Configure Windows for use with the Cortex player

1. Select the Start button.
2. Select Settings > Update & security > Windows Update.
3. Select Check for updates.
4. Apply all Windows updates.

Note: This may take several hours to complete depending on how many Windows Updates are needed for the device. You can still complete the remaining steps while updates are being applied.

Note: If a Networks side panel opens up on the right of the screen asking whether or not you want your PC to be discoverable by other PCs and devices, select No. 

1. Enter "File Explorer" in the Task Search Bar and select it.
2. Navigate to the following path: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download. Delete everything in the "Download" folder. This may take some time.
3. Enter "Command Prompt" in the Task Search Bar.
4. Right-click the "Command Prompt" result that appears and select Run as administrator.
5. Run the following command: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup. This command may take quite a bit of time. It may fail on the first run, too. If it fails, run it again.
6. Enter "Control Panel" in the Task Search Bar and select it.
7. Enter "Windows Features" and select "Turn Windows features on or off."
8. Select the ".NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0) checkbox.
9. Select "OK" and reboot your computer if prompted.

Note: You do not need to select the child items for Windows Communication Foundation HTTP Activation and Windows Communication Foundation Non-HTTP Activation.

1. Manually verify installation by completing one of the following actions:
   1. Enter "regedit" (you must enter the full name) in the Task Search Bar and press Enter. Then in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP" look for "v3.5" 
   2. Enter "Control Panel" in the Task Search Bar and press Enter. In "Search Control Panel" in the top right corner of the "Control Panel" window, enter "Features" and select Turn Windows features on or off. In the "Windows Features" window that appears, ensure that the ".NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)" checkbox is filled in

1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Security and Maintenance.
2. Click Change User Account Control settings in the left navigation bar.
3. Edit the control settings bar to Never Notify (the last bar).
4. Click OK. Your device no longer notifies you of account control settings.

Note: You can skip this step if your device does not have a password set.

1. Go to Settings > Accounts. The Account Settings appear.
2. Click Sign-in options in the side navigation bar.
3. Click Change in the Password section.
4. Enter your password in the Current password field and then click Next.
5. Leave all fields empty, then click Next.
6. Click Finish. Your password is removed.

1. Go to Settings > System. The System Settings appear.
2. Click Notifications & actions in the side navigation bar.
3. Toggle every setting in the Notifications section to Off.
4. Toggle every setting in the Get notifications from these senders section to Off. Your device screen no longer receives notifications.

1. Go to Settings > System. The System Settings appear.
2. Click Power & sleep in the side navigation bar.
3. Click the drop-down list in the Screen section and select Never.
4. Click the drop-down list in the Sleep section and select Never. Your device screen no longer goes to sleep.

1. Go to Control Panel and search for Device Manager.
2. Click Device Manager. The Device Manager opens.
3. Expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers list.
4. Right-click USB Root Hub and click Properties.
5. Click the Power Management tab and clear the Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power checkbox.
6. Click OK. The computer no longer turns off the device to save power

1. If you are manually registering your players, install and run the Cortex Player.
2. If you are auto-registering your players, run the auto-registration binary prior to registering the Cortex Player. 

Install and run Cortex Update

 

Minimize the Cortex Player window by using ctrl + shift + f to perform step 12. 

1. Search for Windows Defender in the Task Search Bar.
2. Click Windows Defender.
3. Click Settings.
4. Toggle the following settings to Off:
   • Real-time protection
   • Cloud-based Protection
   • Automatic sample submission
   • Enhanced notifications
5. Click Add an exclusion in the Exclusions section.
6. Click + next to Exclude a folder.
7. Go to C:\Program Files and select the Cortex folder.
8. Click Exclude this folder. Your Cortex folder is whitelisted from the Windows Defender Antivirus scan.

1. Right-click on the Home screen and select Personalize.
2. In the left navigation panel, select Background.
3. In the Preview section, select Solid color under Background.
4. Choose black in Background colors.
5. Right-click on the Home screen.
6. Hover your mouse over View.
7. Clear the Show desktop icons checkbox.

Note: This step should only be done when the Windows Updates from Step 1 have completed.

1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Services. The Services dialog appears.
2. Scroll to and click Windows Update.
3. In the General tab, click the Startup type drop-down list and select Disabled.
4. Click Apply, then click OK. Windows updates no longer appear for your device.

1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Services. The Services dialog appears.
2. Scroll to and click Windows update.
3. Click the Startup type drop-down list and select Disabled in the General tab.
4. Click Apply, then click OK. Windows updates no longer appear for your device.

1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Security and Maintenance.
2. Click Change User Account Control settings in the left navigation bar.
3. Edit the control settings bar to Never Notify (the last bar).
4. Click OK. Your device no longer notifies you of account control settings.

Note: You can skip this step if your device does not require a password.

1. Go to Settings > Accounts. The Account Settings appear.
2. Click Sign-in options in the side navigation bar.
3. Click Change in the Password section.
4. Enter your password in the Current Password field and then click Next.
5. Leave all fields empty, then click Finish. Your password is removed.

1. Go to Settings > System. The System Settings appear.
2. Click Notifications & actions in the side navigation bar.
3. Toggle every setting in the Notifications section to Off.
4. Toggle every setting in the Get Notifications From These Senders section to Off. Your device screen no longer receives notifications.

1. Go to Settings > System. The System Settings appear.
2. Click Power & sleep in the side navigation bar.
3. Click the drop-down list in the Screen section and select Never.
4. Click the drop-down list in the Sleep section and select Never. Your device screen no longer goes to sleep.

1. Go to Control Panel and search for Device Manager.
2. Click Device Manager. The Device Manager opens.
3. Expand the Universal Serial Bus Controllers list.
4. Right-click USB Root Hub and click Properties.
5. Click the Power Management tab and clear the Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power checkbox.
6. Click OK. The computer no longer turns off the device to save power.

1. Go to Settings > Network & Internet. The Network & Internet settings appear.
2. Click Wi-Fi in the side navigation bar.
3. Click Manage known networks in the Wi-Fi section.
4. Click your network name and click Properties.
5. Click Edit in the IP Settings section and select Automatic (DHCP) from the settings drop-down list.
6. Click Save. Your IP assignment is updated to the correct IP settings.

1. Go to Windows Defender Security Center > Virus & threat protection > Virus & threat protection settings.
2. Toggle the Real-time protection, Cloud-delivered protection, Automatic sample submission, and Controlled folder access settings to Off.
3. Click Add or remove exclusions in the Exclusions section.
4. Click + next to Add an exclusion, then select Folder.
5. Go to C:\Program Files and select the Cortex folder.
6. Click Select Folder. Your Cortex folder is whitelisted from the Windows Defender Antivirus scan.

Note: If Cortex player is not whitelisted, you may observe high CPU usage every time you start the player.