Windows Desktop Optimization Tool (WDOT)

Welcome to the next evolution of the Virtual Desktop Optimization Tool

📖 Introduction

The Windows Desktop Optimization Tool (WDOT) is a comprehensive PowerShell-based solution designed to optimize Windows devices for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), and standalone machines. This tool automates the application of numerous optimization settings to improve performance, reduce resource consumption, and enhance user experience across various Windows environments.

Key Features

• 🎯 Targeted Optimizations: Apply specific optimizations for services, applications, scheduled tasks, and system settings
• 🔧 Configuration-Based: Use customizable JSON configuration files for different environments
• 🛡️ Safe Defaults: Conservative settings that can be customized per environment
• 📊 Comprehensive Logging: Built-in Windows Event Log integration for monitoring and troubleshooting
• 🔄 Modular Design: Choose which optimization categories to apply
• 🎛️ Interactive Configuration: User-friendly tools for customizing optimization settings

🏗️ Architecture

The WDOT consists of three main components:

1. Windows_Optimization.ps1 (Main Script)

The primary optimization engine that applies performance and resource optimizations based on configuration profiles.

2. Configuration Management Tools

• New-WVDConfigurationFiles.ps1: Creates new configuration profiles from templates
• Set-WVDConfigurations.ps1: Interactive tool for customizing configuration settings

3. Optimization Functions

Modular PowerShell functions in the Functions/ directory that handle specific optimization categories.

🛠️ Installation

Prerequisites

• Windows 10/11 or Windows Server 2019/2022/2025
• PowerShell 5.1 or higher
• Administrator privileges (required for system-level optimizations)
• Execution Policy: Set to allow script execution

Setup Steps

1. Clone or Download the Repository

   git clone https://github.com/The-Virtual-Desktop-Team/Windows-Desktop-Optimization-Tool.git
   cd Windows-Desktop-Optimization-Tool

2. Set PowerShell Execution Policy

   Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

3. Verify Installation

   # Check available configuration profiles
   Get-ChildItem .\Configurations -Directory | Select-Object Name

🎯 Quick Start

Basic Usage

1. Create a Configuration Profile

   .\New-WVDConfigurationFiles.ps1 -FolderName "MyEnvironment"

2. Customize Your Configuration (Optional)

   .\Set-WVDConfigurations.ps1 -ConfigurationFile "Services" -ConfigFolderName "MyEnvironment"

3. Apply Optimizations

   .\Windows_Optimization.ps1 -ConfigProfile "MyEnvironment" -Optimizations All -AcceptEULA

Example Scenarios

VDI/AVD Environment:

# Create and configure for VDI
.\New-WVDConfigurationFiles.ps1 -FolderName "Production-VDI"
.\Set-WVDConfigurations.ps1 -ConfigurationFile "Services" -ConfigFolderName "Production-VDI" -ApplyAll

# Apply aggressive optimizations
.\Windows_Optimization.ps1 -ConfigProfile "Production-VDI" -Optimizations All -AcceptEULA

Development Workstation:

# Create conservative configuration
.\New-WVDConfigurationFiles.ps1 -FolderName "Development"
.\Set-WVDConfigurations.ps1 -ConfigurationFile "Services" -ConfigFolderName "Development" -SkipAll

# Apply selective optimizations
.\Windows_Optimization.ps1 -ConfigProfile "Development" -Optimizations @("DiskCleanup", "NetworkOptimizations") -AcceptEULA

📊 Windows_Optimization.ps1 - Main Script

The core optimization script that applies various performance and resource optimizations to Windows systems.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description	Default
ConfigProfile	String	[Required] Name of configuration profile to use	None
WindowsVersion	String	[Being Deprecated] This parameter is deprecated and will be removed in a future release. Use -ConfigProfile instead.	None
Optimizations	String[]	Optimization categories to apply	None
AdvancedOptimizations	String[]	Advanced/aggressive optimizations	None
AcceptEULA	Switch	Accept EULA without prompting	False
Restart	Switch	Automatically restart after completion	False

Optimization Categories

Standard Optimizations (-Optimizations)

Category	Description	Impact
All	Apply all standard optimizations	High
Services	Disable unnecessary Windows services	High
AppxPackages	Remove unwanted Microsoft Store apps	Medium
ScheduledTasks	Disable unnecessary scheduled tasks	Medium
DefaultUserSettings	Optimize default user profile settings	Low
LocalPolicy	Apply local group policy optimizations	Medium
Autologgers	Disable Windows diagnostic logging	Low
NetworkOptimizations	Optimize network settings (SMB, etc.)	Medium
DiskCleanup	Clean temporary files and caches	Low
WindowsMediaPlayer	Remove Windows Media Player	Low

Advanced Optimizations (-AdvancedOptimizations)

Category	Description	Impact	Warning
All	Apply all advanced optimizations	High	⚠️ Aggressive
Edge	Optimize Microsoft Edge settings	Medium	⚠️ May affect browsing
RemoveLegacyIE	Remove Internet Explorer	High	⚠️ Irreversible
RemoveOneDrive	Remove OneDrive integration	High	⚠️ Affects file sync

Usage Examples

Apply All Standard Optimizations:

.\Windows_Optimization.ps1 -ConfigProfile "Windows11_24H2" -Optimizations All -AcceptEULA

Selective Optimization:

.\Windows_Optimization.ps1 -ConfigProfile "MyConfig" -Optimizations @("Services", "AppxPackages", "DiskCleanup") -AcceptEULA

VDI-Focused Optimization:

.\Windows_Optimization.ps1 -ConfigProfile "VDI-Production" -Optimizations @("Services", "AppxPackages", "ScheduledTasks", "NetworkOptimizations") -AdvancedOptimizations @("Edge", "RemoveLegacyIE") -AcceptEULA -Restart

Conservative Optimization:

.\Windows_Optimization.ps1 -ConfigProfile "Conservative" -Optimizations @("DiskCleanup", "NetworkOptimizations") -AcceptEULA

🔧 Configuration Management

Creating Configuration Profiles

Use New-WVDConfigurationFiles.ps1 to create new configuration profiles:

.\New-WVDConfigurationFiles.ps1 -FolderName "MyCustomConfig"

This creates a new folder in Configurations/ with template files that can be customized.

Customizing Configurations

Use Set-WVDConfigurations.ps1 for interactive configuration:

# Interactive configuration
.\Set-WVDConfigurations.ps1 -ConfigurationFile "Services" -ConfigFolderName "MyConfig"

# Apply all optimizations
.\Set-WVDConfigurations.ps1 -ConfigurationFile "AppxPackages" -ConfigFolderName "MyConfig" -ApplyAll

# Skip all optimizations (safe defaults)
.\Set-WVDConfigurations.ps1 -ConfigurationFile "ScheduledTasks" -ConfigFolderName "MyConfig" -SkipAll

📖 For detailed configuration instructions, see: Configuration Files User Guide

📁 Project Structure

Windows-Desktop-Optimization-Tool/
├── Windows_Optimization.ps1           # Main optimization script
├── New-WVDConfigurationFiles.ps1      # Configuration profile creator
├── Set-WVDConfigurations.ps1          # Interactive configuration tool
├── EULA.txt                           # End User License Agreement
├── Configuration Files User Guide.md  # Detailed configuration guide
├── Configurations/                    # Configuration profiles
│   ├── Templates/                     # Default template files
│   │   ├── Services.json             # Windows services configuration
│   │   ├── AppxPackages.json         # Store apps configuration
│   │   ├── ScheduledTasks.json       # Scheduled tasks configuration
│   │   ├── DefaultUserSettings.json  # User profile settings
│   │   ├── PolicyRegSettings.json    # Group policy settings
│   │   ├── EdgeSettings.json         # Microsoft Edge settings
│   │   ├── Autologgers.Json          # Diagnostic logging settings
│   │   ├── LanManWorkstation.json    # Network optimization settings
│   │   └── DefaultAssociationsConfiguration.xml # File associations
│   └── [Custom Profiles]/            # User-created configuration profiles
├── Functions/                         # Optimization function modules
└── Images/                           # Project icons and images

📋 Configuration Files

Each configuration profile contains JSON files that control optimization behavior:

Configuration File Types

File	Purpose	Items	OptimizationState Values
Services.json	Windows services to disable/enable	~45 services	Apply / Skip
AppxPackages.json	Store apps to remove/keep	~80 packages	Apply / Skip
ScheduledTasks.json	Scheduled tasks to disable	~30 tasks	Apply / Skip
DefaultUserSettings.json	User profile registry settings	~20 settings	Apply / Skip
PolicyRegSettings.json	Local policy registry settings	~15 policies	Apply / Skip
EdgeSettings.json	Microsoft Edge optimizations	~10 settings	Apply / Skip
Autologgers.Json	Diagnostic logging services	~15 loggers	Apply / Skip
LanManWorkstation.json	Network performance settings	~5 settings	Apply / Skip

OptimizationState Values

• Apply: The optimization will be applied during execution
• Skip: The optimization will be ignored (safe/conservative choice)

🔍 Monitoring and Logging

WDOT includes comprehensive logging capabilities:

Windows Event Log Integration

• Log Name: WDOT
• Event Sources: Multiple sources for different optimization categories
• Event Types: Information, Warning, Error
• Log Size: 64KB with automatic rotation

Viewing WDOT Logs

# View recent WDOT events
Get-WinEvent -LogName "WDOT" -MaxEvents 50

# View specific optimization results
Get-WinEvent -LogName "WDOT" | Where-Object {$_.Id -eq 1}

Registry Tracking

WDOT maintains execution tracking in the registry:

• Location: HKLM:\SOFTWARE\WDOT
• Values: Version, LastRunTime
• Purpose: Track optimization history and version compatibility

⚠️ Important Considerations

Testing Requirements

⚠️ WARNING: These optimizations modify system behavior. Always test in a non-production environment first.

Environment Suitability

• VDI/AVD: All optimizations suitable with proper testing
• Physical Workstations: Use conservative settings, avoid hardware-specific optimizations
• Server Environments: Carefully review service and application optimizations
• Development Machines: Use minimal optimizations to preserve development tools

Backup Recommendations

1. System Restore Point: Create before running optimizations
2. Registry Backup: Export relevant registry keys
3. Configuration Backup: Use -CreateBackup flag with Set-WVDConfigurations.ps1

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions to improve WDOT:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Test your changes thoroughly
4. Submit a pull request with detailed description

Development Guidelines

• Follow PowerShell best practices
• Include proper error handling
• Add verbose logging for troubleshooting
• Test on multiple Windows versions
• Document new optimization categories

📄 License

This project is provided under the Microsoft Sample Code License. See EULA.txt for complete terms.

Key Points:

• Provided "AS IS" for illustration purposes
• Not intended for production without testing
• No warranty or support guarantees
• User assumes all risks and responsibilities

🆘 Support

Getting Help

1. Check the Documentation: Review this README and the Configuration Files User Guide
2. Review Event Logs: Check the WDOT Windows Event Log for detailed error information
3. GitHub Issues: Search existing issues or create a new one
4. Community Support: Engage with the community through GitHub Discussions

Troubleshooting

Common Issues:

• Execution Policy: Ensure PowerShell execution policy allows script execution
• Permissions: Run PowerShell as Administrator
• Configuration Not Found: Verify configuration profile exists in Configurations/ folder
• Service Dependencies: Some services may have dependencies that prevent disabling

Useful Commands

# Check execution policy
Get-ExecutionPolicy

# View available configurations
Get-ChildItem .\Configurations -Directory

# Test configuration file validity
Test-Json -Path ".\Configurations\MyConfig\Services.json"

# Check WDOT version and last run
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\WDOT"

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Authors: Robert M. Smith and Tim Muessig (Microsoft)
Project: Windows Desktop Optimization Tool
Last Updated: October 2025