The Powershell DSC script focuses on the following:
- A human readable and customizable script
- A way of validating your system state before testing after initial Desired State Configuration (DSC) is applied
- Disabling any unecessary services, it will impact Local Network File Transfers (CIFS/SMB), Printing and Scanning, Bluetooth Device and Communication
- Disables most if not all Windows 10 features and privacy/tracking settings, interfering Windows Update settings (P2P sharing)
- High Performance power profile, USB selective suspend
- Sets Windows Advanced Settings to 'Adjust for Best Performance', disables desktop visual features
- Disables Ease of Access settings impacting keyboard and mouse, also Enhanced Pointer Precision etc
- Disables GameBar, GameMode, GameDVR, Audio/Game Capture Settings
For a complete list see DSC Itemized Configuration List
- Download the GamingMinimal.ps1 Powershell DSC Script to your desktop
- Edit GamingMinimal.ps1 script and replace
$myusername = "ddallmann"
with your Windows user account name- e.g. $myusername = "johndoe"
- Save the file
- Open Powershell as an administrator
- Change the directory to your desktop where you saved the file
PS C:\Windows\system32> cd C:\Users\johndoe\Desktop
- Run the command
PS C:\Users\johndoe\Desktop> Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted
Type/Press Y and then Enter to accept, this will allow the script to run - Run the command
PS C:\Users\johndoe\Desktop> .\GamingMinimal.ps1
, this will build the configuration state file - Start the Windows Remote Management Service (This is necessary for DSC to work)
PS C:\Users\johndoe\Desktop> Start-Service -name WinRM
- Apply the optimized configuration to your local computer, wait for it to complete.
PS C:\Users\johndoe\Desktop> Start-DscConfiguration -Path .\GamingMinimal\ -wait -verbose
- The first pass might give one or two errors (red), these will go away after restart
- Restart your PC and redo steps 4, 8 and 9.
- Open Powershell as an administrator
- Make sure Windows Remote Management Service is started (should be started automatically but slightly delayed after a reboot)
PS C:\Windows\system32> Start-Service -name WinRM
- Run
PS C:\Windows\system32> Test-DscConfiguration
- If it matches it'll say True, if it doesn't it'll say False
- For more details run
PS C:\Windows\system32> Test-DscConfiguration -Detailed
- Sometimes you have to wait a minute to run the command if the DSC is being applied behind the scenes automatically after a restart.
- For more details run
- For the most part the configuration should always match (be True) if all other steps were followed in this guide, you can always re-apply the configuration at anytime for example after a Windows Update.