Setting up a new Windows PC

Some notes to my future self, for the next time I set up a new Windows PC

Setting up a new Windows PC

Some notes to my future self, for the next time I set up a new Windows PC.

Avoid using a Microsoft account

How to Set Up Windows 11 Without a Microsoft Account

Last time you tried (July 2025) you were able to use the Command Prompt method. But this is likely getting more and more tricky. Setting up Linux Mint is an option.

Install . . .

• Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope CurrentUser
• PowerToys
• Windows Terminal
• VS Code
  Quick VS Code settings: json "editor.fontSize": 16, "terminal.integrated.fontSize": 16, "window.zoomLevel": 1.4, "workbench.colorTheme": "GitHub Dark High Contrast", And the GitHub Theme extension.
• Vale and the Vale VSCode extension.
• Git for Windows.
  • GitHub and git:
    • git config --global --add --bool push.autoSetupRemote true
    • Make sure to set username for commits.
• Node.js This guide is your friend: Microsoft - Install NodeJS on Windows.
• Python
• WSL2
  1. Make sure Hyper-V and Virtual Machine Platform are enabled in Turn Windows Features On or Off (you may be able to disable Hyper-V again after . . . unsure . . . )
  2. In an administrator PowerShell shell wsl --install
  3. In VS Code, install the WSL extension.
  4. In a WSL terminal: shell sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get upgrade sudo apt-get install make gcc g++
  5. Install nvm and Node
• Docker for Desktop. Requires WSL2.
• Slack (sign in with your personal-professional Google account and you’ll retrieve most of your key communities)
• Discord
• Signal
• A few browsers: you want (at minimum) Google Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
• Spotify
• Kindle
• Snagit (you can retrieve your license from your account on their website, but be aware you are running out of installations, so if you haven’t uninstalled it from one of your old machines, you may need to re-purchase)

Set up . . .

• SSH into your Raspberry Pi: refer to Notes on my Raspberry Pi Zero setup for more help.
• You’ll probably need minikube: Set up minikube on Windows.

Archive

NoteTo my future self (2025)

You took another swing at Linux. Setting up Linux Mint is now available.

NoteTo my future self (2023)

• You tried the move to Linux. You liked WoW Hardcore more. And good video editing tools. Stick with Windows.
• This guide made the move to shiny-glowy laptop a lot easier (compared to the move in 2022 to old-creaky laptop). Keep updating it! And keep drinking lots of tea.

NoteTo my future self (2022)

• You were still wrangling Node and Python, and updating this, a month and a half after you started. If you’re back here in 2023 and it’s as much of a pain as it was in 2022, go try Linux you daftie.
• Future self, be aware, your past self was a Windows person. If you’ve finally made the move to Linux (and looking at Windows 11, that could well happen), then please (a) use this document as a checklist and (b) write a Linux version.
• You think you’ll change PCs in an afternoon. You won’t. It’s going to annoy you for weeks. Drink a lot of tea and update this article with the things past you forgot to include.