mike805Dec 19, 2024

@darkuncle @r343l @skinnylatte @pluralistic I am in user support, and I see it every day. I am tired of fighting it, and would not enter the field today.

I refurbish old work laptops, load them up with ad blockers, run debloat on them, and give them away.

I remote support employees' families with TightVNC and clean up their machines.

The tech industry, except for the chip makers, is really not worth saving at this point. It's the 1970s Big Three just waiting for Toyota and Nissan to show up.

Show threadPatsy (she/her)

@mike805 @darkuncle @r343l @skinnylatte @pluralistic
Would you possibly be able to point me to some resources on how to do a debloat? I would v much appreciate it

I just got a new laptop and the volume of utter nonsense on there is wild!

(For ref, I am an ordinary person, not a techy, so ordinary-person friendly would be preferred if possible!)

Dec 19, 2024 at 3:09pmWeb
Show threadmike805Dec 19, 2024

@patsytheshark @darkuncle @r343l @skinnylatte @pluralistic https://github.com/Raphire/Win11Debloat is the one I use. It gets rid of the ads. Let me know if you have any questions about how to use it.

Windows 11 non-MS local account:
Unplug Internet before doing this.
On the “Oops, you've lost internet connection” or “Let's connect you to a network” page, use the Shift + F10 keyboard shortcut. In Command Prompt, type the OOBE\BYPASSNRO command to bypass network requirements on Windows 11 and press Enter.

GitHub - Raphire/Win11Debloat: A simple, lightweight PowerShell script that allows you to remove pre-installed apps, disable telemetry, as well as perform various other changes to declutter and customize your Windows experience. Win11Debloat works for both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

A simple, lightweight PowerShell script that allows you to remove pre-installed apps, disable telemetry, as well as perform various other changes to declutter and customize your Windows experience....

GitHub
Show threadPatsy (she/her)Dec 19, 2024
@mike805 @darkuncle @r343l @skinnylatte @pluralistic
Mike thank you so much! This is such great info
Show threadeconadsDec 24, 2024

@patsytheshark
Regarding not exactly bloat, but privacy, I used I think it was shutup10, which turns off a ton of stuff in windows. It shows you what it's doing so you can customise it, or just leave it to the defaults. Anyway there are a few other programmes like that.

For actual programmes you don't want, I would start by just finding the unistall menu and try to directly uninstall what you don't like. If it's not possible then Google "uninstall" + programme name and see what you find.

Show threadShavanoDec 24, 2024
@econads @patsytheshark
Then there's the junk that comes with Windows by default that gets reinstalled/reenabled with your weekly update after you tried to kill it.
Show threadeconadsDec 24, 2024
@Shavano
Possibly that programme would help with that, I don't know.
@patsytheshark
Show threadPaul BarnfatherDec 24, 2024
@patsytheshark @mike805 @darkuncle @r343l @skinnylatte @pluralistic for Windows 11 debloat, this is a good place to start: https://github.com/Raphire/Win11Debloat?tab=readme-ov-file#quick-method
GitHub - Raphire/Win11Debloat: A simple, lightweight PowerShell script that allows you to remove pre-installed apps, disable telemetry, as well as perform various other changes to declutter and customize your Windows experience. Win11Debloat works for both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

A simple, lightweight PowerShell script that allows you to remove pre-installed apps, disable telemetry, as well as perform various other changes to declutter and customize your Windows experience....

GitHub
Show threadAsta McCarthyDec 24, 2024
@clanger9 @patsytheshark @mike805 @darkuncle @r343l @skinnylatte @pluralistic To also stop the tracking built into Windows have a look at https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10
(if your not yet able to switch to free software)
O&O ShutUp10++: Improve Windows data protection

Enable recommended privacy options and make Windows 10/11 leaner and more private with just a few clicks.

O&O Software GmbH
Show threadDamon L. WakesDec 24, 2024
@patsytheshark I realise this isn't exactly what you're looking for, but if there's any chance this means you have an old laptop that'll otherwise be doing nothing useful then this might be an opportunity to install Linux on it and see how well it suits you. If you find it does everything you want, it may save you a lot of hassle in future. Having to trick Windows into letting you set it up without a Microsoft account etc. is genuinely starting to look like the more techy option these days.
Show threadPatsy (she/her)Dec 25, 2024
@DamonWakes that's exactly what I was thinking! I'm gonna have a go
Show threadLuci Chappelle Dec 24, 2024
@patsytheshark @mike805 @darkuncle @r343l @skinnylatte @pluralistic I start with LTSC nowadays, way less snooping and it doesn't update constantly. This is delving into legally grey (at best) territory, but Google "massgravel script" and ye shall find.