TMPC Windows 11 Optimization

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What this project is

TMPC Windows 11 Optimization is a reproducible profile for a clean Windows 11 installation. It is aimed at users who want a privacy-oriented system with a conservative reduction of built-in apps, while staying suitable for gaming, programming and everyday use.

The profile is delivered as a single answer file (autounattend.xml) applied during Windows Setup, plus a small Ventoy configuration (ventoy.json) used to associate the expected Windows ISO with that answer file on the installation USB.

For an existing installation, the additional self-contained Apply-TMPCOptimizations.ps1 applies the relevant post-install portion of the same profile; see the section below.

Target platform: Windows 11 Pro 26H2, x64 / amd64 (build base 26300). The published v0.1.5 baseline was validated on Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (historical reference); see the tested-environment and limitations sections.

What it does

The current baseline applies the following decisions:

Privacy:

• telemetry reduced to the minimum allowed by the OS, advertising ID disabled and tailored experiences disabled;
• activity feed, cloud activity upload and cross-device clipboard disabled;
• location access denied, non-essential app permissions force-denied;
• on-device generative AI models access denied, Recall prevented and Click to Do disabled where supported;
• Copilot entry points disabled and the Copilot app removed;
• camera and microphone access is left under user control;
• automatic device encryption (BitLocker) is prevented during setup.

Debloat (conservative, curated list):

• consumer apps removed, such as news, weather, maps, Solitaire, Xbox companion apps, consumer Teams/Skype, Sticky Notes, To Do, Your Phone, OneNote and Copilot;
• legacy components removed, such as WordPad, PowerShell ISE and Steps Recorder;
• deliberately kept: Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Store, Edge and WebView2, Microsoft Photos, Paint and Notepad.

Windows features:

• Windows Update stays active for quality and security updates, but drivers distributed through Windows Update are excluded;
• Microsoft Defender stays enabled; only non-critical Windows Security notifications are reduced;
• Microsoft Store stays available for app installation, repair and dependency installation;
• OneDrive is removed and blocked, while existing user data in the OneDrive folder is preserved;
• Paint and Notepad stay installed with their AI features disabled by policy (Cocreator, Generative Fill, Image Creator and Notepad AI);
• Do Not Disturb is configured to OFF at apply time (Windows can turn it on again through its own automatic rules; see Known limitations);
• Game Mode is enabled; Game DVR and the Xbox Live companion services are disabled;
• power plan is the standard Windows Balanced plan; hibernation and Fast Startup are disabled (Sleep and Hibernate entries are hidden from the Start power menu, Windows locking stays available);
• transparency effects are disabled and the default theme is dark;
• File Explorer: compact view enabled, item check boxes disabled, file name extensions visible and hidden files visible (protected operating system files stay hidden), classic context menu, cleaned Quick Access;
• Downloads opens without "Group by date" grouping (per-user folder view override); normal folders keep the native Windows 11 default;
• No aggressive CPU, GPU, scheduler or network tweaks are applied.

Windows AI features that are disabled by the profile: Recall, Click to Do, Settings AI agent, Paint Cocreator, Paint Generative Fill, Paint Image Creator, Notepad AI features and legacy Windows Copilot entry points.

This README summarizes the behavior; it is not a full registry dump. The answer file remains the authoritative source.

Tested environment

Current reference: Windows 11 Pro 26H2 (x64 / amd64, build base 26300; the OS revision is not fixed). On a clean 26H2 installation used as test environment:

• the Start pins policy pair was applied as the ADMX-exact machine policy and its result was verified at runtime (empty Pinned section, later user pins preserved);
• the Outlook for Windows promotional taskbar pin was visually absent for a genuinely new local user, with Edge, File Explorer and Microsoft Store kept;
• AllAppsViewMode (DWord 2) was applied programmatically on an existing profile: List visible after signing out and back in, and the value persisted.

The integrated answer file with the latest changes has not been retested on another clean installation, and the standalone has no runtime test yet.

Historical evidence: the published v0.1.5 baseline completed real clean installations on Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (x64 / amd64), including:

• Setup, OOBE and first desktop reached without blocking errors;
• local account creation with no mandatory network or Microsoft account prompt;
• user-specific customizations applied with a one-time task;
• automatic restart executed by the profile and final desktop reached;
• final cleanup completed with no leftover setup tasks or temporary files;
• Explorer defaults and the Downloads view override verified.

That evidence documents the historical 25H2 baseline; it is not a 26H2 clean-install claim. Other Windows 11 versions, editions or builds are not guaranteed. Future builds may require revalidation.

Important warning

A clean installation can destroy data irreversibly. Before you start:

• make a full backup of your data and verify that the backup is readable;
• review the answer file before using it; you are responsible for what it applies to your machine;
• this profile does NOT select or erase disks: you choose the target disk and partitions manually during Windows Setup, so double-check the disk you are about to modify;
• if you can, test the whole procedure on a disposable machine or virtual machine first.

Apply the optimizations to an existing Windows installation

autounattend.xml remains the clean-install method. The self-contained Apply-TMPCOptimizations.ps1, standalone version 0.2.0, provides a post-install method without formatting, derived directly from the answer file (v0.1.5 plus the 26H2 candidate blocks: Start pins policy, cloud optimized content and All apps view). It needs no other repository files, external dependencies or downloads. Registry work is now idempotent and verified: every value is read first, written only when it differs and re-read to confirm the result, so an already compliant PC is not rewritten.

Compatibility (TESTED_ON / SUPPORTED_BY_DESIGN / NOT_RUNTIME_TESTED). The tested reference is Windows 11 Pro 26H2 (build base 26300; the OS revision is not fixed). By design it accepts Windows 11 client editions (build 22000 or later) in native AMD64 Windows PowerShell 5.1, from a real user account; Full mode requires an elevated console. Any other Windows 11 build inside that envelope is accepted and reported as NOT_RUNTIME_TESTED: per-operation guards apply, degradations are reported, an accumulated revision (UBR) update never forces a rejection and full compatibility is not claimed. Windows Server, Windows 10 or older families (UNSUPPORTED) and non-AMD64 or 32-bit hosts (INCOMPATIBLE) are rejected before any change. The published clean-install baseline (v0.1.5) has runtime evidence on the historical Windows 11 Pro 25H2 reference; this standalone has static validation plus an isolated automated test suite and has not been tested on host hardware. This is not a claim of identical end state on an already customized PC.

Before running it, make and verify a backup, review the script, save your work and close the applications affected by debloat. Quit OneDrive after checking your local/cloud files. Full mode modifies system settings and removes the profile's curated built-in apps for all users, including provisioned copies for future users. App removal can remove the apps' settings/state. Defender, Store, Edge/WebView2, Photos, Paint and Notepad retain the baseline decisions. No disks, partitions, accounts or Windows license are changed.

Full mode removes and blocks OneDrive, but preserves all existing content in %USERPROFILE%\OneDrive. Online-only placeholders are not backed-up local copies. Software-remnant deletion is allowlisted and refuses linked/junction paths. Running OneDrive, an unrecognized uninstall command or unsafe remnants are reported and deferred; verify warnings/errors before considering removal done. Windows' own OneDrive setup binaries are preserved.

Download/save Apply-TMPCOptimizations.ps1 from this repository using the file's Raw / Download raw file action. Open Windows PowerShell as administrator for Full mode, navigate to the folder where you saved the file, then run:

powershell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\Apply-TMPCOptimizations.ps1

Full mode does not auto-elevate: elevation is required only for its system phase. HKCU preferences are applied afterwards only if the executing SID matches the Explorer desktop in the same session. If alternate administrator credentials were used or the desktop cannot be verified, HKCU is skipped with exit code 3: run -UserOnly from the intended account. User-context OneDrive cleanup is also deferred in that situation; -UserOnly does not perform that uninstall.

For a new account created later, another local user, or to reapply personal preferences, sign in to that account and open ordinary, non-elevated Windows PowerShell:

powershell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\Apply-TMPCOptimizations.ps1 -UserOnly

-UserOnly is the recommended method for later accounts. It applies the entire HKCU preference inventory of the answer file's user phase: gaming/Game DVR, visual effects and shortcuts, notifications/Do Not Disturb, privacy/AI, sound, Update/Store user preferences, Explorer/Downloads, Start/Taskbar and dark theme with the baseline wallpaper. It changes only the executing account, reads HKLM only for checks/Downloads source, performs no global debloat/OneDrive cleanup and does not require elevation. It can be rerun without deleting any marker.

There is no automatic restart by default. Some changes require signing out and back in or restarting. For a conscious restart request in Full mode, save all work first, then use:

powershell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\Apply-TMPCOptimizations.ps1 -Restart

Restart is requested only on exit code 0, with 60 seconds notice (Windows may close applications at the deadline); cancel with shutdown.exe /a if needed. -UserOnly does not accept -Restart; restart manually from Windows instead.

Coverage and post-install differences

Baseline block	Post-install behavior
System registry/policies	Same HKLM names, types and values: privacy, Update/driver exclusion, Defender notifications, gaming, power, AI, Explorer, Start/Taskbar, cloud optimized content suppression and sound. HKCR deletions resolve to machine Classes, matching the original SYSTEM phase.
User registry/personalization	Same complete HKCU inventory and binary masks; Quiet Hours uses the source's native COM ABI and recognized CloudStore fallback. Downloads copies HKLM to HKCU without resetting saved views.
Debloat	Same 40 AppX targets, 4 capability targets and Recall; sequential checked removal. The source's OneNote desktop special uninstaller is deferred because arbitrary uninstall strings may affect an existing Office suite; its AppX package remains targeted.
OneDrive	Same removal/blocking intent and default-profile auto-install prevention, adapted to verified identity and guarded software paths. No forced process termination, recursive ACL takeover or deferred file deletions.
.NET Framework 3.5	If not enabled, requires matching local media; no Windows Update fallback. Supply -NetFx3Source "D:\sources\sxs" in Full mode (replace D: with your mounted media drive). Without a source it is left unchanged and reported.
Start pins / encryption	ADMX-exact machine policy pair ConfigureStartPins (DWord 1) + ConfigureStartPinsJSON (REG_EXPAND_SZ path) pointing to a persistent LayoutModification.json with applyOnce; the pair was validated manually on 26H2, while the integrated clean-install test is pending. PreventDeviceEncryption does not decrypt existing BitLocker encryption.
Cloud optimized content	Machine policy DisableCloudOptimizedContent (DWord 1) suppresses cloud optimized content to prevent promotional taskbar pins, such as the Outlook for Windows placeholder, for new profiles. It does not remove pins that already exist, affects personalized cloud content globally (Windows Spotlight wallpapers become unavailable), is listed for Enterprise/Education editions in the CSP reference (no documented Pro support) and was only visually checked with a new user on Windows 11 Pro 26H2; integrated clean-install validation is pending.
Start menu All apps view	Initial AllAppsViewMode (DWord 2 = List) written once in HKCU only when the value is absent; an existing user choice (List, Grid or Category) is preserved. It is a normal user preference, not a policy: no recurring policy or task is created and the view can be changed later.
Setup/OOBE	Not reproduced: hardware bypasses, ProductKey/EULA, BypassNRO/OOBE screens, network disabling/re-enabling, installation and account creation.
One-shot / cleanup	No Setup tasks, tokens, completion markers or Setup-folder cleanup are created. Logs are retained; restart is optional.

Previously saved Downloads grouping can remain because Bags/BagMRU are preserved. Existing HKCU context-menu entries can also override the machine Classes view. Policy effectiveness can depend on Windows edition or management policy; the internal Quiet Hours interface and Paint AI UI limitations still apply. Review the complete source-line coverage matrix in the script header. Setup originally runs the system phase as SYSTEM; this standalone uses an administrator. Protected existing registry keys or in-use AppX packages can fail and produce exit code 1; no ACL takeover is added to force those changes.

Full logs: %ProgramData%\TMPC-Windows-11-Optimization\Logs\. UserOnly logs: %LOCALAPPDATA%\TMPC-Windows-11-Optimization\Logs\ (no elevated write needed). The final summary shows mode, completed operations, warnings, errors, restart advice, log path and exit code: 0 = completed (review warnings for limitations), 1 = operation/log failure, 2 = preflight rejection, 3 = system phase finished but target-user preferences deferred. There is no automatic rollback. The validator checks the source XML SHA-256 binding and exact registry/removal inventories, so future baseline changes require explicit review.

Before you start

Prepare at least:

1. Backups and verification.
   • Back up Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Videos, Music, projects and repositories, and any data stored outside the standard folders.
   • Open a sample of files directly from the backup destination to verify it.
   • Make sure the backup drive is not one of the drives you are going to format.
2. Projects and development data.
   • Review local repositories, uncommitted changes, local branches, SSH/GPG keys and certificates. Publish or back up anything that only exists on this machine. Never store secrets in a repository.
3. Saved games and non-reproducible content.
   • Check saved games, mods, launcher profiles and captures game by game; cloud sync is not guaranteed for every title.
4. Cloud files (OneDrive and similar).
   • Verify that important files are really available locally or backed up elsewhere; online-only placeholders are not local copies.
5. BitLocker / encryption.
   • If any drive is encrypted, make sure the recovery keys are available outside the machine that will be formatted.
6. Drivers.
   • This profile excludes drivers delivered through Windows Update. Download in advance, from your hardware vendor: Ethernet, Wi-Fi (if the machine depends on it), chipset, audio and GPU drivers. Keep them on a drive you can reach during and after installation.
7. Software.
   • Keep installers for the apps you will need right after installing (browser, development tools, game launchers). This repository does not install third-party software automatically.
8. Installation media.
   • Use a genuine Windows 11 x64 / amd64 ISO from a trusted source and a USB drive you can erase; installing Ventoy repartitions and formats the USB drive.

Create the Ventoy USB

The installation media is built with Ventoy, an open-source tool that boots ISO files directly from a USB drive.

1. Download Ventoy from its official source (https://www.ventoy.net/). Use the latest stable release; this repository does not pin a specific version.

2. Install Ventoy on the USB drive.

   Warning: installing Ventoy on a drive erases and repartitions that drive. Make sure you select the correct USB device and that it contains nothing you want to keep.

3. Copy the repository files to the USB drive using exactly the structure expected by ventoy.json:

   <USB drive root>
   ├── Windows11_Client_x64_es-es_26300_9457.iso
   └── ventoy/
       ├── ventoy.json
       └── script/
           └── autounattend.xml
   

   • ventoy.json goes to \ventoy\ventoy.json on the Ventoy partition.
   • autounattend.xml goes to \ventoy\script\autounattend.xml; this is the path declared as template in ventoy.json.
   • The Windows ISO goes to the root of the USB drive with the exact file name declared as image in ventoy.json, currently Windows11_Client_x64_es-es_26300_9457.iso.

4. The ISO file name and path must match the image value in ventoy.json. If you use a different ISO, rename your file to match or edit ventoy.json coherently (the same applies to any other path). Do not use modified or unverified ISOs.

5. Eject the USB drive safely before removing it.

When you boot the ISO, Ventoy shows a boot menu for that image with two options:

• Boot without auto installation template: boots the plain Windows ISO with no answer file.
• Boot with /ventoy/script/autounattend.xml: boots the ISO applying the autounattend.xml declared as template in ventoy.json as the answer file for that image.

To install TMPC Windows 11 Optimization, choose Boot with /ventoy/script/autounattend.xml.

Boot from the USB

1. Connect the USB drive and power on (or restart) the target machine.
2. Open the UEFI/BIOS boot menu of your machine. The key varies by motherboard/device (commonly F12, F10, F2, Esc or Del, but there is no universal key); consult your machine documentation if needed.
3. Select the USB drive entry. Prefer the UEFI entry; this profile targets the amd64/UEFI path.
4. Ventoy starts and lists the ISO files found on the drive. Select Windows11_Client_x64_es-es_26300_9457.iso. Ventoy then shows the boot menu for that image: choose Boot with /ventoy/script/autounattend.xml to install with the profile, or Boot without auto installation template to boot the plain ISO without applying autounattend.xml.
5. Windows Setup starts.

Windows Setup

• The profile does not automate disk selection or disk erasure. Select the target disk and partitions yourself and verify very carefully which disk you are about to modify. If the disk already contains an old installation you want to remove, delete its partitions in Setup or use the manual DiskPart procedure described below; make sure you are working on the right drive.
• The answer file bypasses the Windows 11 hardware requirement checks (TPM, Secure Boot, CPU, RAM, storage and disk) during Setup. Installing on unsupported hardware is still your responsibility.
• A product key screen may appear: the answer file contains a placeholder key, not a real license. Use your own key if you have one.
• Setup continues automatically from the answer file; do not interrupt it.
• OOBE is designed to allow creating a local account. During OOBE the network adapters may appear disabled; this is intentional and is not an error: the adapters are re-enabled automatically at first logon.
• Complete OOBE by creating your local user account and reaching the desktop.

Preparing the disk manually with DiskPart

The answer file does not select or erase any disk; you are responsible for choosing the correct target disk. This procedure is destructive and is the documented manual procedure for a clean installation in which you prepare the disk explicitly; it is not mandatory for every scenario. If you can, disconnect any other disk that does not take part in the installation.

1. In Windows Setup, press Shift + F10 to open a command console.

2. Run DiskPart and identify the target disk.

   Warning: clean irreversibly removes the partition structure of the selected disk. Confirm the disk number with list disk and detail disk before running it.

   diskpart
   list disk
   select disk X
   detail disk
   clean
   convert gpt
   exit
   

   • Replace X with the number of the correct target disk.
   • list disk shows the available disks.
   • detail disk is the final check before erasing: confirm that the selected disk is the correct one.
   • clean removes the partition structure of the selected disk and must be treated as a destructive operation.
   • convert gpt explicitly prepares the disk as GPT for the UEFI flow.
   • Do not use clean all: it is not required for this procedure.

3. Close the console, return to Windows Setup, select Refresh and choose the unallocated space so that Windows creates the required partitions.

First logon and automatic restart

This part is important. The behavior of the validated baseline is:

1. Windows reaches the desktop for the first time.
2. User-specific settings are applied by a one-time task started at logon.
3. When the flow finishes, the machine schedules an automatic restart (about 20 seconds of notice are shown).
4. Do not shut down, reset or interrupt the machine while this is happening.
5. After that restart you reach the final desktop; temporary setup files are removed automatically at startup.

Consider the installation finished once you reach the final desktop after the automatic restart.

After installation

After the final desktop:

• Check network connectivity. If the adapters were not re-enabled automatically, enable them from Windows Settings or Device Manager.
• Install the OEM drivers you prepared in advance: chipset, network/Wi-Fi, audio and GPU. Remember that driver updates through Windows Update are excluded by this profile.
• Run Windows Update normally to install quality and security updates.
• Check Device Manager for devices with missing drivers.
• Restore your data and reinstall your applications.
• Reconfigure accounts, services and development environments as needed.
• Verify that Microsoft Defender is active and that Windows Security reports no critical warnings.

This repository does not install third-party software, browsers or utilities; that remains a user decision.

For a more complete hardware and post-installation validation checklist, including PCIe/GPU-Z, display, RAM, storage and peripherals, see Post-installation checks.

Quick verification

A quick, user-level checklist for a successful installation:

• The final desktop is reached after one automatic restart.
• Network connectivity works.
• Microsoft Defender is active.
• Windows Update is available (quality/security updates; no driver updates).
• Microsoft Store opens.
• OneDrive is not installed.
• Game Mode is enabled and Game DVR is disabled.
• File Explorer shows file extensions and hidden files (protected system files stay hidden), with compact view enabled.
• Downloads opens without grouping by date, and the state persists after closing and reopening File Explorer.
• Do Not Disturb is off.
• Transparency effects are disabled and the default theme is dark.

This checklist reflects tested behavior; it does not replace the static validation described below.

For detailed hardware checks (PCIe link with GPU-Z, display, RAM, storage and peripherals), see Post-installation checks.

File integrity (SHA-256)

Hashes of the current documented baseline:

autounattend.xml
D99BF0EC59A8CB322A84E99F36373FEDD6358350A0D053A02FEB24C11A608EA4

ventoy.json
058F0FB83D2BD9EBBB471E518040E04C0CD9D1A752CBBCEC5904166B9EB5908B

The current answer file targets Windows 11 Pro 26H2 (build base 26300) and stages the Start pins policy as the ADMX-exact machine policy pair (ConfigureStartPins = DWord 1 and ConfigureStartPinsJSON = REG_EXPAND_SZ path) pointing to a persistent empty layout with applyOnce. That pair was validated manually on Windows 11 26H2 (empty Pinned section, later user pins preserved), but the integrated answer file still requires a clean-install sign-in test before its Start result is considered validated. The current answer file also adds the DisableCloudOptimizedContent (DWord 1) machine policy to suppress cloud optimized promotional taskbar pins for new profiles; it does not remove existing pins, and the integrated clean-install result is still pending. The current answer file additionally initializes the All apps view as List (AllAppsViewMode = DWord 2) in the one-time user phase, only when the value is absent: RUNTIME_EXISTING_PROFILE = PASS (manual registry change on an existing Windows 11 Pro 26H2 profile, List visible after signing out and back in, with Category and Grid still available), CLEAN_INSTALL_AUTOMATIC_LIST = NOT_TESTED and STANDALONE_RUNTIME = NOT_TESTED. The rest of the profile keeps the runtime evidence of the published v0.1.5 baseline, which was validated on the historical Windows 11 Pro 25H2 reference. The current answer file also introduces the idempotent verified registry engine (read first, write only when a value differs, re-read to verify) and the hardened OneNote/OneDrive blocks (no arbitrary uninstall strings, no forced process termination, no ownership or ACL changes, no deferred deletions). An isolated test suite (scripts/tests) exercises the engine and the hardening against in-memory doubles.

Verify them on your copy:

Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 .\autounattend.xml, .\ventoy.json

If the hashes match, you are using the documented baseline. If they differ, review the files before using them.

Known limitations

• The published v0.1.5 baseline was validated specifically on Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (historical reference); the current reference is Windows 11 Pro 26H2 (build base 26300). The integrated answer file still lacks a clean-install revalidation of the latest changes and the standalone has no host runtime test (static validation plus the isolated test suite only). Other Windows 11 client builds inside the supported envelope are accepted as NOT_RUNTIME_TESTED and may require revalidation.
• No hardware-specific drivers are included. Prepare chipset, network, audio and GPU drivers yourself.
• No third-party software is installed by the profile.
• IQuietHoursSettings, used to switch Do Not Disturb off, is an internal, undocumented COM interface; it may change in future Windows builds.
• Do Not Disturb is left OFF as a checked state at apply time, not as a permanent guarantee. Windows 11 can turn Do Not Disturb on again through automatic activation (rules available in Settings > System > Notifications: during certain times of the day, when duplicating the display, when playing a game, when using an app in full-screen mode and for the first hour after a Windows feature update; a Focus session also turns it on automatically). TMPC does not modify, disable or override those Windows rules, so a reactivation of Do Not Disturb does not by itself indicate a TMPC failure. The exact cause observed on a real PC is not demonstrated. For the current conditions and defaults, see Microsoft Support: "Notifications and Do Not Disturb in Windows" (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/notifications-and-do-not-disturb-in-windows).
• The per-user override for the Downloads folder view depends on the current Windows behavior and is not a public API; a major update may remove it and the one-time task does not re-apply it automatically. Before copying the folder type, the profile verifies the installed default (GroupBy = System.DateModified); that value was verified on the historical 25H2 reference and has not been re-verified on 26H2. If it differs, the override is skipped and the mismatch is recorded as an error instead of writing an unverified view.
• Paint may still show some AI-related elements or messages even though its AI policies are applied; a fully clean Paint AI UI was not achieved. In the test installation, Notepad showed no visible AI features.
• A historical first-logon visual anomaly (light taskbar and wallpaper until a logoff/logon) did not reproduce on the current baseline; its root cause is still unconfirmed.
• The Start pins policy pair in the current answer file (persistent empty layout with applyOnce, applied at the next sign-in) was validated manually on Windows 11 26H2; the integrated answer file still requires a clean-install sign-in validation, and staging the policy does not by itself prove an empty Start menu. Taskbar icons are independent of Start pins.
• The DisableCloudOptimizedContent machine policy (added to suppress promotional taskbar pins such as the Outlook for Windows placeholder on new profiles) turns off cloud optimized content globally: personalized cloud content and Windows Spotlight wallpapers become unavailable, while static wallpapers still work. It does not remove pins that already exist. The CSP reference lists the setting for Enterprise/Education editions: it is not documented official support for Pro. It was visually checked with a genuinely new local user on Windows 11 Pro 26H2 (Outlook not pinned; Edge, File Explorer and Microsoft Store kept; empty Pinned section). Integrated clean-install validation and side-effect coverage are still pending; the historical 25H2 baseline did not include this policy, and the Start pins ADMX pair keeps its previous manual 26H2 validation.
• The initial List view for All apps is an AllAppsViewMode (DWord 2) user preference written during the first-logon user customization phase only when the value is absent; an existing preference is never overwritten and the setting can be changed later to Grid or Category. On an existing Windows 11 Pro 26H2 profile, changing the value manually and signing out and back in showed the List view (RUNTIME_EXISTING_PROFILE = PASS), with Category and Grid still available. Automatic application by a clean installation (CLEAN_INSTALL_AUTOMATIC_LIST = NOT_TESTED) and the standalone runtime (STANDALONE_RUNTIME = NOT_TESTED) have not been tested; behavior on other builds, including the historical 25H2 reference, is also untested. AllAppsViewMode is an observed registry behavior, not a documented Microsoft-supported interface.

Repository layout

README.md
README.es.md
LICENSE
THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md
autounattend.xml
Apply-TMPCOptimizations.ps1
ventoy.json
.gitattributes
docs/
  preparacion-previa-instalacion.md
  pre-installation-preparation.md
  configuracion-pruebas-limitaciones-fuentes.md
  configuration-testing-limitations-sources.md
  comprobaciones-posteriores-instalacion.md
  post-installation-checks.md
scripts/
  validate-baseline.ps1
  tests/
    TMPC.Tests.Helpers.ps1
    Invoke-TMPCTests.ps1

Main files:

• autounattend.xml: installation automation and customization profile.
• Apply-TMPCOptimizations.ps1: independent Full / UserOnly post-install method.
• ventoy.json: Ventoy configuration that binds the ISO to the answer file.
• .gitattributes: repository line-ending policy.
• LICENSE: project license (MIT).
• THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md: copyright and license notices for third-party portions.
• scripts/validate-baseline.ps1: local, read-only static validator.
• scripts/tests/: isolated automated tests driven by in-memory doubles; they never touch the host registry, filesystem or processes.

Local static validation

The repository includes a read-only static validator:

powershell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\scripts\validate-baseline.ps1

It checks the repository structure, the XML well-formedness and architecture, the syntax of the embedded PowerShell, ventoy.json, documented hashes, line endings and documentation links. It also parses the standalone and checks its source binding, profile inventories, idempotent registry engine, layered compatibility preflight and critical static guards. It never executes either optimizer and does not replace a controlled runtime test.

The isolated automated tests run the same logic against in-memory doubles and never touch the host registry, filesystem or processes:

powershell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\scripts\tests\Invoke-TMPCTests.ps1

Technical documentation

Advanced reference documents (in English):

• docs/pre-installation-preparation.md: pre-installation preparation, backups and driver checklist.
• docs/configuration-testing-limitations-sources.md: applied configuration, validation status, limitations and sources.
• docs/post-installation-checks.md: detailed post-installation hardware and system validation.

No step required to install the profile exists only in those documents; this README is self-sufficient.

Sources and licensing

• TMPC Windows 11 Optimization is licensed under the MIT License. Copyright (c) 2026 Alvaro-TMPC. See LICENSE.
• Third-party portions retain their own copyright and license notices; see THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md.
• Portions of autounattend.xml are derived from or based on code distributed in memstechtips/UnattendedWinstall (reference revision cca752363772a845eb0fed9d3a5b89b5d0a10d20, MIT License, Copyright (c) 2025 Marco du Plessis). This includes BloatRemoval.ps1 (version 2.3), OneDriveRemoval.ps1 (version 1.2, locally hardened on the TMPC profile) and related helper/automation logic. The local profile has been modified and extended for this project.
• The answer file keeps the historical attribution https://github.com/memstechtips/Autounattend present in those scripts; the canonical upstream reference used for licensing and traceability of this release is https://github.com/memstechtips/UnattendedWinstall.