Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Administrative Tools Metro Tile, Control Panel "God Mode" Metro Tile, Windows Update Metro Tile , Windows Explorer Search Metro Tile for Windows 8.1 / Server 2012 R2

The following script will add new Metro styled tiles for Power Admin Users to the start menu.

               Custom Icons for Control Panel, Administrative Tools and Windows Update 
Icons copyright Metadata Consulting, except for Windows Explorer Search icon and Windows logo!

Compatible with Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Server 2012, Server 2012 R2
.


New tiles include;  
  1. Windows Explorer Search - go directly to Windows Explorer and perform a search
  2. Control Panel (Standard Icons)  - links to a list of all icons as in Windows 7/S2008, not category 
  3. Control Panel (All Tasks) - list all tasks, a hidden feature  
  4. Control Panel (All Settings) - referred to as "God Mode" in Win 7/S2008, a hidden feature
  5. Administrative Tools - root link, not a sub-directory of Control Panel as in current Tile in Win 8+/S2012+
  6. Windows Update - a better designed icon

Purchase $0.99, Download and Install  , see license/instructions below.

     



If you use this please donation a coffee as a bonus, because that is ridiculously cheep.
 


License:


The script is free to use and sourced from Microsoft Gallery. The icons (the artwork) are .99$ for personal license for a single computer install, but not commercially. Commercial/Small businesses requires a license to buy the rights to use the icons, which I created, except for Windows Explorer Search icon and Windows logo in Windows Update icon however a mash-up is considered copyright- able work. Don't get shocked, we are talking pennies here. License and Disclaimers listed in scripts.

             Contact metadataconsult@gmail.com for a commercial license.

Instructions: 


Purchase $0.99, Download and Install  

  1. Unzip and copy contents to C:\Windows\System32 directory.
  2. Right-click on doWin8AdminTiles-RunMe1st.ps1 and Run with Poweshell. This loads the Poweshell Editor (ISE) with administrator privileges.
  3. In Poweshell Editor (ISE), press green arrow to run the script.
  4. Complete.

    If you see the above light green messages in the console area of the PowerShell ISE, the you have 
    successfully run the script. 

    If you see red, you may have re-run the Powershell IDE with administrator privileges.  Use Windows Search for PowerShell, right-click and run with Adminstratative privileges, see article 
    here.
If you have issues further issues click this link for better pictures and instruction.

Shutdown, Restart, Log-off, Hibernate, Lock Workstation, Switch User Start Tiles for Windows 8.1 / Server 2012 R2 featuring new Metro Icons


Tags: Administrative Tools Tile, Control Panel "God Mode" Tile, Windows Update Tile, Windows Explorer Search Tile for Windows 8.1 and Server 2012 R2




Sunday, November 3, 2013

Shutdown, Restart, Log-off, Hibernate, Lock Workstation, Switch User Start Tiles for Windows 10 /8.1 / Server 2012 R2 featuring new Metro Icons

I created one script that creates Win 8/8.1/10 "Metro" tiles for popular "power" links with new icons to appear on the start menu.

Update: New procedure for Windows 10/ 8.1 users see below.


Metro Style Icons with Lock Workstation, improved Switch User and Logoff Icons
click to view larger image

This PowerShell script installs a Lock Workstation, Switch UserLogoff, 
Restart, Hibernate and Shutdown tile with new Metro styled icons on the Start screen for Windows 8, 8.1, Server 2012, Server 2012 R2.

Purchase $2.25 USD, Download and Install 


License:

The script is free to use and sourced from Microsoft GalleryThe icons (art work is what you are paying for ) is .99$ to use for a personal license for a single computer install, but not commercially. Commercial/Small businesses requires a separate license to buy the rights to use the icons, which I created. Don't get shocked, we are talking pennies here. License and Disclaimers listed in scripts.

             Contact metadataconsult [(at)] gmail.com for a commercial license.


Instructions: 


Purchase $2.25 USD, Download and Install 

contains (doWin8Tiles-RunMe1st.ps1, 
ShutdownRestartLogoffSwithUserWindows8MDCTiles.ps1,Win8Tile-LogoffWorkstationCutKey256.ico, Win8Tile-Hibernate256.ico, Win8Tile-LockStation256.ico, Win8Tile-LogoffWorkstation256.ico, Win8Tile-Restart256.ico,Win8Tile-ShutDown256.ico, Win8Tile-SwitchUserChannel.ico,IconsCopyright-OriginalArt.txt)

1. Unzip and copy contents to c:\Windows\System32 directory.


2. Right-click on doWin8Tiles-RunMe1st.ps1 and Run with Poweshell. This loads the Poweshell Editor (ISE) with administrator privileges.

3. In Poweshell Editor (ISE), press green arrow to run the script.
click to view larger image
1st time Powershell users will get a "...running scripts is disable..." error. In Powershell type this command: Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted Just re-run the script using green arrow and it will work.

4. Completed.
If you see, the above light green messages in the console area of the PowerShell ISE, the you have successfully run the script. 

If you see red, then that process step failed and you may have re-run the Powershell IDE with administrator privileges.  Use Windows Search for PowerShell, right-click and run with Adminstratative privileges, see article 
here.




Update for WINDOWS 10/8.1 Users



If the above script does not work, contained in the zip file is are 2 additional customized for Windows 8.1, which has additional execute permissions turn off for scripts, unlike windows server 2012 R2. 
  1. From the start menu, right-click 
  2. Select "Command Prompt (Admin)"
  3. In the Command Prompt type-> powershell win81only-runme1st.ps1

  4. Now you see the following results windows appear and close automatically. You see a bit of red text, that's okay since in this context its a warning.

  5. Success, you should now see the following tiles on the start screen if you click the down arrow to reach Apps.
    Windows 8 Start Menu Apps

Windows 10 Menu


Update for Server 2012 R2 

Run doWin8Tiles-RunMe1st.ps1, you'll see the above, new tiles in the Start Menu by Apps. Just right-click each tile like Shutdown and pin to Start Menu, and you get the below image in Sever 2012 R2.





Tags: Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Switch User Metro Icon, Log-off Metro Icon, Restart Metro Icon, Hibernate Metro Icon, Shutdown Metro Icon, Server 2012, Server 2012 R2, Start Menu, Tiles, Windows 8.1 Start screen and lock screen, Windows 8.1 new look