Rename Enable GamesDows V3.bat to Enable GamesDows Steam V3.bat

V2 of the Disable Gamesdows script

Disable GamesDows.bat

@@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
-@echo off
-SETLOCAL EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
-
-echo Reverting changes and setting default shell back to Explorer
-
-:: Reset the default shell to Explorer
-SET "EXPLORER_PATH=C:\Windows\explorer.exe"
-REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /v Shell /t REG_SZ /d "C:\Windows\explorer.exe" /f
-
-:: Define the default Steam folder path
-SET "STEAM_FOLDER=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam"
-
-:: Delete the DelayedExplorerStart.bat script and related files
-SET "SCRIPT_NAME=DelayedExplorerStart.bat"
-SET "SCRIPT_PATH=%STEAM_FOLDER%\%SCRIPT_NAME%"
-IF EXIST "%SCRIPT_PATH%" DEL "%SCRIPT_PATH%"
-
-SET "VBS_NAME=RunBatchSilently.vbs"
-SET "VBS_PATH=%STEAM_FOLDER%\%VBS_NAME%"
-IF EXIST "%VBS_PATH%" DEL "%VBS_PATH%"
-
-SET "XML_NAME=DelayedExplorerStartTask.xml"
-SET "XML_PATH=%STEAM_FOLDER%\%XML_NAME%"
-IF EXIST "%XML_PATH%" DEL "%XML_PATH%"
-
-:: Delete the scheduled task
-schtasks /delete /tn "RunDelayedExplorerStart" /f
-
-:: Enable the boot UI
-bcdedit.exe -set {globalsettings} bootuxdisabled off
-
-echo Reversion complete. Default settings restored.
-
-pause

Disable Gamesdows V2.bat

@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+@echo off
+SETLOCAL EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
+
+:: Define paths and names
+SET "STEAM_FOLDER=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam"
+SET "SCRIPT_NAME=DelayedExplorerStart.bat"
+SET "SCRIPT_PATH=%STEAM_FOLDER%\%SCRIPT_NAME%"
+SET "VBS_NAME=RunBatchSilently.vbs"
+SET "VBS_PATH=%STEAM_FOLDER%\%VBS_NAME%"
+SET "XML_NAME=DelayedExplorerStartTask.xml"
+SET "XML_PATH=%STEAM_FOLDER%\%XML_NAME%"
+
+echo ================================
+echo Disabling GamesDows
+echo ================================
+
+:: Reset the default shell to Explorer
+echo [1/5] Resetting default shell to Explorer...
+REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /v Shell /t REG_SZ /d "C:\Windows\explorer.exe" /f
+if ERRORLEVEL 1 (
+    echo [ERROR] Failed to reset the default shell.
+    goto end
+) else (
+    echo [SUCCESS] Default shell reset to Explorer.
+)
+
+:: Terminate Steam processes to ensure changes take effect
+echo [2/5] Terminating Steam processes...
+taskkill /IM "Steam.exe" /F >nul 2>&1
+taskkill /IM "SteamService.exe" /F >nul 2>&1
+echo [INFO] Steam processes terminated.
+
+:: Delete the DelayedExplorerStart.bat script
+echo [3/5] Deleting DelayedExplorerStart.bat...
+IF EXIST "%SCRIPT_PATH%" (
+    DEL /F /Q "%SCRIPT_PATH%"
+    if ERRORLEVEL 1 (
+        echo [WARNING] Could not delete %SCRIPT_NAME%.
+    ) else (
+        echo [SUCCESS] %SCRIPT_NAME% deleted.
+    )
+) else (
+    echo [INFO] %SCRIPT_NAME% does not exist.
+)
+
+:: Delete the RunBatchSilently.vbs script
+echo [4/5] Deleting RunBatchSilently.vbs...
+IF EXIST "%VBS_PATH%" (
+    DEL /F /Q "%VBS_PATH%"
+    if ERRORLEVEL 1 (
+        echo [WARNING] Could not delete %VBS_NAME%.
+    ) else (
+        echo [SUCCESS] %VBS_NAME% deleted.
+    )
+) else (
+    echo [INFO] %VBS_NAME% does not exist.
+)
+
+:: Delete the DelayedExplorerStartTask.xml file
+echo [5/5] Deleting DelayedExplorerStartTask.xml...
+IF EXIST "%XML_PATH%" (
+    DEL /F /Q "%XML_PATH%"
+    if ERRORLEVEL 1 (
+        echo [WARNING] Could not delete %XML_NAME%.
+    ) else (
+        echo [SUCCESS] %XML_NAME% deleted.
+    )
+) else (
+    echo [INFO] %XML_NAME% does not exist.
+)
+
+:: Delete the scheduled task
+echo [6/6] Deleting scheduled task 'RunDelayedExplorerStart'...
+schtasks /delete /tn "RunDelayedExplorerStart" /f >nul 2>&1
+if ERRORLEVEL 1 (
+    echo [WARNING] Could not delete the scheduled task 'RunDelayedExplorerStart'.
+) else (
+    echo [SUCCESS] Scheduled task 'RunDelayedExplorerStart' deleted.
+)
+
+echo.
+echo ================================
+echo GamesDows has been disabled successfully.
+echo A system restart is recommended for all changes to take effect.
+echo ================================
+
+:end
+ENDLOCAL
+pause

Enable GamesDows Playnite.bat

@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+@echo off
+SETLOCAL EnableExtensions
+
+echo Setting Playnite as default shell
+
+echo Set Playnite as the default shell
+SET "KEY_NAME=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon"
+SET "VALUE_NAME=Shell"
+SET "PLAYNITE_PATH=%LOCALAPPDATA%\Playnite\Playnite.FullscreenApp.exe
+REG ADD "%KEY_NAME%" /v %VALUE_NAME% /t REG_SZ /d "%PLAYNITE_PATH%" /f
+
+
+@echo off
+SETLOCAL EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
+
+echo Define the default Playnite folder path and script names
+SET "PLAYNITE_FOLDER=%LOCALAPPDATA%\Playnite"
+SET "SCRIPT_NAME=DelayedExplorerStart.bat"
+SET "SCRIPT_PATH=%PLAYNITE_FOLDER%\%SCRIPT_NAME%"
+SET "EXPLORER_PATH=C:\Windows\explorer.exe"
+
+echo Creating DelayedExplorerStart.bat script
+
+echo Create the DelayedExplorerStart.bat script in the Playnite folder
+(
+echo @echo off
+echo rem Check if user is logged on
+echo whoami ^| find /i "%USERNAME%" ^>nul
+echo if ERRORLEVEL 1 exit
+echo rem Set Shell back to Explorer
+echo REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /v Shell /t REG_SZ /d "%EXPLORER_PATH%" /f
+echo timeout /t 20 /nobreak ^>nul
+echo start C:\Windows\explorer.exe
+echo timeout /t 10 /nobreak ^>nul
+echo REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /v Shell /t REG_SZ /d "%PLAYNITE_PATH%" /f
+) > "%SCRIPT_PATH%"
+
+
+echo %VBS_PATH% 
+
+echo Creating RunBatchSilently.vbs script
+
+:: Create VBScript to run the batch file silently
+@echo off
+SET "VBS_NAME=RunBatchSilently.vbs"
+SET "VBS_PATH=%PLAYNITE_FOLDER%\%VBS_NAME%"
+echo Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell") > "%VBS_PATH%"
+echo WshShell.Run chr(34)^&"%SCRIPT_PATH%"^&chr(34), 0, True >> "%VBS_PATH%"
+echo Set WshShell = Nothing >> "%VBS_PATH%"
+
+echo Create XML file for the scheduled task
+SET XML_PATH=%PLAYNITE_FOLDER%\DelayedExplorerStartTask.xml
+
+echo Delete the existing XML file if it exists
+IF EXIST "%XML_PATH%" DEL "%XML_PATH%"
+
+(
+echo ^<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?^>
+echo ^<Task version="1.2" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/2004/02/mit/task"^>
+echo   ^<RegistrationInfo^>
+echo     ^<Date^>2020-01-01T00:00:00^</Date^>
+echo     ^<Author^>"%USERNAME%"^</Author^>
+echo     ^<Description^>Run DelayedExplorerStart.bat at logon.^</Description^>
+echo   ^</RegistrationInfo^>
+echo   ^<Triggers^>
+echo     ^<LogonTrigger^>
+echo       ^<Enabled^>true^</Enabled^>
+echo     ^</LogonTrigger^>
+echo   ^</Triggers^>
+echo   ^<Principals^>
+echo     ^<Principal id="Author"^>
+echo       ^<UserId^>%USERNAME%</UserId^>
+echo       ^<LogonType^>InteractiveToken^</LogonType^>
+echo       ^<RunLevel^>HighestAvailable^</RunLevel^>
+echo     ^</Principal^>
+echo   ^</Principals^>
+echo   ^<Settings^>
+echo       ^<MultipleInstancesPolicy^>IgnoreNew^</MultipleInstancesPolicy^>
+echo       ^<DisallowStartIfOnBatteries^>false^</DisallowStartIfOnBatteries^>
+echo       ^<StopIfGoingOnBatteries^>false^</StopIfGoingOnBatteries^>
+echo       ^<AllowHardTerminate^>true^</AllowHardTerminate^>
+echo       ^<StartWhenAvailable^>true^</StartWhenAvailable^>
+echo       ^<RunOnlyIfNetworkAvailable^>false^</RunOnlyIfNetworkAvailable^>
+echo       ^<IdleSettings^>
+echo         ^<StopOnIdleEnd^>true^</StopOnIdleEnd^>
+echo         ^<RestartOnIdle^>false^</RestartOnIdle^>
+echo       ^</IdleSettings^>
+echo       ^<Enabled^>true^</Enabled^>
+echo       ^<Hidden^>false^</Hidden^>
+echo       ^<WakeToRun^>false^</WakeToRun^>
+echo       ^<ExecutionTimeLimit^>PT72H^</ExecutionTimeLimit^>
+echo       ^<Priority^>7^</Priority^>
+echo   ^</Settings^>
+echo   ^<Actions Context="Author"^>
+echo     ^<Exec^>
+echo       ^<Command^>wscript.exe^</Command^>
+echo       ^<Arguments^>"%VBS_PATH%"^</Arguments^>
+echo     ^</Exec^>
+echo   ^</Actions^>
+echo ^</Task^>
+) > "%XML_PATH%"
+
+echo Delete the existing scheduled task if it exists
+schtasks /delete /tn "RunDelayedExplorerStart" /f
+
+echo Create the scheduled task using the XML file
+schtasks /create /tn "RunDelayedExplorerStart" /xml "%XML_PATH%"
+
+echo Delayed Explorer start script and VBScript created in Playnite folder.
+echo Scheduled Task added to run the script at logon.
+echo XML file for Scheduled Task created.
+
+echo Disable the boot UI
+bcdedit.exe -set {globalsettings} bootuxdisabled on
+
+echo Disable Logon UI
+
+reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /v DisableLogonUI /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
+
+echo Disable Visual Effects
+reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop" /v VisualEffects /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f
+
+echo Increase File System Performance
+reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" /v NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
+
+echo Optimize Paging File Performance
+reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v DisablePagingExecutive /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
+
+echo Disable Startup Delay
+reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Serialize" /f
+reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Serialize" /v StartupDelayInMSec /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
+
+echo Improve Windows Explorer Process Priority
+reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\explorer.exe\PerfOptions" /v CpuPriorityClass /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f
+echo Adjust Large System Cache
+reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v LargeSystemCache /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
+echo Enabling No GUI Boot
+bcdedit /set {current} quietboot on
+
+echo Registry modifications are complete.
+echo Playnite set as default shell.
+echo Automatic logon enabled.
+echo Boot UI disabled.
+
+pause

Enable GamesDows Steam V3.bat

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ SET "VALUE_NAME=Shell"
 SET "STEAM_PATH=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe -bigpicture -nobootstrapupdate -skipinitialbootstrap -skipverifyfiles"
 REG ADD "%KEY_NAME%" /v %VALUE_NAME% /t REG_SZ /d "%STEAM_PATH%" /f
 
-
 @echo off
 SETLOCAL EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
 
@@ -18,16 +17,32 @@ SET "STEAM_FOLDER=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam"
 SET "SCRIPT_NAME=DelayedExplorerStart.bat"
 SET "SCRIPT_PATH=%STEAM_FOLDER%\%SCRIPT_NAME%"
 SET "EXPLORER_PATH=C:\Windows\explorer.exe"
+SET "MANIFEST_PATH=%STEAM_PATH%.manifest"
+
+:: Create the manifest file to force admin privileges for Steam
+echo Creating manifest file for Steam to run as admin...
+(
+echo ^<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?^>
+echo ^<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0"^>
+echo     ^<trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2"^>
+echo         ^<security^>
+echo             ^<requestedPrivileges^>
+echo                 ^<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false"/^>
+echo             ^</requestedPrivileges^>
+echo         ^</security^>
+echo     ^</trustInfo^>
+echo ^</assembly^>
+) > "%MANIFEST_PATH%"
 
 echo Creating DelayedExplorerStart.bat script
 
 echo Create the DelayedExplorerStart.bat script in the Steam folder
 (
 echo @echo off
-echo Check if user is logged on
-echo query user ^| find /i "%USERNAME%" ^>nul
+echo rem Check if user is logged on
+echo whoami ^| find /i "%USERNAME%" ^>nul
 echo if ERRORLEVEL 1 exit
-echo Set Shell back to Explorer
+echo rem Set Shell back to Explorer
 echo REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /v Shell /t REG_SZ /d "%EXPLORER_PATH%" /f
 echo timeout /t 20 /nobreak ^>nul
 echo start C:\Windows\explorer.exe

README.md

@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 Transform your Windows Computer into a Video Game console first, PC second!
 
-**This script is a WIP. Currently, the main functionality works as intended. Steam Big Picture launches automatically when the OS boots, then explorer starts automatically after a delay, which allows you to exit to desktop via the menu without needing to launch a shortcut for Explorer.exe first.**
+**This script is a WIP. Currently, the main functionality works as intended (certainly in V1). Steam Big Picture (or Playnite) launches automatically when the OS boots, then explorer starts automatically after a delay, which allows you to exit to desktop via the menu without needing to launch a shortcut for Explorer.exe first.**
 
-**Note: Steam must be installed, you must be signed in to Steam, and finally the Steam Autostart entry in task manager must be disabled/deleted before running the script.**
+**Note: Steam or Playnite must be installed, you must be signed in to Steam if using the Steam variant, and finally the Steam Autostart entry in task manager must be disabled/deleted before running the script.**
 
 **This script must be run as admin!**
 
 # GamesDows
-The Enable GamesDows batch script makes Windows boot straight into Steam Big Picture without displaying any Explorer UI elements to ensure a Game Console like experience on Windows. I made this because I have a Steam Deck and I want the experience to mirror that of Steam OS as closely as possible. However, this will work on any Windows PC, the commands are not specific to the Steam Deck.
+The Enable GamesDows batch script makes Windows boot straight into Steam Big Picture or Playnite without displaying any Explorer UI elements to ensure a Game Console like experience on Windows. I made this because I have a Steam Deck and I want the experience to mirror that of Steam OS as closely as possible. However, this will work on any Windows PC, the commands are not specific to the Steam Deck.
 
-**How the main functionality works: The enable Game Mode batch script sets steam big picture as the shell > batch launches steam as lower privileged (so the virtual mouse and keyboard don't work on system prompts such as task manager yet, it needs to run as admin to fix that. One of the 4 remaining problems) The enable Game Mode batch script creates a VBS script to suppress the command prompt window set as the shell at boot > The VBS script launches a second batch script created by the enable script run as admin > The second batch script is run by a scheduled task after a 20 second delay > delayed explorer batch script resets the shell to to explorer.exe, then launches explorer in the background so that it's possible to exit big picture without running a shortcut (menu performs as expected and exits directly to desktop).** 
+**How the main functionality works: The enable Game Mode batch script sets steam big picture as the shell (in V2 a VBS script is set as the shell when the computer boots, and then it immediately set Steam as the Shell, then runs a powershell command to start Steam or Playnite as admin> but launches steam as lower privileged (so the virtual mouse and keyboard don't work on system prompts such as task manager yet (in V1), it needs to run as admin to fix that. One of the 4 remaining problems, which again may be solved with V2) The enable Game Mode batch script creates a second VBS script to suppress the command prompt window when Explorer.exe launches in the background > The VBS script launches a second batch script created by the enable script creates and launches the second batch script via a scheduled task after a 20 second delay > delayed explorer batch script resets the shell to to explorer.exe, then launches explorer in the background so that it's possible to exit big picture without running a shortcut (menu performs as expected and exits directly to desktop without manually launching a separate shortcut).** 
 
-After another delay once explorer.exe is started (it retains elevated permissions once started), the default shell is reset to Steam Big Picture so that it boots directly to Big Picture as expected upon reboot. 
+After another delay once explorer.exe is started (it retains elevated permissions once started), the default shell is reset to Steam Big Picture so that it boots directly to Big Picture as expected upon reboot. In V2, the script is reset to the first VBS script which resets the shell to Playnite/Steam Big Picture so the loop starts again every reboot.
 
 The powershell commands are run directly via the batch script, so no secondary powershell script is needed. Everything in the script is done automatically when run as admin.
 
@@ -62,10 +62,14 @@ What remains to be fixed:
 
 2. Disabling the Windows welcome sign-in UI animation (user picture, user name, spinning wheel) entirely. Currently the Boot logo is removed as intended, and the script is set to log the user account which ran the script in automatically. The welcome sign-in animation still remains, and will be disabled in future versions of the script. Going to have to write a custom C++ application to do so since there is no off the shelf way to disable the Welcome Screen on Windows 11.
 
-3. Setting Steam to start as admin (VBS script to suppress the command prompt window set as the shell at boot > VBS script launches the batch script > batch sets steam big picture as the shell > batch launches steam as admin > delayed explorer batch script resets the shell to the VBS script so Steam launches as the default shell at boot.)
+3. (**Possibly solved in V2**)
+  
+Setting Steam to start as admin (VBS script to suppress the command prompt window set as the shell at boot > VBS script launches the batch script > batch sets steam big picture as the shell > batch launches steam as admin > delayed explorer batch script resets the shell to the VBS script so Steam launches as the default shell at boot.)
 
 4. Disabling the Steam client update window which displays momentarily when Steam updates (this only occurs when the Steam Client has an update, otherwise it will not appear) before launching Big Picture.
 
 **Please let me know if you have any issues with existing functionality and I'll try to get the bugs fixed up if any arise.**
 
 I will gladly take PRs to fix the 4 remaining issues if anyone knows how to solve them.
+
+**Note: If for any reason explorer doesn't start and you get a black screen and cannot view the desktop, it needs to be launched manually via task manager by launching explorer.exe. It needs to be set as the shell first before it is launching it from task manager for the desktop to appear, otherwise it will just launch a file browser window**

Set explorer as shell.reg

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /v Shell /t REG_SZ /d "C:\Windows\explorer.exe" /f