7 ms·

Is there a version of Windows that lets you pay your way out of this bullshit? I may need a Windows machine for work next year and this shit is terrifying. I ha

Is there a version of Windows that lets you pay your way out of this bullshit? I may need a Windows machine for work next year and this shit is terrifying. I haven't touched Windows since around 2006 so I'm not familiar with their offerings. They used to have a consumer and a professional edition of Windows in the olden days with the latter being far less annoying.

nolls 4y ago
The policy editor should let you disable most (all?) of these things. It comes with the pro edition I think.
agluszak 4y ago
You can use stuff like https://github.com/W4RH4WK/Debloat-Windows-10 https://github.com/W4RH4WK/Debloat-Windows-10
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
tester756 4y ago
Wouldn't Pro versions of Windows don't have this mess?
- freeone3000 4y ago
  No, they still have these features on Pro and even HPC SKUs of Client. Server and LTSB don't, but are missing other features you might actually want (like DirectX).
mhb 4y ago
Win 10 Pro with Open Shell and auto updates off is quite pleasant.
MrStonedOne 4y ago
rejectfinite 4y ago
If it is a Windows machine provided from a workplace with IT then it should be a Windows Enterprise image where this stuff is disabled with Group policy or Intune.
npteljes 4y ago
Don't bother with cleaning script, they can fuck things up, and the benefit is questionable, as it's a whack-a-mole basically. Windows 11 is not a hard requirement, and I don't think it will be in the coming few years, so I went with Windows 10 LTSC. Lots of useless crap is cut from it, so no Cortana, no Store, no Edge even, and no feature updates. There are security updates however! So it's a nice, stable, useful edition, with no downsides for gaming.
- Maxburn 4y ago
  Real businesses will not put up with this nonsense and that's why LTSC exists. I'm also wondering if you can just run server editions.
  - npteljes 4y ago
    I don't think businesses care too much. LTSC is for when you need the system to not change over time, but still get some security updates, not simply business use - for that, there's the Enterprise edition of course.
    - intelVISA 4y ago
      Annoyingly LTSC costs around $300ish for the typical end user and has an inordinate amount of hoops just to buy it... makes it difficult to recommend to family so I curse them with Arch instead.
      - npteljes 4y ago
        I personally run my own activation server (https://github.com/Wind4/vlmcsd https://github.com/Wind4/vlmcsd), and just point the Windows installation there. Or you can use one of the many servers that are floating around the internet. Either way, it's a bit annoying unfortunately. Also, my country's second hand electronics market has LTSC keys for sale for like $25. That might be worth looking into.
        4y ago
DoingIsLearning 4y ago
Windows 10 'LTSC' sounds like what you want, I used it for some client projects. The LTS release was meant for Kiosk and pseudo embedded applications but was pretty much a non hostil UX version of Windows 10. In comparison even Windows 10 Professional editions are very bloated. I am not sure if they intend to have an analogue Windows 11 LTS but I suppose the need will probably be there for customers who are more Windows-centric.
wilsonnb3 4y ago
You could try Windows Server 2022

nolls 4y ago

The policy editor should let you disable most (all?) of these things. It comes with the pro edition I think.

agluszak 4y ago

You can use stuff like https://github.com/W4RH4WK/Debloat-Windows-10 https://github.com/W4RH4WK/Debloat-Windows-10

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

tester756 4y ago

Wouldn't Pro versions of Windows don't have this mess?

freeone3000 4y ago
No, they still have these features on Pro and even HPC SKUs of Client. Server and LTSB don't, but are missing other features you might actually want (like DirectX).

mhb 4y ago

Win 10 Pro with Open Shell and auto updates off is quite pleasant.

MrStonedOne 4y ago

rejectfinite 4y ago

If it is a Windows machine provided from a workplace with IT then it should be a Windows Enterprise image where this stuff is disabled with Group policy or Intune.

npteljes 4y ago

Don't bother with cleaning script, they can fuck things up, and the benefit is questionable, as it's a whack-a-mole basically. Windows 11 is not a hard requirement, and I don't think it will be in the coming few years, so I went with Windows 10 LTSC. Lots of useless crap is cut from it, so no Cortana, no Store, no Edge even, and no feature updates. There are security updates however! So it's a nice, stable, useful edition, with no downsides for gaming.

Maxburn 4y ago
Real businesses will not put up with this nonsense and that's why LTSC exists. I'm also wondering if you can just run server editions.
- npteljes 4y ago
  I don't think businesses care too much. LTSC is for when you need the system to not change over time, but still get some security updates, not simply business use - for that, there's the Enterprise edition of course.
  - intelVISA 4y ago
    Annoyingly LTSC costs around $300ish for the typical end user and has an inordinate amount of hoops just to buy it... makes it difficult to recommend to family so I curse them with Arch instead.
    - npteljes 4y ago
      I personally run my own activation server (https://github.com/Wind4/vlmcsd https://github.com/Wind4/vlmcsd), and just point the Windows installation there. Or you can use one of the many servers that are floating around the internet. Either way, it's a bit annoying unfortunately. Also, my country's second hand electronics market has LTSC keys for sale for like $25. That might be worth looking into.
      - 4y ago

DoingIsLearning 4y ago

Windows 10 'LTSC' sounds like what you want, I used it for some client projects. The LTS release was meant for Kiosk and pseudo embedded applications but was pretty much a non hostil UX version of Windows 10. In comparison even Windows 10 Professional editions are very bloated. I am not sure if they intend to have an analogue Windows 11 LTS but I suppose the need will probably be there for customers who are more Windows-centric.

wilsonnb3 4y ago

You could try Windows Server 2022