Symptom: The search button in the task bar does not respond to the keyboard.

Fix: Reboot the search process

ctrl+alt+del → Task Manager → Processes → Search → Search → End Task

Ref:- https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/317gce/windows_10_search_bar_not_working/

Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center
-> View your active networks -> click the link after "Connections:"
-> which will be something like Wi-Fi (SSID)
-> Wireless Properties -> Security -> Network security key
-> Show characters -> enter the admin password

winver

Using the run prompt (windows key + r)

rundll32 sysdm.cpl,EditEnvironmentVariables

Using the cmd prompt

C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe sysdm.cpl,EditEnvironmentVariables

To temporarily unset an environment variable

set FOOBAR=

This will remove the variable from the current environment (not permanently).

Ref:- https://stackoverflow.com/questions/13222724/command-line-to-remove-an-environment-variable-from-the-os-level-configuration

user environment variables

reg query HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Environment > user_env_vars.txt

system environment variables

reg query "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment" > system_env_vars.txt

tested on | windows 7

script - dump_env_vars.bat (github.com/KamarajuKusumanchi)

Ref - https://stackoverflow.com/questions/573817/where-are-environment-variables-stored-in-registry

tags | git bash reread environment variables

If you update an environment variable and want to use the new value in an existing git bash session, download the refreshenv.sh script from https://github.com/badrelmers/RefrEnv and call it from bash with source /path/to/refrenv.sh

Tested it on:

• git bash is running inside conemu 191012

  $ git --version
  git version 2.34.1.windows.1
  $ bash --version
  GNU bash, version 4.4.23(1)-release (x86_64-pc-msys)

• OS: Windows 10 Enterprise

Control Panel → Programs and Features shows the list of installed packages.

Tested on | Windows 10 Enterprise

To create a file with a dot at the beginning in explorer, add another dot at the end. Like .condarc. . Explorer will allow it and remove the trailing dot.

Ref: https://superuser.com/questions/64471/create-rename-a-file-folder-that-begins-with-a-dot-in-windows

tags | when was a windows machine rebooted, check when a windows machine was rebooted.

In git bash

systeminfo | grep -i "boot time"

In the Windows run box

cmd /k systeminfo | find /i "boot time"

In windows shell

systeminfo | find /i "boot time"

or

systeminfo | find "System Boot Time"

Works in Windows 7, Windows 2012.

Ref:-

• https://serverfault.com/questions/159612/windows-server-last-reboot-time
• https://superuser.com/questions/523726/how-can-i-find-out-when-windows-was-last-restarted
• https://www.howtogeek.com/tips/how-to-tell-when-your-windows-pc-was-restarted-last/

tags | equivalent of foo in windows

• https://explorerplusplus.com/
  • Advantages:
    • tabbed explorer windows
  • Notes:
    • started using it from 2020-11
    • Using 64-bit version of 1.3.5

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-clear-recent-files-windows-10

call foo.bat
call bar.bat

Ref:- https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1103994/how-to-run-multiple-bat-files-within-a-bat-file