Answers to the Basic Frequently Asked Questions
This document has answers to the most basic frequently asked questions about this repository.
1 - Very Easy
- Press Start button.
- Type
PowerShell, find it and open it. - Copy & Paste the following line in the PowerShell command line that is opened and press enter.
- Wait for the App to start.
(irm 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/main/Harden-Windows-Security.ps1')+'P'|iexThen let this be your initiation. You don't need to know anything about PowerShell to use the Harden Windows Security application/module.
No, you can use it any time.
Absolutely not.
Every security feature needed is already available in Windows. After Installing the Harden Windows Security Module, run PowerShell as Admin and use the command Protect-WindowsSecurity to activate them.
Here is a more technical explanation
Uninstall it by going to Windows Settings -> Apps -> Installed Apps -> Search for your Antivirus software's name and Uninstall it.
- Check and install any updates from Windows Update
- Check and install any updates in Microsoft Store
- Install and run the Harden Windows Security Module
Use the default predefined preset in the Harden Windows Security GUI, it is tuned for optimal and balanced security. Presets allow for easy and quick selection of categories and sub-categories.
Only 1 time.
Yes, it's a very capable automated AI-driven security feature.
No. Because Modern hardware are built for Windows security features such as Virtualization Based Security, BitLocker etc. They expect these advanced security features to be turned on and running on a secure system.
Only very old and unsupported hardware might experience degraded performance when using modern security features.
Use the Unprotect tab in the Harden Windows Security GUI (Graphical User Interface) to undo all the protections.
No. The requirements are very basic and minimum, they are even less than what's required by Windows 11 minimum hardware.
Modern devices receive firmware updates as capsules through Windows Update, similar to other system updates. Before restarting your system to apply the firmware update, ensure the following steps are completed to avoid potential issues:
It's crucial to back up your BitLocker recovery keys before updating the firmware. Use the Harden Windows Security Module to simplify this process. The 48-character recovery key for your OS drive will be required to boot your system after the firmware update is applied.
Once the firmware update is installed, you will need an active Internet connection to reset your Windows Hello credentials. This process involves signing into your Microsoft account and authorizing the login using the Microsoft Authenticator app.
The Harden Windows Security Module's Lock Screen category does not allow unauthorized people to change network settings on lock screen before logging in. Ensure your current Wi-Fi network is saved on the device and accessible post-update.
If you use VPN software with a kill switch or settings that require user interaction to connect at startup, disable these features before initiating the update.
If you're unable to connect to the Internet due to missed preparations, you have several recovery options. These require accessing the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) and launching a command prompt (CMD):
Launch a program like Notepad or Task Manager, then navigate to File -> Open to access a file browser. This allows you to copy important files from the OS drive to another location and if you ever decide to perform a clean OS installation, you won't lose any files.
Launch regedit.exe to enable the built-in Administrator account in WinRE. After restarting your device, log in as the Administrator to resolve issues (e.g., enabling clean boot or uninstalling VPN software).
Once the recovery steps are complete, use lusrmgr.msc to disable the built-in Administrator account for security reasons.
Tip
To enable the built-in Administrator account with a blank password from WinRE:
Locate the OS drive by using the CD .. command to move to the root directory, and Dir to list drive contents.
Switch drives using their letter (e.g., D:, F:). Identify the OS drive and note its letter.
Open the Command Prompt and type regedit.
In the Registry Editor, select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then navigate to File -> Load Hive.
Load the hive from the path: OS Drive Letter:\Windows\System32\Config\SAM.
Provide a name for the hive, e.g., Hive.
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Hive\SAM\Domains\Account\Users\000001F4 and locate the binary value F.
Modify the 8th-row, 1st-column value from 11 to 10 to enable the Administrator account.
Save changes.
Unload the hive by selecting Hive under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and choosing File -> Unload Hive.
Restart your device.
The built-in Administrator account will appear on the login screen.
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