Windows

Stop Chrome from redirecting to HTTPS for localhost

Once Chrome noticed your site using HTTPS it will keep redirecting you to HTTPS even if the webserver doesn't even host HTTPS sites. You can clear the cache and cookies, try to delete the HSTS policy, but nothing works, except this:

  • Open site and get redirected to HTTPS
  • Open the developer tool (F12)
  • Right click on the refresh button next to the address bar
  • Click on "Empty Cache and Hard Reload"
  • Browse to the none HTTP site

Credit gots to Galaxy Internet

Convert video to GIF with FFmpeg

Here's a short batch script that allows you to convert a video to a GIF with FFmpeg.

SET filters="fps=%4,scale=%3:-1:flags=lanczos"
ffmpeg -v warning -i %1 -vf "%filters%,palettegen" -y palette.png
ffmpeg -v warning -i %1 -i palette.png -lavfi "%filters% [x]; [x][1:v] paletteuse" -y %2
DEL palette.png

Usage: togif.bat <input.mp4> <output.gif> <width> <fps>

Disable AMD's VariBright "feature"

VariBright is responsible for automatically adjusting the brightness of your display depending on the content shown on the screen. While an interesting idea, it generally doesn't work as expected and leads to a very annoying brightness pumping.

  • Open the registry editor by pressing Win+R and typing in regedit
  • Browse to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4d36e968-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\0000
  • Right-Click on the 0000 key (it looks like a folder).
  • Select New->Dword.
  • Name the new registry entry PP_VariBrightFeatureEnable
  • Double-click on the PP_VariBrightFeatureEnable entry you just created.
  • Make sure it has a value of 0
  • Click OK, close the registry editory, and restart the machine.

Credit goes to Luke Taylor

Prevent the Logitech G930 headset from turing off after 15min

  • Close the Logitech Gaming Software
  • Start your favorite text editor with admin privileges
  • Open the file C:\Program Files\Logitech Gaming Software\Resources\G930\Manifest\Device_Manifest.xml
  • Set turnOffInterval="900" to 0 or any other time interval in seconds
  • Save and restart the Logitech Gaming Software
  • Don't forget to manually turn off your headset after use!

Starting application with elevated privileges

  • Windows Key
  • Search for your application
  • Ctrl + Shift + Enter
  • Wait for the UAC window
  • Select "Yes"

Remove ads in Viber

  • Start Notepad as administrator
  • Open the hosts file: %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
  • Add the follow line and save it
0.0.0.0 ads.viber.com

Remove ads in Skype

  • Start Notepad as administrator
  • Open the hosts file: %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
  • Add the follow two lines and save it
0.0.0.0 rad.msn.com
0.0.0.0 apps.skype.com

Finding timers which wake the computer

  • Open an elevated CMD session
  • Run powercfg /waketimers
  • Windows Key + R
  • Type in taskschd.msc and press Enter
  • Find the corresponding entries and disable them
  • Some application might activate the task again, so make sure to disable it in the given application as well

Preventing USB devices from waking the computer

  • Open an elevated CMD session
  • Run powercfg /devicequery wake_armed
  • Windows Key + R
  • Type in devmgmt.msc and press Enter
  • Find the corresponding device, Right Click on it and open their properties
  • Go to the Power Management tab
  • Uncheck Allow this device to wake the computer

Change the hotkey for opening PortableApps' search box

  • Close PortableApps
  • Open the location of your PortableApps installation in Explorer
  • Browse to the directory X:\PortableApps\PortableApps.com\Data
  • Open the file PortableAppsMenu.ini in your favorite text editor
  • Change the GlobalHotKey key combination
  • Save the file and close the editor
  • Start PortableApps again
Allowed key combinations are: CTRL-ALT-SPACE, CTRL-ALT-P, CTRL-ALT-M, CTRL-SPACE, WIN-ALT-SPACE and DISABLED.
Note that WIN-ALT-SPACE will not work on many versions of Windows, but for me it works on Windows 10.

Disable Snap Assist

When you use a Windows Key + ← → ↑ ↓ hotkey in Windows 10, you'll get a suggestion of what other window you want to snap. This can be helpful, but is most of the time just annoying and requires you to press ESC. Here's how you disable Snap Assist.

  • Open the Settings app from the Start Menu
  • Select the System category
  • On the left side select Multitasking
  • Disable the third option "When I snap a window, show what I can snap next to it"