It will work and is more than likely overkill. I just ran the earlier version of the update uninstall script, hid the telemetry and Windows 10 updates and haven't been bothered with Windows 10 notices again. It is turning to a choice of what corporation gets to funnel your data in the commercial OS world. As bad as I find the the data mininig, what I really don't like is the increasing limiting of choice and the forced updates. That is not just in Windows but Windows 10 is a glaring example. There is some real developer/corporate arrogance towards users happening. Whether it's Windows or the latest version of Opera, choices that users formerly had are being taken away by developers.
I want my computer use to be fun and reward my time spent on it with a feeling of satisfaction. I don't want to feel the need to prove I am a super user able to "beat" windows (if a person even could). If you scan through this thread and look at members with 500+ posts you pretty much see the same common theme here. You can either keep beating yourself up just trying to feel safe with Windows, OR, you can dump it and relax with Linux after a small learning curve.
If I need to use Windows for anything private, I use an installer that's not linked to me, and I only let it see the Internet via Tor (using a Tor-gateway VM).
Whatever's in the blah, blah, blah M$ W7 EULA. I want the basic right to decide once & for all whether I want or DON'T want W10! Not M$ turning switches back on in the registry & obfuscating W10 upgrade updates.
I have Window7 and have set it to tell me when Microsoft updates are available but let me decide when to update. I only update Important or critical ones and all optional ones are removed from the list. I also do not like the apparent sneakiness that Microsoft is now using or the non explanation of what the optional ones are actually trying to accomplish. Always, Wildman
Indeed. It's also possible to temporarily enable networking (disabling shared folders), on a snapshotted Windows VM, in order to update, add software, activate it and so on. As long as you don't "do" anything else in those update sessions, and you save a new snapshot, the world is none the wiser what you really do in normal sessions (where networking is not available).
@deBoetie A word of warning, if you're saying what I think you're saying. In my experience, it's easy to accidentally merge later changes in the GUI, ruining your snapshot. Edit: err, you'd probably be using VBoxManage for such things anyway. More easily scripted, etc. But yeah, I'm not sure I'd advise using snapshots from the GUI, if security/privacy is at stake.
Thanks, this is a good point and does indeed need care, so that's a good warning to have for people. The way I run is to keep canonical snapshots available (the clean ones), and either revert to them when it comes to update, or else run live systems that revert to the canonical every time. This is still OK if you run shared folders because that allows user data persistence (at the risk of having that user data potentially exposed to session-malware - which is not too bad if there's no network for the VM). Or you can just copy the data you want to retain from the session onto other VMs or the host as you wish.
I switched over from Windows 7 to Linux Mint and I will never go back. Cinnamon has a similar look and feel to Win7 and a better start menu. Are you using programs that are exclusive to Windows with no Linux alternative? My advice is to give Mint Cinnamon a chance. A couple hours getting familiar with it is better than a lifetime of worry and sorting through Windows Update files, especially for a self-proclaimed "lazy" person.
@MisterB - Yeah, I guess it's a bit overboard but I figure good to give it some breathing room as it seems MS is really being persistent in getting people to upgrade, or at the least, have earlier versions assimilated by 10. Honestly at this point, what is the harm if updates are completely locked down? Silly question sure as the answer is obvious, but I mean it like, if one is careful enough with their PC... Uses a VPN, has other security \ privacy measures like a linux based router, PFS, etc, beefed up firewalls and security apps... Would that not be sufficient? @wildman - Yep, which is why I'm pretty much considering just turning off WU completely. At this point, let alone in a few months, who knows how far they'll go? @pikachuu - Oh I know, my one acquaintance loves to go on about it, but for a litany of other reasons, the start menu alone is a bit to be desired. Tried to find a third party app or a way to modify it to XPish but no such luck so far. And no, the programs I'm using more than likely have an alternative in Linux. And yep, that's why like I said, I'm thinking about just cutting off updates completely and beefing my security \ privacy apparatus up a notch! BAM
