Windows 10 Announced - Released 29-Jul-2015

I have to say that after using O&O ShutUp10 and Spybot Anti-Beacon it seems like there isn't really a lot of network activity, so it seems to help. I doubt that you can block ALL telemetry, but I had expected to see more network activity considering the ridiculous amount of M$ processes and services that are running in the background.

I might actually consider leaving Win Defender (with or without cloud protection) and Win SmartScreen enabled, since they don't seem to cause any performance problems. I'm not sure about Windows Update though, I want to be in full control over installed updates. And BTW, I forgot to mention that so far O&O ShutUp10 and Spybot Anti-Beacon didn't seem to have broken anything.

 

No more Windows 10 Insider builds for the rest of 2020 as the team “recharges for what’s in store for 2021”
December 18, 2020
https://www.onmsft.com/news/psa-no-...he-team-recharges-for-whats-in-store-for-2021

 

The next version of Windows 10 might have Parallax 3D effects on the lock screen
December 19, 2020
https://www.onmsft.com/news/microsoft-could-bring-modern-parallax-effects-to-windows-10-lock-screens

 

Windows 10 21H1 Build number 19043.XXX expected to roll-out to Beta channel soon
December 21, 2020
https://thewincentral.com/windows-1...043-xxx-expected-to-roll-out-to-beta-channel/

 

Microsoft: Don't delete Windows 10 root certificate expiring this month

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...dows-10-root-certificate-expiring-this-month/

 

BTW, do you guys know how to disable apps from running in the background? For some reason apps like Windows Store and the Microsoft Photos app, run in the background in suspended mode for no reason. I have tried the tricks that were mentioned in the article, but it doesn't help.

I have also tried O&O ShutUp 10, but for some reason something keeps enabling the "run apps in the background" feature. Now I'm considering to uninstall certain apps via O&O AppBuster but I would rather avoid this plus Windows Store can't be uninstalled. Seriously this whole UWP app thing is a disaster.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-prevent-apps-running-background-windows-10
https://www.oo-software.com/en/ooappbuster

 

Excellent reminder! I was trying to delete another expiring cert. and couldn't find it, not even with certmgr.msc. In hindsight, that was a blessing in disguise. Won't touch any of them now just for the sake of a clean Event Viewer.

 

AdDuplex: Windows 10 version 20H2 crosses 10% usage as 1909 falls again
December 29, 2020
https://www.neowin.net/news/adduplex-windows-10-version-20h2-crosses-10-usage-as-1909-falls-again

AdDuplex Report for December 2020

 

Easiest is Option One here?: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7225-turn-off-background-apps-windows-10-a.html

 

Thanks for the link, the standard solution doesn't help. But it looks like there are some possible solutions mentioned in the discussion about this issue, so thanks again. Seems like I'm not the only one with this problem. It looks like you will need to add some registry keys to solve it. M$ should be ashamed of themselves for creating such a ridiculous problem.

 

But for the large majority its not a problem at all. My theory is the less you mess with Windows, the better it will run. Of course I turn off many settings, but that's about it.

 

Yes correct, most people don't care about this stuff, but I'm a geek who wants to be in full control. But don't forget, Win 10 actually gives you an option to block apps from running in the background, but it seems to ignore it. I'm running an older Win 10 version so I don't know if this is fixed or not.

But anyway, you were right, I shouldn't have messed with it because after applying a couple of those tweaks, I did manage to solve it, but UWP apps wouldn't run at all anymore. I couldn't even configure Win Defender, it refused to launch. Applying certain tweaks really shouldn't be able to break Windows.

I have spent hours trying to fix it but in the end I had to use Windows Reset LOL. Of course it also took me a couple of hours extra to install and configure all of my favorite apps again. Luckily Win Reset did save my files in the Download and Documents folder and it also saved most of my Windows settings.

https://www.theverge.com/21264104/windows-10-reset-os-reboot-troubleshoot-microsoft

 

I really believe it has to do with the app.

I have observed that the first time an app is used, it is immediately set thereafter to run in the background. Calculator is such an example. However when I turned it off manually to not run in the background, it stuck on Win 10 20H2.

On the other hand, I had persistent issues with Xbox constantly dialing out although I never used the app. Tried everything to stop the activity to no avail. Finally, I just uninstalled Xbox which did the trick.

 

So you're saying that this bug still isn't fixed? Keep in mind that it happens with UWP apps that are already installed, so they are not third party apps. Also, even without manually running them, they just load in the background for no reason.

I tried to fix this by disabling "delayed starting" of apps and I also used PowerShell to re-register all apps and that somehow broke all UWP apps, they couldn't run at all anymore, what a joke. So seems like it's not fixable. I can only succesfully disable the old non-Chromium Edge from running in the background.

https://www.technipages.com/windows-10-configure-which-apps-can-run-in-the-background
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials...pps-windows-10-a-post1445610.html#post1445610
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/69693-enable-disable-startup-delay-windows-10-a.html

 

How to download the latest Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...oad-the-latest-windows-10-iso-from-microsoft/

 

No. I stated I never had any issues with disabling apps that run in the background.

 

Well, I don't know what happened but all of a sudden it does work. Seems like the key is to keep "running in background of apps" enabled and then to individually disable them. Weird because I believe I already tried this before the factory reset.

But I'm glad this seems to be fixed, I can run UWP apps and they don't seem to run in the background when closed. And they also don't automatically load in the background. I did keep the Windows Security app enabled because I was afraid it would once again break my ability to configure Win Defender and Win SmartScreen.

 

One Outlook to rule them all!
Mrk

 

Microsoft hints at a big Windows 10 upgrade with visual revamp
January 4, 2021
https://www.windowslatest.com/2021/01/04/microsoft-teases-big-windows-10-upgrade-with-visual-revamp/

 

I don't know whether to be excited or terrified. When MS announces 'big changes,' it usually results in months of fixes, repairs, rollbacks, and assorted other screwups.

 

If they dump Outlook and replace it with a web app I won't be buying Office anymore as Outlook is the only thing that keeps me doing so. There are reasonable free alternatives for the rest of the programs.

 

It's just the other way round here. I only use MS 365 because I like Word and Excel; I just don't like the Word/Excel alternatives I have seen so far. However, I don't like Outlook because it is way too cluttered. I don't like Web-based email apps either, but if Outlook One is less cluttered and complex than current versions of Outlook, I may be tempted to give it a try.