Setting up my small PC Windows 10 Music Server so it works well

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markc

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Thought I would share my Windows 10 music server optimisation experience.
I had a very fast PC in my sound room and it works well but being a high powered unit it was not as quiet as I wanted. I had a very low powered micro PC, a Zotac AQ01 using a AMD A4-500 1500 MHz, 4 core processor with 4 GB of ram. This is a very low spec PC and it is running windows 10.
Absolutely terrible. Tidal or Room could not stream without hesitating, spluttering and stopping every few seconds but it was very quiet.
Anyway, the end result of this tweaking is a cheap, great sounding unit that performs well and does everything I want it to. It is a dedicated stereo playback unit that is setup to optimise streaming and act as a music player.
I am not a computer boffin, if I was I would most likely have used Linux. The instructions below mostly come from the web and are thus freely available with a little research. It does work but would not recommend this if this is your primary PC at home. The internet security is very compromised. I do not use it for web browsing.
This is a guide and you use it at your own risk. The end result is worth it.
On the bottom left of your Windows 10 screen you will find the Windows logo. With your mouse ?Right Click? on it and you will get the options shown in the picture.



Open Task Manager.
Open FILE ? Create new task ? Type in ?Powershell? and click the box ?Create this task with Administrative privileges.
Press OK.
A new screen will open ?



Once it is open, copy and paste the following:
$session = New-CimSession -ComputerName "localhost"
winrm quickconfig
Next to show all the apps that are running, copy and paste the following:
Get-AppXProvisionedPackage ?online
To remove apps, copy and paste the following: (This only remove the most apps that I do not require).
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.3DBuilder_2015.624.2254.0_neutral_~_8wek yb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.Appconnector_2015.707.550.0_neutral_~_8w ekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.BingFinance_10004.4.200.0_neutral_~_8wek yb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.BingNews_10004.4.200.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3 d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.BingSports_10004.4.200.0_neutral_~_8weky b3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.BingWeather_10004.4.200.0_neutral_~_8wek yb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.ConnectivityStore_2015.507.123.0_neutral _~_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.Getstarted_2015.713.1444.0_neutral_~_8we kyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub_2015.6105.23511.0_neu tral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection_2015.724.20 56.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.Office.OneNote_2015.4229.10061.0_neutral _~_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.People_2015.715.0.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8b bwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.SkypeApp_3.2.1.0_neutral_~_kzf8qxf38zg5c
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.Photos_2015.803.1703.0_neutral_~ _8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsAlarms_2015.717.10.0_neutral_~_8w ekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_2015.715.10.0_neutral_ ~_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsCamera_2015.715.810.0_neutral_~_8 wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_2015.6020.4201 1.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsMaps_2015.715.1933.0_neutral_~_8w ekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsPhone_2015.717.10.0_neutral_~_8we kyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsReadingList_2014.626.1418.1617_ne utral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsScan_2014.523.326.3026_neutral_~_ 8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder_2015.707.10.0_neutr al_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsStore_2015.83.24.0_neutral_~_8wek yb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.XboxApp_2015.729.509.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3 d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.ZuneMusic_2019.6.12101.0_neutral_~_8weky b3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.ZuneVideo_2019.6.12101.0_neutral_~_8weky b3d8bbwe
NEXT ? Copy below and paste - To Show installed packages
Get-AppXPackage ?AllUsers
Copy and paste below to remove unwanted packages:
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.3DBuilder_10.0.0.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.Appconnector_1.3.3.0_neutral__8wekyb3d8b bwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.SkypeApp_3.2.1.0_x86__kzf8qxf38zg5c
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.ConnectivityStore_1.0.30.0_x64__8wekyb3d 8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsScan_6.3.9654.17133_x64__8wekyb3d 8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.CloudExperienceHost_10.0.10240.1 6384_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsFeedback_10.0.10240.16393_neutral _neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI_1000.10240.16384.0_ne utral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider_1000.10240.16384.0_ neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy
Remove-AppxPackage Windows.ContactSupport_10.0.10240.16384_neutral_ne utral_cw5n1h2txyewy
Remove-AppxPackage Windows.MiracastView_6.3.0.0_neutral_neutral_cw5n1 h2txyewy
Remove-AppxPackage Windows.PrintDialog_6.2.0.0_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h 2txyewy
Remove-AppxPackage Windows.PurchaseDialog_6.2.0.0_neutral_neutral_cw5 n1h2txyewy
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.BingNews_4.4.200.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.6020.42011. 0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection_3.2.7240.0_ x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.Office.OneNote_17.4229.10061.0_x64__8wek yb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_10.1507.15010.0_x64__8 wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.BingFinance_4.4.200.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsCamera_5.42.3006.0_x64__8wekyb3d8 bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.People_1.10241.0.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.Getstarted_2.2.7.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsAlarms_10.1507.17010.0_x64__8weky b3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.XboxApp_7.7.29027.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.BingWeather_4.4.200.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.BingSports_4.4.200.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsMaps_4.1506.50715.0_x64__8wekyb3d 8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsPhone_10.1507.17010.0_x64__8wekyb 3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder_10.1507.7010.0_x64_ _8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.Photos_15.803.16240.0_x64__8weky b3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsStore_2015.8.3.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bb we
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.ZuneVideo_3.6.12101.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.ZuneMusic_3.6.12101.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub_17.6105.23511.0_x64__ 8wekyb3d8bbwe

Show installed optional features:
Copy and paste the command below:

Get-WindowsOptionalFeature ?Online

Now to remove the optional features:

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName DirectPlay -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64 -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-WebServerRole -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-WebServer -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-CommonHttpFeatures -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-HttpErrors -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-HttpRedirect -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ApplicationDevelopment -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-NetFxExtensibility -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-NetFxExtensibility45 -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-HealthAndDiagnostics -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-HttpLogging -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-LoggingLibraries -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-RequestMonitor -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-HttpTracing -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-Security -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-URLAuthorization -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-RequestFiltering -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-IPSecurity -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-Performance -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-HttpCompressionDynamic -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-WebServerManagementTools -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ManagementScriptingTools -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-IIS6ManagementCompatibility -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-Metabase -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-HostableWebCore -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-CertProvider -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-WindowsAuthentication -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-DigestAuthentication -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ClientCertificateMappingAuthentication -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-IISCertificateMappingAuthentication -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ODBCLogging -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-StaticContent -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-DefaultDocument -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-DirectoryBrowsing -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-WebDAV -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-WebSockets -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ApplicationInit -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ASPNET -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ASPNET45 -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ASP -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-CGI -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ISAPIExtensions -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ISAPIFilter -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ServerSideIncludes -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-CustomLogging -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-BasicAuthentication -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-HttpCompressionStatic -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ManagementConsole -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ManagementService -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-WMICompatibility -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-LegacyScripts -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-LegacySnapIn -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-FTPServer -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-FTPSvc -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-FTPExtensibility -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName MSMQ-Container -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName MSMQ-Server -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName MSMQ-Triggers -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName MSMQ-ADIntegration -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName MSMQ-HTTP -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName MSMQ-Multicast -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName MSMQ-DCOMProxy -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName MediaPlayback -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName WindowsMediaPlayer -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Printing-PrintToPDFServices-Features -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Printing-XPSServices-Features -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName TelnetClient -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName TFTP -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Xps-Foundation-Xps-Viewer -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName WorkFolders-Client -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Printing-Foundation-Features -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Printing-Foundation-LPRPortMonitor -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Printing-Foundation-LPDPrintService -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Printing-Foundation-InternetPrinting-Client -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName FaxServicesClientPackage -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName ScanManagementConsole -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName DirectoryServices-ADAM-Client -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V-All -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V-Tools-All -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V-Services -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V-Hypervisor -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V-Management-Clients -Remove -NoRestart
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V-Management-PowerShell -Remove ?NoRestart

To disable services:

View services from powershell: Copy and paste into powershell:

Get-Service | Format-Table -Property Status, Name, Displayname

If you do these firewall, security center, windows update, defender and some other useless stuff is disabled so use at your own risk:

Copy and paste the commands below:

Get-Service WinDefend | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service DPS | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service WdiServiceHost | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service WdiSystemHost | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service DiagTrack | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service diagnosticshub.standardcollector.service | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service dmwappushservice | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service MapsBroker | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service fhsvc | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service Intel(R) Wireless Bluetooth(R) 4.0 Radio Management | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service lfsvc | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service vmicguestinterface | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service vmicheartbeat | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service vmickvpexchange | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service vmicrdv | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service vmicshutdown | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service vmictimesync | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service vmicvmsession | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service vmicvss | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service cphs | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service SharedAccess | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service IEEtwCollectorService | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service Spooler | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service PrintNotify | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service wercplsupport | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service WerSvc | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service PcaSvc | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service QWAVE | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service XblAuthManager | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service XblGameSave | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service XboxNetApiSvc | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service RasAuto | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service RasMan | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service RetailDemo | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service wuauserv | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service wscsvc | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service WdNisSvc | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled
Get-Service MpsSvc | Stop-Service -PassThru | Set-Service -StartupType disabled

This got rid of enough Windows unnecessary stuff for the small PC to work like a dream. 

Next was to fix up the internet speed: This cost me US$50.00 but was well worth it. Now Tidal streams seamlessly.
I first tried, then bought this: https://netbalancer.com/

Works like a dream.
Set Tidal, Roon and JRiver to High Priority for internet access, than set everything else to very low or blocked/Inactive.

Now I have a small form factor device that is very quiet, works well and is cheat. Total cost was R 3750.00 plus R 1 100.00 to replace the hard drive with a solid state 250 GB unit.
 
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