applications, including installation sources such as setup.exe. Parental controls also remained, which did not allow running programs and games from disks (or other media) or downloading them from the Internet.

The installation source is the installation batch files.msi packaged into one .exe file. Even though the installation files are uninstalled programs, they are still executable files.

Prohibiting the launch of third-party programs

In this case, the launch of any third-party .exe files, including installation files, except those obtained from the Microsoft application store, is ignored.

Now launching .exe files downloaded from any other sites and received through any drives and software local network, will be rejected regardless of whether they are ready-made programs or installation sources.

Video: How to allow apps from the Windows Store only

Block all programs by setting Windows Security Policy

To prohibit downloading programs through the “ Local policy Security", an administrator account is required, which can be enabled by entering the command "net user Administrator /active:yes" into the Command Prompt.

1. Open the Run window by pressing Win + R and enter the command “secpol.msc”.

   Click "OK" to confirm your entry

2. Right-click on “Software Restriction Policies” and select “Create Software Restriction Policy” from the context menu.

   Select Create Software Restriction Policy to create a new setting

3. Go to the created entry, right-click on “Application” and select “Properties”.

   To configure rights, you need to go to the properties of the “Application” item

4. Set restrictions for regular users. The administrator should not restrict these rights, as he may need to change settings - otherwise he will not be able to run third-party programs.

   There is no need to restrict administrator rights

5. Right-click on “Assigned File Types” and select “Properties”.

   In the “Assigned file types” item, you can check whether there is a ban on running installation files

6. Make sure the .exe extension is in the prohibited list. If not, add it.

   Save by clicking "OK"

7. Go to the "Security Levels" section and enable the ban by setting the level to "Prohibited".

   Confirm the request to change the setting

8. Close all unclosed ones dialog boxes by clicking “OK” and restart Windows.

If everything is done correctly, the first launch of any .exe file will be rejected.

Execution of the installer file was rejected by the security policy you changed

Changing the location where downloaded applications are automatically saved in Windows 10

When drive C is full, there is little space on it due to the abundance of third-party applications and personal documents that you have not yet transferred to other media, it is worth changing the location where applications are automatically saved.

1. Open the Start menu and select Settings.
2. Select the System component.

   Select "System"

3. Go to the "Storage".

   Select the “Storage” subsection

4. Follow the steps below for information about saving locations.

   Browse the entire list for the drive label for applications

5. Find the new application installation control and change the C drive to something else.
6. Close all windows and restart Windows 10.

Now all new applications will create folders not on the C drive. If necessary, you can transfer old ones without reinstalling Windows 10.

Video: How to change where downloaded applications are saved in Windows 10

How to remove already installed programs in Windows 10

In previous versions of Windows, you could remove programs by going to “Start” - “Control Panel” - “Add or Remove Programs” or “Programs and Features”. This method is still correct to this day, but along with it there is another one - through a new Windows interface 10.

Classic Windows application removal scheme

Use the most popular method - through the Windows 10 Control Panel:

Windows Installer often asks for confirmation to remove the selected program. In other cases - it depends on the developer of the third-party application - the request message may be in English, despite the Russian-language interface of the Windows version (or in another language, for example, Chinese, if the application did not have at least an English interface, for example, the original iTools program) , or not appear at all. In the latter case, the application will be deleted immediately.

To uninstall a program through the new Windows 10 interface, open Start, select Settings, double-click System and click Apps and Features. Right-click on the unwanted program and remove it.

Select the application, right-click on it and select “Delete” from the context menu

Removal usually occurs safely and completely, excluding modifications system libraries or drivers in Windows folder, shared files Program Files or Program Data folders. If problems persist, use Windows 10 installation media or the built-in Windows System Restore wizard.

Video: Uninstalling programs in Windows 10 using standard and third-party utilities

Why Windows 10 blocks installation of programs

Microsoft's software installation block was created in response to numerous complaints related to previous versions of Windows. Millions of users remember SMS ransomware in Windows XP, disguised as system process explorer.exe in Windows Vista and Windows 7, “keyloggers” and other nasty things that lead to freezing or blocking of the “Control Panel” and “Task Manager”.

Windows 10 refuses to install uTorrent because the author or developer could not be verified

Ways to disable protection against unverified programs

This protection can and should be disabled when you are confident in the security of the program.

It is based on the UAC component, which monitors accounts and digital signatures of installed programs. Anonymization (removing signatures, certificates and licenses from a program) is often a criminal offense. Fortunately, protection can be temporarily disabled from Windows settings itself without resorting to dangerous actions.

Changing the Account Control Level

Do the following:

Launching application installation from the Command Line

If you still cannot start the installation of the program you like, use the “Command Line”:

Most likely, your problem will be solved.

Why do programs take so long to install on Windows 10?

There are many reasons, as well as ways to solve problems:

1. Problems with compatibility of older applications with the OS. The Windows 10 system appeared only a couple of years ago - not all well-known publishers and “small” authors have released versions for it. You may need to specify earlier versions of Windows in the properties of the program launch file (.exe), regardless of whether it is the installation source or an already installed application.
2. The program is an installer-downloader that downloads batch files from the developers' website, and is not a fully ready-to-use offline installer. These are, for example, the Microsoft.Net Framework engine, Skype, Adobe Reader latest versions, updates and Windows fixes. If high-speed traffic is exhausted or the network is overloaded during rush hour with a low-speed provider tariff chosen for the sake of economy, downloading the installation package may take hours.
3. Unreliable LAN connection when installing one application on several similar computers on the local network with the same Windows build 10.
4. The media (disk, flash drive, external drive) is worn out or damaged. Files take too long to read. The biggest problem is the incomplete installation. An under-installed program may not work and may not be removed after a stuck installation - it is possible to rollback/reinstall Windows 10 from an installation flash drive or DVD.

   One of the reasons long installation programs may become damaged media

5. The installer file (archive.rar or.zip) is incomplete ("Unexpected end of archive" message when unpacking the installer.exe before running it) or damaged. Download a newer version from another site that you find.

   If the archive with the installer is damaged, you will not be able to install the application.

6. Errors and shortcomings of the developer in the process of “coding”, debugging the program before publishing it. The installation starts but freezes or moves forward very slowly, consumes a lot of hardware resources, uses unnecessary processes Windows.
7. Drivers or updates from the center Microsoft updates required for the program to work. Windows Installer automatically launches a wizard or console to download missing updates to background. It is recommended to disable services and components that search for and download updates from Microsoft servers.
8. Virus activity in the Windows system (any Trojans). An “infected” program installer that caused chaos in the work Windows process Installer (clones of the process in the Task Manager, overloading the processor and RAM PC) and its service of the same name. Not download programs from unverified sources.

   Clones of processes in the “Task Manager” overload the processor and “eat up” the computer’s RAM

9. Unexpected failure (wear, failure) of internal or external drive(flash drives, memory cards) from which the application was installed. A very rare case.
10. An unreliable connection between the PC’s USB port and any of the drives from which the installation was carried out, a decrease in USB speed to the USB 1.2 standard, when the Windows system displays the message: “This device can work faster if it is connected to a high-speed USB port 2.0/3.0". Check the port operation with other drives, connect your drive to another USB port.

    Connect your drive to a different USB port to resolve the “This device may perform faster” error.

11. The program downloads and installs other components that you forgot to exclude in your haste. Thus, the Punto Switcher application offered “Yandex.Browser”, “Yandex Elements” and other software from its developer Yandex LLC. The Mail.Ru Agent application could download the Amigo.Mail.Ru browser, the [email protected] informer, the My World application, etc. There are many similar examples. Every promoted developer strives to impose the maximum of his projects on people. They receive money for installations and conversions, and there are millions of users, so impressive amounts for installing applications grow.

    When installing programs, you should uncheck the boxes next to the settings that suggest installing components you don’t need.

12. The game you like is multi-gigabyte and single-player. Although game manufacturers make them online (this will always be fashionable, such games are most in demand), and scripts are loaded over the network, there is still a chance to come across a work in which there are dozens of local levels and episodes. And graphics, sound and design take up a lot of space, therefore installing such a game can take half an hour or an hour, no matter what the version of Windows is, no matter what performance capabilities it conceals: the speed of the internal disk - hundreds of megabits per second - is always strictly limited . These are, for example, Call of Duty 3/4, GTA5 and the like.
13. Many applications are running both in the background and with open windows. Close the extra ones. Clear the list of startup programs from unnecessary ones using the “Task Manager”, system folder"Startup" or third party applications, created to optimize performance (for example, CCleaner, Auslogics Boost Speed). Remove unused programs (see instructions above). Applications that you still do not want to delete can be configured (each of them) so that they do not start on their own - each program has its own additional settings.

    CCleaner will help you remove all unnecessary programs from Startup.

14. Windows has been working for a long time without reinstallation. A lot of system garbage and unnecessary personal files that are of no value have accumulated on drive C. Perform Disk Check, Disk Cleanup, and Windows registry from unnecessary trash from already remote programs. If you use classic hard disks, then defragment their partitions. Get rid of unnecessary files, which your disk may be full of. In general, put things in order in the system and on the disk.

    To get rid of system junk, perform a disk scan and cleanup

Managing programs in Windows 10 is no more difficult than in previous versions of Windows. Apart from the new menus and window designs, everything is done almost the same as before.

Operating room developers Windows systems created an option that limits what users can do on the computer. These restrictions are set independently by any user who has access to the administrator account on the computer.

Instructions

1. To set any ban on a computer, administrator rights are required. To manage restrictions, you need to open the special section “Local Security Settings”, to do this, use the Win+R key combination and enter secpol.msc, press Enter.
2. Go to Software Restriction Policy

   and in the “Object Type” command group, select the “Assigned File Types” command. The window will load a list of file formats that relate to the executable code.

3. To prohibit the use of programs, you must exclude from this list corresponding types. For example, to prohibit the use Excel programs select the corresponding item in the existing list and execute the “Delete” command, also delete the program shortcut, it has LNK format. Save the changes by clicking on the OK button.

   

4. Go to the “Enforce” section and in the “Enforce restriction policies” drop-down list, check the “For everyone except local administrators” command.
   

   Go to the “Security Levels” directory and select the “Unrestricted” section, select the “Default” value and save the settings with the OK button.

5. Open the Security Levels category and select the Unlimited option. Select the Default option and click OK.
6. After completing all the described steps, all users except administrators will be able to use only authorized applications. All programs are installed in the Program Files or SystemRoot directory. If you installed programs yourself in other folders, then they need to be added to the allowed list.
7. Open the Additional Rules window and click in the empty space in the Name section. Click the “Create path rule” option and specify the path to the program directory.
8. To prevent other users from adding additional software to the specified folders, you need to set an additional restriction. Call for desired folder context menu and click " General access and Security", on the "Security" page, set the permission for the desired users.
9. Click "Advanced" and open the "Permissions" tab. Specify users and click “Edit”, in the loaded window, mark the allowed actions for these users.

Video: How to prevent installation of programs in Windows 7

Windows 10 is a very flexible operating system and provides a user with proper administrator rights with a lot of freedom and space for various experiments, settings and personalization. At the same time, Windows can greatly limit the user if this is necessary for the administrator or owner of the computer. For example, in Windows 10 Creators Update It became possible to restrict the installation of applications that were not downloaded from the Windows Store.

How to prevent applications from installing and running on Windows

The user is offered three options to choose from:

When limiting launched applications in this way, you need to consider several points:

• All applications that were installed using executable files (exe, msi, etc.) before you added restrictions will continue to launch and run without warning. The same applies to downloaded installation files. Even after complete blocking, they will not be affected new policy application installations.
• Only those files and applications that have been downloaded/installed will be blocked after restriction activation.
• If the user ignores the warning and instructs the system to execute a file or run a program, those are placed in White list and are no longer blocked. This is done in order to save the computer owner from constantly appearing annoying messages and the need to constantly bypass the restriction.
• A non-administrator account cannot change these settings because changes made apply to all registered profiles on the computer. When you try to change something, the system will ask you to enter the administrator password.

Why limit

Windows itself answers this question:

By installing only apps offered in the Store, you can protect your computer and keep it running smoothly.

Such a mechanism is perfect for monitoring the account of a child, for example, whose curiosity may lead to the appearance of unwanted or malicious applications on the computer. In any case, you can decide for yourself why the restriction on not installing applications may be useful in your case. Our job is only to show how this is done and what nuances are associated with this process.

How to allow installation of any programs on Windows 10

Very simple. Do the same as you did in the instructions above:

1. Open Settings - Applications - Applications and features.
2. Select an item Allow apps to be used from anywhere.

After this, the restrictions will be lifted and you will be able to install applications from any source.

Very often (usually this happens when installing illegal software) other advertising products in the form of unnecessary applications, toolbars, etc. penetrate our computers. In some cases, respectable developers warn us about this and give us the opportunity not to install them by unchecking the boxes, such as when installing .

(As you can see in the screenshot above, in addition to the main application, we are also asked to install McAfee Internet Security and True Key by Intel Security)

But most often, unnecessary utilities appear on the disk secretly or due to the carelessness of the user himself. One way or another, in order to prevent such “interference” in the future, today I will talk about how to prevent their subsequent penetration on the PC.

Unchecky - Program to remove unnecessary programs from your computer

If such utilities have already appeared, then there is only one way to get rid of them, namely, uninstall. This can be done using both internal Windows utilities and third-party ones - Ccleaner or Revo Uninstaller, etc. And another recommendation for consolidation, so to speak - at the end of the procedure, I strongly advise you to also “go through” ADWCleaner to find and clean up other/remaining unwanted software.

Well, now let's move on to the main question of our topic.

Unchecky

I’ll start with, perhaps, the most famous product, which I use myself.

As I mentioned above, the appearance of unwanted software is mostly hidden or due to the user’s carelessness (he simply forgot to uncheck the boxes, or does not know where and from what points this should be done). Unchecky's task is precisely to remove these checkboxes from unwanted applications. In addition, it blocks hidden auto-installations of unnecessary and sometimes harmful software.

Just download and install. She will do the rest herself!

What to do if you really want or need...

Sandbox

What is a sandbox? This is a dedicated, separate space on your hard drive. Where the entire procedure for installing running applications will occur only within the allotted framework of this system area. Without going beyond or affecting the operation of the operating system.

The most famous way is Sandboxie. Launch and test all the applications you are interested in. Open sites and links that you are afraid to visit... Even if something gets in, just clean it up and continue working as if nothing happened.

Windows Virtual Machine

This is an emulation of a computer with all its components. You can install any operating system, play games, surf the Internet, watch videos, listen to music and install and test any software. The most famous and in demand now. —

Feb 11 2012

Limiting Application Usage in Windows 7

1. Disable or restrict the use of Windows Installer using Group Policy.

Windows Installer(msiexec.exe), is an installation, maintenance and removal tool software Windows systems.

To set a ban on installing applications for all users, open the editor Group policies(gpedit.msc) and open the section Computer Configuration – Administrative Templates – Windows components(Windows Components) – Windows Installer. On the right side of the Settings window, select the line Disable Windows Installer and double-click on it. Meaning Disable– disables the ability to install programs, value Enable turns it on. Everything is simple here.

You can prohibit the installation of applications for a specific user (account) by creating the appropriate snap-in. To do this, open the console mmc(from the Start menu - Search) and from the File menu, select Add Snap-in. A list of all available system components will open. Select Group Police, click the right arrow to add, and then click the Browse button. Select the Users tab, the desired account and click OK, and then Finish.

After this, repeat the steps I described above, only now the ban on installing programs will apply only to the selected user.

2) Always install with elevated privileges.

In the Group Policy Editor, go to User Configuration - Administrative Templates - Windows Components. Scroll down and select Windows Installer and Allwaus install with elevated privileges(Always install with elevated privileges).

This setting instructs Windows Installer to use system permissions when installing any program on the system.

This setting applies to elevated privileges for all programs. These privileges are typically reserved for programs that have been assigned to the user (offered on the desktop), assigned to the computer (installed automatically), or available in Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel. This setting allows users to install programs that require access to directories that the user may not have permission to view or change.

Note: If you disable this option or do not configure it, the system will enforce permissions current user(or administrator) when installing programs, i.e. with normal rights. This setting appears in the Group Policy Editor in both Computer Configuration and User Configuration. For this setting to take effect, it must be set in both sections.

3) Don't run specified applications for Windows.

In the Group Policy Editor, go to User Configuration - Administrative Templates - System.

Here in the sidebar on the right, double click Do not run specified Windows applications (Do not run specified Windows applications), and in the new window that opens, select Included. Now under Options select the command Show(Show). Click Add and in the new window enter the path that opens the application you want to block, in this case: msiexec.exe.

This will prohibit Windows operation Installer, which is located in C:\Windows\System32\msiexec.exe.

When this setting is enabled, users can't run programs that you add to the blocked apps list.

Note: If users have access to command line (cmd.exe), this setting does not prevent them from launching programs in a command prompt window.

Almost every setting in Windows OS, in addition to Group Policies, is duplicated in the system registry editor. But not many people know that there is an online service MSDN on the network, which contains a structured reference Information about setting up a huge number Windows functions through system registry. It’s convenient to use, you just need to know English language. In addition, there is also a similar guide in Excel document format that you can download.

First make a backup of the registry branch below, or create a restore point.

Open Registry Editor ( regedit.exe) and go to the next section:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun

Create in section DisallowRun a string parameter named 1 and set its value to the name of the program's EXE file.

Note: if section DisallowRun is missing, create it.

For example, if you want to limit msiexec, create a string parameter 1 and set its value to msiexec.exe. If you want to limit more programs, then simply create more string parameters named 2, 3 and so on, and set their values ​​in the EXE program. Restart your computer.

In Control Panel, open the User Accounts – Manage Another Account applet. Select the desired user account and set Parental Controls for it:

In the next window, enable Parental Controls and Program Launch Restrictions:

After building the list, select those programs that the user is allowed to run. If the program you need is not in the list, you can add it manually by clicking the Browse button.

Click OK.

Note: There are some conditions for allowing/prohibiting applications from running using Parental controls. First, the user account for which you are introducing restrictions must be with Ordinary rights. Secondly, setting up Parental Controls must be done from an account that has the rights Administrator, which is obvious. And thirdly, the Administrator account must be password protected.

OK it's all over Now. I wish you success in applying the tips I talked about in this article.