Getting Started

This guide will help you set up and run DigYourWindows on your Windows machine.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• Windows 10/11 (Build 19041 or later)
• .NET 10.0 SDK (for building from source)
• Administrator privileges (for full feature access)

Installation Options

Option 1: Download Release (Recommended)

Download the latest installer from GitHub Releases:

Version	Size	Requirements	Best For
DigYourWindows_Setup.exe	~5MB	Downloads .NET if needed	Most users
FDD (Framework-Dependent)	~60MB	Requires .NET 10 Runtime	Users with .NET installed
SCD (Self-Contained)	~180MB	No dependencies	Offline use

Installation Steps

1. Download the installer
2. Run DigYourWindows_Setup.exe
3. Follow the installation wizard
4. Launch DigYourWindows from Start Menu

Option 2: Build from Source

# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/LessUp/dig-your-windows.git
cd dig-your-windows

# Restore dependencies
dotnet restore

# Build and run
dotnet run --project src/DigYourWindows.UI/DigYourWindows.UI.csproj

⚠️ Note: Some features (GPU monitoring, SMART data) require administrator privileges.

First Run

1. Launch the application:

   • From Start Menu, or
   • Run DigYourWindows.UI.exe, or
   • Use dotnet run

2. Run diagnostics:

   • Click "Run Diagnostics" button
   • Wait for data collection (typically 5-15 seconds)

3. Review results:

   • View hardware information on dashboard
   • Check event log analysis
   • Review reliability records
   • See health score and recommendations

4. Export reports (optional):

   • Click "Export" button
   • Choose JSON or HTML format
   • Select save location

Administrator Privileges

Some features require administrator privileges:

• ✅ GPU temperature/load monitoring
• ✅ Disk SMART data reading
• ✅ Some hardware information collection

How to Run as Administrator

Method 1: Right-click shortcut

• Right-click DigYourWindows.UI.exe
• Select "Run as administrator"

Method 2: Configure in Visual Studio

• Open project in Visual Studio
• Edit .vscode/launch.json
• Add "runAsAdministrator": true

Using DigYourWindows

Dashboard Overview

When you launch DigYourWindows, you'll see the main dashboard with:

• System Info: Computer name, OS version, processor, memory
• Real-time Stats: Current CPU/GPU metrics
• Action Buttons: Run Diagnostics, Export, Settings

Viewing Hardware Information

CPU Information

The CPU section shows:

• Model name and specifications
• Core and thread count
• Real-time temperature and load
• Current and base frequency

Memory

Memory information includes:

• Total and available memory
• Usage percentage
• Memory type and speed

Disks

For each disk, you'll see:

• Model and interface type (NVMe/SATA)
• Health status
• Temperature (if supported)
• SMART data (requires admin)

GPU

GPU monitoring displays:

• Graphics card model
• Temperature and load
• VRAM usage
• Clock speeds (if supported)

Analyzing Event Logs

The Event Log Analysis section shows:

• System Errors: Critical system failures
• System Warnings: Potential issues
• Application Errors: Software crashes
• Application Warnings: Application issues

Checking Reliability Records

Windows Reliability Monitor data displays:

• Stability index trend (0-10 scale)
• Historical events timeline
• Critical events list

Understanding Health Scores

Overall Score

Composite score from 0-100 based on:

• Stability Score: System crash frequency
• Performance Score: Resource utilization
• Memory Score: RAM health
• Disk Score: Storage condition

Exporting Reports

JSON Format

Best for:

• Programmatic analysis
• Data archival
• Comparing over time

Steps:

1. Click "Export"
2. Select "JSON"
3. Choose save location
4. File named: DigYourWindows_Report_[date].json

HTML Format

Best for:

• Sharing with others
• Offline viewing
• Printing

Steps:

1. Click "Export"
2. Select "HTML"
3. Choose save location
4. File named: DigYourWindows_Report_[date].html

📝 Note: HTML reports are self-contained with no external dependencies.

Theme Toggle

Switch between Dark and Light themes:

• Click theme toggle button (top-right)
• Preference saved for next session

Troubleshooting

"Administrator privileges required" message

Solution: Run the application as administrator (see above).

Missing .NET Runtime

Solution:

• Download the self-contained version (SCD), OR
• Install .NET Desktop Runtime 10 from Microsoft

Windows Defender warning

Solution:

• This is common for unsigned applications
• Add an exception in Windows Defender
• Or build from source yourself

Next Steps

• 🏗️ Read the Architecture Overview
• 🧪 Learn about Testing
• 🤝 Check out the Contributing Guide
• 📋 Review Specifications