How to install install Windows 10 as clean as possible (kill all the telemetry and cloud crap) - Updated 7/29/20

[FlyingPenguin]

Pretty much. The guy who wrote classic shell stopped supporting it, but it still works. I'll keep using it until MS breaks it with some future update.

[Losbot]

OK. Thanks. I did skip the Classic Shell portion, as I'm going to give Win 10's interface an honest effort. If it annoys me, then oh well. Buh-Bye!

[Executioner]

Yeah, probably need an updated version since the Creator's Update and now the Spring Update. I'm still not sold on 10, even though I have it installed on a removable SSD. The other SSD has Linux Mint.

[Losbot]

Mine actually looks similar to Win7. Traditional look. I just unpinned all the apps they had and uninstalled all the software I didn't want. Been pinning stuff I actually use.
Looks much cleaner now.

[FlyingPenguin]

I just updated this with new info and fixed some bad links.

[Executioner]

Thanks for the update. There is one other program like SpyBot Antibeacon: https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

I have it running on my spare laptop. It's gotten good reviews. Very detailed items that you can toggle off/on or simply choose the recommended ones from the menu. The picture below is just some of the options you can select.


O&O ShutUp10 is entirely free and does not have to be installed – it can be simply run directly and immediately on your PC. And it will not install or download retrospectively unwanted or unnecessary software, like so many other programs do these days!

[normalicy]

Thanks for the update. Also, thanks for the O&O software. I'm gonna give it a try.

[FlyingPenguin]

UPDATED 11/19/2019: Added option to disable Cortana entirely from Win 10 Pro's Group Policy Editor

[Key Keeper]

I installed 10 on my new to me garage clunker, and also a friends desktop. Clean install from latest ISO burned to bootable usb. During install, chose local, and then it asked me if I wanted a bunch of features like cortana n what not enabled. I turned all the switches to off and it seems to operate just fine. I do see cortana still running in task mgr, but from what I am reading, its built into the windows search utility so cannot be fully removed without breaking the search. Am I missing something? I see last post was a while back so not sure if there is anything new.

[FlyingPenguin]

Yeah, it's baken into the search box in start menu, even if you have web searches turned of.

Since I use Open Shrll to get the classic start menu, I never see it.

[Losbot]

We should post something similar to this for Win 11.

[FlyingPenguin]

Easier way to do it now is us O&OShutup10 to turn off all the telemetry, phone home shit, and unwanted services like Cortana and Copilot. I also allows you to disable automatic driver updates in Windows Update (strongly recommended for gaming), and disable auto download of device manufacturer apps.

The techniques to force a local user account and avoid an MS account have varied with newer versions of Windows as MS has closed off some of the hacks, but you can google them. Better yet, if you're doing a fresh install, create a bootable USB Windows installer using RUFUS with the option to force a local account checked off.

You going Win10 or Win11 on that gaming PC?

[Executioner]

You just have to remember to re-runShutup10++ after monthly updates, as MS will turn that shit back on.

[FlyingPenguin]

No more monthly updates for me