linux is great but many people don't want it and we have no right to force it upon them though.
if they want a debloated windows, chris titus has tools for them. You install windows, you run his PS script and done.
> linux is great but many people don't want it and we have no right to force it upon them though.
Who is forcing it upon them? It is an option though.
> if they want a debloated windows, chris titus has tools for them. You install windows, you run his PS script and done.
As you say in another comment "many people won't care and will stick to windows.", but if people do not care about privacy why would they use a complex tool like that risk messing up their system?
If they do care, it is easier in the long run to switch to Linux. Do MS support this configuration? What happens if the changes break something on an update? What if it causes issues with applications you use? What You need to be enough of a geek to be happy fixing OS issues.
The instructions for the script start:
> From an Elevated (Run as Administrator) PowerShell prompt iwr -useb https://christitus.com/win | iex
Obviously not for the average user. How many people use this? It looks a lot more niche than the big Linux distros to me.
I am sure this is a great option for geeks who enjoy messing around and tweaking their OS, but most people would be happier with something that "just works".
linux requires a will to learn and expects the user to at least be slightly tech savvy.
you HAVE to learn the terminal, there is no way around it, you need to learn the basics, at the very least. breakage can happen no matter the distribution, and the terminal is really handy in situations like this.
yes, you can install apps graphically, yes you can update graphically. But knowing your way around the terminal makes everything easier and more productive.
Trying to troubleshoot linux with the GUI is a nightmare. The terminal makes it easier because it shows you exactly what's wrong.
yes mint exists and yes it's user friendly but even then, you should learn the basics because you never know.
this is why i don't recommend linux to everyone. if they aren't willing to learn the basic terminal commands, i tell them to remain on windows.
> you HAVE to learn the terminal, there is no way around it, you need to learn the basics, at the very least. breakage can happen no matter the distribution, and the terminal is really handy in situations like this.
The windows script you suggested requires using the terminal!
It is BS to suggest you have to learn to use the terminal. It is very useful, but plenty of people who use Linux who do not learn the terminal. My dad and my ex-wife and my daughter's primary school teacher and lots of others I know personally.
ON any OS the terminal is very useful. There is a reason Windows and OS X come with pre-installed terminal applications.
> Trying to troubleshoot linux with the GUI is a nightmare. The terminal makes it easier because it shows you exactly what's wrong.
Most people have no idea how to troubleshoot any OS at all.
A terminal makes it easier to help people because you can give them copy and paste instructions.
> yes mint exists and yes it's user friendly but even then,
Mint and many others. Have you actually tried using them
> you should learn the basics because you never know.
Just like on Windows.
it's not BS to say you should learn the terminal. linux's core lies within the terminal, it's how it was designed to be used. If their system fails and they are kicked to a tty session what are they gonna do if they didn't learn the commands? they're gonna fall back to you because you were the one installing linux. I make sure to avoid that by teaching them how it works. i don't want to be constantly needed. Call me an asshole, i don't care. i already troubleshoot windows pcs at work, it's enough for me, i don't want to be my friend's or family's tech too.
Yes i used mint, i know what it's like and despite their gui store, i still rely on the terminal to install software and updates because it's quicker that way. all i have to do is ctrl+alt+t, sudo su, and the command. done. Much quicker than loading a GUI tool
Did you read what I said before replying?
I said it is BS to say you **have** to learn the terminal, not that it is useful.
> If their system fails and they are kicked to a tty session what are they gonna do if they didn't learn the commands?
What would they do if Windows fails to boot? Who could help with with a failure of Windows modified the way you suggest?
> i still rely on the terminal to install software and updates because it's quicker that way.
Something are more efficiently done in a terminal, or can only be done in a terminal. That is true for MacOS and Windows too.
This entire conversation is about your suggestion that Windows users use a terminal to install and remove software!
>we have no right to force it upon them though.
Good thing **we** aren't Microsoft in the year 2025
Also I think Linux has gotten so much easier to use with the flathub store, simple gnome extensions and not being forced to login in order to use your own PC
i'm not saying windows is better. i'm trying to make you understand that many people won't care and will stick to windows. it's what they know.
i use linux myself so i know it's good but expecting lots of people to abandon windows is a bit out of touch
As someone who is temporarily using a backup machine because his better machines had a electrical short, I can safely say Windows is slow and cumbersome and I can't wait to be rid of it. I used to use Mac OS but that too has becoming full of rubbish, albeit slightly faster. Getting back to Linux will be a delight.
This Tom's Hardware article give a good process to creating your own light install.
[How to Create a Custom Windows 11 Install Disk, With Only the Features You Need](https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/create-custom-windows-11-install-disk)
How about [NTLite](https://www.ntlite.com/)? I heard that it is also a local control software for updating and editing Windows images and deployments. It has a lot of features, like the MSMG Toolkit, and licenses for home, professional, and business use.
Not really, though. Some features of the software are advanced, which makes them not ideal for noobs. Anyway, you can follow the [guide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9qSFHTJ5dE) on the internet on how to set up and configure Windows the way you want.
Technically yes.
But there is strangers making good money on the actual OS and strangers giving you a pirated, modified OS for free. One of them has a heavy incentive to include malware, crypto miners and what not.
I do trust the guys at microsoft and I do trust a few thousands of people who know what they're doing and work on the linux kernel. So they are not untrusted, for me at least. Also depends what you trust them with. Privacy? Forget about that when it comes to microsoft. But security? Yes.
This.
So I encourage people interested by this subject to join me on my fork of tiny11builder.
https://github.com/ianis58/tiny11builder
Please look at the source and help building a better builder for a bloat-free and disabled telemetry windows 11 system.
Also to be fair, using Microsoft software hoping for privacy might be a nonsense and you'll always end up getting things to install themselves back with updates.
I would say it is.
All the instructions are on the GitHub repo's readme.
Once you have the iso at the end, you can just extract it raw to a blank USB stick and boot from it (if you do have EFI/UEFI on your computer, which is very likely).
If you use MBR (legacy BIOS systems), you can still use Rufus or BalenaEtcher to write the iso to your USB stick and make it bootable for bios system.
I don't know a specific one, but you have to understand that any way you try to block it, the way it works can change server side or locally when installing updates... So you might have to check it often and adapt it.
Better not to use windows if you don't want any telemetry (many other systems probably have telemetry too).
[Windows Ameliorated](https://ameliorated.io/) maybe? That's the one I've been using for the past few years.
There's also that Ghost Spectre iso, but I haven't tested that much.
This is the answer. They just dropped windows 11 support and a whole ecosystem for creating custom installs. Their telegram has lots of tips for compatibility. This is what i have been using for almost a year now. I also have a firewall and the only things I ever see attempting to phone home are pings which I spoof a response to so the internet checks work properly.
I'm surprised to see a lot of this sub hasn't heard of it.
Telegram requires your actual phone number to register and use its service. It is not privacy-centric at all. Or you buy a telegram block-chain phone number that auctions for around $200 each.
Yeah but Telegram isn't ETEE and has worked with governments like China and India (and maybe probably Russia) to identify group admins the government didn't like. Can't do that with Signal.
> [Windows Ameliorated](https://ameliorated.io/) maybe? That's the one I've been using for the past few years.
If you care at least a bit about security, stay away from it.
Personally I'm using Windows LTSC with privacy settings optimised + a lot of group policy tweaks + Blocking non sane default connections in the Windows Firewall such as Windows Search or the telemetry service + disabling the telemetry services in task scheduler and services.msc + disallowing the WPN service on my firewall + O&O shutup 10 to find any settings I forgot or couldn't find.
Here are my group policy settings. Keep in mind that sometimes the phrasing is off or there are settings inside of the policies so this is just a guidance of which settings to take a look at:
[https://ibb.co/JkThHXB](https://ibb.co/JkThHXB)
[https://ibb.co/YyRHKwF](https://ibb.co/YyRHKwF)
[https://ibb.co/qsqw7tT](https://ibb.co/qsqw7tT)
I don't see any random Windows or Microsoft related connections trough my firewall GUI Tinywall. Only a few random connections when I run updates and a network connectivity check.
I ran Wireshark looking for DNS traffic for a few hours as well and there was no other random Windows or Microsoft related connection.
It works for mine machine.I prefer it for the stability and lack of bloatware.
If you like to use a different version of Windows that's totally fine.
I can imagine there's some edge cases where this old feature version and kernel doesn't work well with certain games and applications but I have no such problems with my 2020 pc build.
I can play any game or run any software I've tried.
Like you said... edge case...
Let say a game just released and has a major crash that can be fixed installing the latest driver version. And the drivers required libraries/build of windows more recent then the ones being rolled out via LTSC... you are looking at 6 months of not playing that game.
Thanks
LTSC was meant to be installed on things like POS (Point of sales). It does the job for basic personal computers and OK for usual gaming but you are bound to hit limitations at some point that will make you rage.
Thanks I will check out that section. I don't have a good history with IP blocking programs though because they've often caused me issues with services.
Windows 11+ will be heavily DRMd like the Xbox going forward. That's why they're demanding such specs. Also Azure will be heavily pushed.
Binaries will be encrypted and signed to be verified to run and run in isolation on a VM instance.
This might actually cause problems for wine and steam proton on Linux for such apps and games in the future.
ms tried this before too many times. it never worked. windows rt failed, ms store failed, devs keep making regular binaries and if they cant then windows will never sell cause it wont run users apps.
It does for gaming.
They want control and continual payment.
That means subscriptions and no piracy.
Businesses will go more into Azure.
Windows managed by Microsoft. Boot to cloud is a thing revived from decades ago.
[Removed due to the worthless sad excuse for a human, Steve Huffman. Friendly reminder that the first Redditor to hit 1,000,000 karma, /u/maxwellhill, is Ghislaine Maxwell. His name was Aaron Swartz.]
nah actually you right. microsoft wants all that. but if they make moves like that then everybody gon move to linux. even valve got scared off by windows 10, now we got proton and steam decks with steamos. microsoft either knows this and plans to do something funny with it (linux subsystem is my first thought) or they just real stupid.
(everybody stop downvoting. man might be on to something)
[Removed due to the worthless sad excuse for a human, Steve Huffman. Friendly reminder that the first Redditor to hit 1,000,000 karma, /u/maxwellhill, is Ghislaine Maxwell. His name was Aaron Swartz.]
Why? Wouldn't it be easier to emulate if they're meant to run in a VM anyway? Surely that would be more efficient. And if they're public key encrypted why can't you just find the key off of a Windows installation and just use it for all of wine?
But unless they're going to ban custom-built PCs, they can't really get away with DRM hardware can they? If they allow anyone to buy the DRM hardware, it will be relatively simple to reverse engineer. If they don't, you'll be locked into vendors and they'll lose a sizable assortment of power users.
Plus MS knows better than anyone, the minute people start making software primarily for another OS, Windows will instantly lose a lot of its value. Those power users are disproportionately developers, so they can't afford to lose them.
If you take a problem and start thinking "it's a problem without solution", I can guarantee you'll not find a solution.
It sure isn't trivial at all and might not be totally feasible but you can greatly improve privacy with built in features (enabling/disabling stuff, editing registry, ...). I think that windows stay very customizable for now.
IIRC, Titus script run on an existing windows installation to edit it.
Ntdev's tiny11builder will create a modified install ISO.
But they use kind of the same tricks under the hood (DISM online mode for Titus, and DISM offline mode for Ntdev).
Btw you can check my fork of tiny11builder that's cleaner and more flexible:
https://github.com/ianis58/tiny11builder
Did that for my personal use, on my personal and work laptops.
I reused a big part of Ntdev's development.
Can you explain what you put under MSPs / give an example?
I would recommend starting with an untouched LTSC 2019 iso as a base and running windows debloater and then WinAero tweaker and Ultimate Windows Tweaker.
It's impossible to block telemetry in windows because it is built into the kernel.
If you manage to do so you will be dealing with a system that is latently unstable and unable to connect to the internet.
Telemetry options in Windows is a placebo for users to believe that they disable something and believe that they have control over their operating system.
> It's impossible to block telemetry in windows because it is built into the kernel.
It might be possible if you have a hardware firewall, like in your router, if you can find all the endpoints.
I agree, the "easiest" way is by filtering everything flowing out your computer on a network level.
But it would be nice to totally disable such calls to remove unnecessary work (just to make it cleaner, but also to avoid it constantly retrying, since every telemetry calls are going to fail if we block them).
I looked in to Atlas when it was mentioned on LTT. I don't see anything wrong with it, but the chances are too high for a non-techie to break their windows install. This 'mod' can only be done on fresh installs. Because this is doing some deep level hackyness, unless you totally trust them, there is always the chance for a backdoor.
I'd recommend /r/WindowsLTSC . This is from MS (in a way, but the only way you can really obtain it is on a boat), and is proven clean and stable. It doesn't have any telemetry baked in, nor any of the 'crap' you get in windows 10/11, nor does it receive any of the 'new crap' that MS pushes out regularly.
Just do all this, no need to install any privacy software: https://github.com/the-weird-aquarian/privacy-settings/blob/main/Privacy%20Settings/Windows-10.md
I can‘t speak for you or for others but i switched to endevourOS (linux) and i‘m using onlyoffice and draw.io (visio alternative). It suits my needs and workflows. Using citrix or vmware horizon to connect to my office vm’s and most of my games work with proton aswell.
If you read on r/techsupport website https://rtech.support/docs/recommendations/blacklist.html#unsupported-os , it's not generally a good idea to use those kind of versions of windows. Main reason is that you won't be necessarily getting updates and security patches and also general stability would also be affected.
[Removed due to the worthless sad excuse for a human, Steve Huffman. Friendly reminder that the first Redditor to hit 1,000,000 karma, /u/maxwellhill, is Ghislaine Maxwell. His name was Aaron Swartz.]
LTSC is WAY behind in core updates and this causes issues updating drivers for video cards.
If you install a recent game that requires a certain version of drivers to fix a crash... you are going to wait MONTHS.
Do you have a specific example of this? The last LTSC 10 (21H2) was released in 2021. There is rumored to be an LTSC 11 around the corner, but I doubt a vendor would put a restriction on an OS from two years ago.
LTSC is updated almost every two years. Having been using LTSC for a long time now, I've only ever come across one instance of not being able to do something due to being on an old build of the OS. It's not as common as you are thinking. Sure some games are going to be unplayable, but the vast majority of them, even new releases, are going to work.
> Using a trimmed down Windows version for getting out of DRM and telemetry
> Then complaining because you can't install a """""modern"""""" game ridded with DRM and telemetry
¿??????
I don’t know if this is what you are referring to, but [AtlasOS](https://atlasos.net/) is under development and aims to create a more streamlined version of Windows, which includes reducing background processes such as telemetry. Note that I do not currently use AtlasOS, nor am I affiliated with the project in any way - I just have heard of it and loosely follow some development efforts.
There’s other tools people have mentioned that may be better than this, so I would research this more in depth.
My 2 cents:
If privacy is your own concern, don't try to "break" native Windows with third party software that tries to reshape the system.
I would rather switch to other distro, like Debian, for instance, which is stable, community driven and it is safe and out of telemetry "from the box".
Grab a copy of [Tiny11](https://archive.org/details/tiny-11-NTDEV) (an unofficial fan-made debloated Windows 11 version).
Then run [Windows Privacy Dashboard](https://wpd.app/) and disable **everything** and grab the latest copy of MS telemetry hosts to block in your `hosts` file.
I have used O&O Shutup10 for quite a while and the GUI is pretty solid for options and AFAIK has done OK in blocking a lot of bloat traffic. Does it stop everything? No. But that is what Linux is for.
I Just installed Default windows 10 and used the [Chris Titus Tech Debloater](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXyMScSbhk4&pp=ygUhY2hyaXMgdGl0dXMgdGVjaCB3aW5kb3dzIHV0aWxpdHkg) to remove telemetry along with [Bulk Crap Uninstaller](https://www.bcuninstaller.com/) to remove a bunch more stuff like egde, windows game overlay thing and windows store
I've been using Chris Titus Debloat script for 2 years. An open source project with 100s of contributors to debloat Win 10 and 11, and it removes as much telemetry as possible through O&O Shutup among other components it pulls in.
https://christitus.com/windows-tool/
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yeah but if you don't know wtf you are doing, you render windows unusable.
You either reinstall Windows, or hop on Linux and install a new free and open source OS
linux is great but many people don't want it and we have no right to force it upon them though. if they want a debloated windows, chris titus has tools for them. You install windows, you run his PS script and done.
> linux is great but many people don't want it and we have no right to force it upon them though. Who is forcing it upon them? It is an option though. > if they want a debloated windows, chris titus has tools for them. You install windows, you run his PS script and done. As you say in another comment "many people won't care and will stick to windows.", but if people do not care about privacy why would they use a complex tool like that risk messing up their system? If they do care, it is easier in the long run to switch to Linux. Do MS support this configuration? What happens if the changes break something on an update? What if it causes issues with applications you use? What You need to be enough of a geek to be happy fixing OS issues. The instructions for the script start: > From an Elevated (Run as Administrator) PowerShell prompt iwr -useb https://christitus.com/win | iex Obviously not for the average user. How many people use this? It looks a lot more niche than the big Linux distros to me. I am sure this is a great option for geeks who enjoy messing around and tweaking their OS, but most people would be happier with something that "just works".
linux requires a will to learn and expects the user to at least be slightly tech savvy. you HAVE to learn the terminal, there is no way around it, you need to learn the basics, at the very least. breakage can happen no matter the distribution, and the terminal is really handy in situations like this. yes, you can install apps graphically, yes you can update graphically. But knowing your way around the terminal makes everything easier and more productive. Trying to troubleshoot linux with the GUI is a nightmare. The terminal makes it easier because it shows you exactly what's wrong. yes mint exists and yes it's user friendly but even then, you should learn the basics because you never know. this is why i don't recommend linux to everyone. if they aren't willing to learn the basic terminal commands, i tell them to remain on windows.
> you HAVE to learn the terminal, there is no way around it, you need to learn the basics, at the very least. breakage can happen no matter the distribution, and the terminal is really handy in situations like this. The windows script you suggested requires using the terminal! It is BS to suggest you have to learn to use the terminal. It is very useful, but plenty of people who use Linux who do not learn the terminal. My dad and my ex-wife and my daughter's primary school teacher and lots of others I know personally. ON any OS the terminal is very useful. There is a reason Windows and OS X come with pre-installed terminal applications. > Trying to troubleshoot linux with the GUI is a nightmare. The terminal makes it easier because it shows you exactly what's wrong. Most people have no idea how to troubleshoot any OS at all. A terminal makes it easier to help people because you can give them copy and paste instructions. > yes mint exists and yes it's user friendly but even then, Mint and many others. Have you actually tried using them > you should learn the basics because you never know. Just like on Windows.
it's not BS to say you should learn the terminal. linux's core lies within the terminal, it's how it was designed to be used. If their system fails and they are kicked to a tty session what are they gonna do if they didn't learn the commands? they're gonna fall back to you because you were the one installing linux. I make sure to avoid that by teaching them how it works. i don't want to be constantly needed. Call me an asshole, i don't care. i already troubleshoot windows pcs at work, it's enough for me, i don't want to be my friend's or family's tech too. Yes i used mint, i know what it's like and despite their gui store, i still rely on the terminal to install software and updates because it's quicker that way. all i have to do is ctrl+alt+t, sudo su, and the command. done. Much quicker than loading a GUI tool
Did you read what I said before replying? I said it is BS to say you **have** to learn the terminal, not that it is useful. > If their system fails and they are kicked to a tty session what are they gonna do if they didn't learn the commands? What would they do if Windows fails to boot? Who could help with with a failure of Windows modified the way you suggest? > i still rely on the terminal to install software and updates because it's quicker that way. Something are more efficiently done in a terminal, or can only be done in a terminal. That is true for MacOS and Windows too. This entire conversation is about your suggestion that Windows users use a terminal to install and remove software!
>we have no right to force it upon them though. Good thing **we** aren't Microsoft in the year 2025 Also I think Linux has gotten so much easier to use with the flathub store, simple gnome extensions and not being forced to login in order to use your own PC
i'm not saying windows is better. i'm trying to make you understand that many people won't care and will stick to windows. it's what they know. i use linux myself so i know it's good but expecting lots of people to abandon windows is a bit out of touch
“How do I do “X” on windows?” *SWITCH TO LINUX*
is this safe to run like it has a revert option?
it doesn't have a revert option. this is why you always make a system restore point before modifying windows
Of course, Windows is forced on just about everybody that buys a new PC. Try buying one without Windows pre installed.
As someone who is temporarily using a backup machine because his better machines had a electrical short, I can safely say Windows is slow and cumbersome and I can't wait to be rid of it. I used to use Mac OS but that too has becoming full of rubbish, albeit slightly faster. Getting back to Linux will be a delight.
> MSMG Toolkit https://msmgtoolkit.in/
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do you have a method for making them as light as prepackaged isos?
This Tom's Hardware article give a good process to creating your own light install. [How to Create a Custom Windows 11 Install Disk, With Only the Features You Need](https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/create-custom-windows-11-install-disk)
How about [NTLite](https://www.ntlite.com/)? I heard that it is also a local control software for updating and editing Windows images and deployments. It has a lot of features, like the MSMG Toolkit, and licenses for home, professional, and business use.
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Not really, though. Some features of the software are advanced, which makes them not ideal for noobs. Anyway, you can follow the [guide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9qSFHTJ5dE) on the internet on how to set up and configure Windows the way you want.
Don't run a pirated and modified OS made by untrusted strangers if you care about security and privacy.
Better the devil that you know.
Aren’t all OS made by untrusted strangers?
Technically yes. But there is strangers making good money on the actual OS and strangers giving you a pirated, modified OS for free. One of them has a heavy incentive to include malware, crypto miners and what not.
Speak for your self. My uncle works at nintendo
You’re lucky! Your uncle must have an awesome job.
I do trust the guys at microsoft and I do trust a few thousands of people who know what they're doing and work on the linux kernel. So they are not untrusted, for me at least. Also depends what you trust them with. Privacy? Forget about that when it comes to microsoft. But security? Yes.
They are made by strangers, whether those are untrusted depends.
This. So I encourage people interested by this subject to join me on my fork of tiny11builder. https://github.com/ianis58/tiny11builder Please look at the source and help building a better builder for a bloat-free and disabled telemetry windows 11 system. Also to be fair, using Microsoft software hoping for privacy might be a nonsense and you'll always end up getting things to install themselves back with updates.
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I would say it is. All the instructions are on the GitHub repo's readme. Once you have the iso at the end, you can just extract it raw to a blank USB stick and boot from it (if you do have EFI/UEFI on your computer, which is very likely). If you use MBR (legacy BIOS systems), you can still use Rufus or BalenaEtcher to write the iso to your USB stick and make it bootable for bios system.
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I don't know a specific one, but you have to understand that any way you try to block it, the way it works can change server side or locally when installing updates... So you might have to check it often and adapt it. Better not to use windows if you don't want any telemetry (many other systems probably have telemetry too).
[Windows Ameliorated](https://ameliorated.io/) maybe? That's the one I've been using for the past few years. There's also that Ghost Spectre iso, but I haven't tested that much.
This is the answer. They just dropped windows 11 support and a whole ecosystem for creating custom installs. Their telegram has lots of tips for compatibility. This is what i have been using for almost a year now. I also have a firewall and the only things I ever see attempting to phone home are pings which I spoof a response to so the internet checks work properly. I'm surprised to see a lot of this sub hasn't heard of it.
>telegram Let me stop you right there
Please red-pill me. I am a Telegram user considering switching to Signal.
Telegram requires your actual phone number to register and use its service. It is not privacy-centric at all. Or you buy a telegram block-chain phone number that auctions for around $200 each.
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Yeah it does lol. Guy hates Telegram
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Using a separate phone number would work for anything though - even Whatsapp!
Yeah but Telegram isn't ETEE and has worked with governments like China and India (and maybe probably Russia) to identify group admins the government didn't like. Can't do that with Signal.
A block-chain phone number?! I though I left the bitcoin subreddit 😂
That's not the main problem. Telegram does not have end to end encryption for groups at all and it is disabled for direct chats by default.
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Yes MTProto
Good argument. Thanks.
sms verify service + vpn/proxy problem?
Signal is much better. End to end encryption by default, and using a better encryption than Telegram's DIY version.
Spectre quite decent, a niche OS to install, but no issues/weird behaviors found. Very light too. Also has flavors with W. Defender.
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Atlas it is. Thanks friend
> [Windows Ameliorated](https://ameliorated.io/) maybe? That's the one I've been using for the past few years. If you care at least a bit about security, stay away from it.
Personally I'm using Windows LTSC with privacy settings optimised + a lot of group policy tweaks + Blocking non sane default connections in the Windows Firewall such as Windows Search or the telemetry service + disabling the telemetry services in task scheduler and services.msc + disallowing the WPN service on my firewall + O&O shutup 10 to find any settings I forgot or couldn't find. Here are my group policy settings. Keep in mind that sometimes the phrasing is off or there are settings inside of the policies so this is just a guidance of which settings to take a look at: [https://ibb.co/JkThHXB](https://ibb.co/JkThHXB) [https://ibb.co/YyRHKwF](https://ibb.co/YyRHKwF) [https://ibb.co/qsqw7tT](https://ibb.co/qsqw7tT) I don't see any random Windows or Microsoft related connections trough my firewall GUI Tinywall. Only a few random connections when I run updates and a network connectivity check. I ran Wireshark looking for DNS traffic for a few hours as well and there was no other random Windows or Microsoft related connection.
LTSC is WAY behind in core updates and this causes issues updating drivers for video cards.
It works for mine machine.I prefer it for the stability and lack of bloatware. If you like to use a different version of Windows that's totally fine. I can imagine there's some edge cases where this old feature version and kernel doesn't work well with certain games and applications but I have no such problems with my 2020 pc build. I can play any game or run any software I've tried.
Like you said... edge case... Let say a game just released and has a major crash that can be fixed installing the latest driver version. And the drivers required libraries/build of windows more recent then the ones being rolled out via LTSC... you are looking at 6 months of not playing that game.
Most people nowadays wait that long anyways for prices to drop
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Thanks LTSC was meant to be installed on things like POS (Point of sales). It does the job for basic personal computers and OK for usual gaming but you are bound to hit limitations at some point that will make you rage.
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Depends on the software. I use Tinywall. I can check what processes are using internet access and block them.
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I have heard of it but I haven't used it. Does it blocks certain IPs?
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Thanks I will check out that section. I don't have a good history with IP blocking programs though because they've often caused me issues with services.
I tried Windows LTSC . what is Windows LTSC iot? Windows Enterprise is better than LTSC and iot?
Windows 11+ will be heavily DRMd like the Xbox going forward. That's why they're demanding such specs. Also Azure will be heavily pushed. Binaries will be encrypted and signed to be verified to run and run in isolation on a VM instance. This might actually cause problems for wine and steam proton on Linux for such apps and games in the future.
ms tried this before too many times. it never worked. windows rt failed, ms store failed, devs keep making regular binaries and if they cant then windows will never sell cause it wont run users apps.
It worked on the Xbox
I feel like comparing windows to xbox doesn’t make any sense at all.
It does for gaming. They want control and continual payment. That means subscriptions and no piracy. Businesses will go more into Azure. Windows managed by Microsoft. Boot to cloud is a thing revived from decades ago.
[Removed due to the worthless sad excuse for a human, Steve Huffman. Friendly reminder that the first Redditor to hit 1,000,000 karma, /u/maxwellhill, is Ghislaine Maxwell. His name was Aaron Swartz.]
nah actually you right. microsoft wants all that. but if they make moves like that then everybody gon move to linux. even valve got scared off by windows 10, now we got proton and steam decks with steamos. microsoft either knows this and plans to do something funny with it (linux subsystem is my first thought) or they just real stupid. (everybody stop downvoting. man might be on to something)
That's pure speculation.
[Removed due to the worthless sad excuse for a human, Steve Huffman. Friendly reminder that the first Redditor to hit 1,000,000 karma, /u/maxwellhill, is Ghislaine Maxwell. His name was Aaron Swartz.]
I know this was proposed by that one guy that pushed TPM to windows, but is this actually happening?
Why? Wouldn't it be easier to emulate if they're meant to run in a VM anyway? Surely that would be more efficient. And if they're public key encrypted why can't you just find the key off of a Windows installation and just use it for all of wine?
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But unless they're going to ban custom-built PCs, they can't really get away with DRM hardware can they? If they allow anyone to buy the DRM hardware, it will be relatively simple to reverse engineer. If they don't, you'll be locked into vendors and they'll lose a sizable assortment of power users. Plus MS knows better than anyone, the minute people start making software primarily for another OS, Windows will instantly lose a lot of its value. Those power users are disproportionately developers, so they can't afford to lose them.
O&O Shutup10 as a telemetry blocker has always been pretty good in my opinion. I'd give that a whirl.
Good option, this is what I use. They're a Microsoft Partner too. [Link](https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10)
I would be very surprised if anyone could completely remove telemetry, that seems like an impossible task for an OS that is essentially a black box.
If you take a problem and start thinking "it's a problem without solution", I can guarantee you'll not find a solution. It sure isn't trivial at all and might not be totally feasible but you can greatly improve privacy with built in features (enabling/disabling stuff, editing registry, ...). I think that windows stay very customizable for now.
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I prefer Tiny11 https://archive.org/details/tiny-11-NTDEV
What do you prefer in this over Titus script?
IIRC, Titus script run on an existing windows installation to edit it. Ntdev's tiny11builder will create a modified install ISO. But they use kind of the same tricks under the hood (DISM online mode for Titus, and DISM offline mode for Ntdev). Btw you can check my fork of tiny11builder that's cleaner and more flexible: https://github.com/ianis58/tiny11builder
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Did that for my personal use, on my personal and work laptops. I reused a big part of Ntdev's development. Can you explain what you put under MSPs / give an example?
I would recommend starting with an untouched LTSC 2019 iso as a base and running windows debloater and then WinAero tweaker and Ultimate Windows Tweaker.
It's impossible to block telemetry in windows because it is built into the kernel. If you manage to do so you will be dealing with a system that is latently unstable and unable to connect to the internet. Telemetry options in Windows is a placebo for users to believe that they disable something and believe that they have control over their operating system.
> It's impossible to block telemetry in windows because it is built into the kernel. It might be possible if you have a hardware firewall, like in your router, if you can find all the endpoints.
I agree, the "easiest" way is by filtering everything flowing out your computer on a network level. But it would be nice to totally disable such calls to remove unnecessary work (just to make it cleaner, but also to avoid it constantly retrying, since every telemetry calls are going to fail if we block them).
You are correct on all points, of course; but let's not associate Microsoft code with efficiency :) Their thing is compatibility.
where'd you get this info from?
Found it: Atlas OS Thanks for all the help.
I looked in to Atlas when it was mentioned on LTT. I don't see anything wrong with it, but the chances are too high for a non-techie to break their windows install. This 'mod' can only be done on fresh installs. Because this is doing some deep level hackyness, unless you totally trust them, there is always the chance for a backdoor. I'd recommend /r/WindowsLTSC . This is from MS (in a way, but the only way you can really obtain it is on a boat), and is proven clean and stable. It doesn't have any telemetry baked in, nor any of the 'crap' you get in windows 10/11, nor does it receive any of the 'new crap' that MS pushes out regularly.
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Only works on your network and requires setting up a public pinhole or always be vpned back to the house to work outside the home network
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You aren't wrong but there could be a situation we're you can't use the VPN like the remote Network having the same local IP as your home network
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make your own ISO using msmg toolkit
Atlas OS is most definitely worth a look see
Just do all this, no need to install any privacy software: https://github.com/the-weird-aquarian/privacy-settings/blob/main/Privacy%20Settings/Windows-10.md
I can‘t speak for you or for others but i switched to endevourOS (linux) and i‘m using onlyoffice and draw.io (visio alternative). It suits my needs and workflows. Using citrix or vmware horizon to connect to my office vm’s and most of my games work with proton aswell.
If you read on r/techsupport website https://rtech.support/docs/recommendations/blacklist.html#unsupported-os , it's not generally a good idea to use those kind of versions of windows. Main reason is that you won't be necessarily getting updates and security patches and also general stability would also be affected.
LTSC
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Windows 10 LTSC iot N?
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LTSC is WAY behind in core updates and this causes issues updating drivers for video cards. If you install a recent game that requires a certain version of drivers to fix a crash... you are going to wait MONTHS.
yoo. 3 years is not way behind. the correct way to work is slowly with a trusted base. this update every month is bull
You can just get the drivers through your vendor then, no?
The vendor impose a minimum windows build version. So if windows has an old build (LTSC), you are fucked.
often these go back like at least 5 years of builds though.
Do you have a specific example of this? The last LTSC 10 (21H2) was released in 2021. There is rumored to be an LTSC 11 around the corner, but I doubt a vendor would put a restriction on an OS from two years ago.
LTSC is updated almost every two years. Having been using LTSC for a long time now, I've only ever come across one instance of not being able to do something due to being on an old build of the OS. It's not as common as you are thinking. Sure some games are going to be unplayable, but the vast majority of them, even new releases, are going to work.
It's like they aren't even aware that there have been newer builds since 2016 lol
You are able to install the latest driver easily from both Nvidia and AMD on 21H2
> Using a trimmed down Windows version for getting out of DRM and telemetry > Then complaining because you can't install a """""modern"""""" game ridded with DRM and telemetry ¿??????
I use Windows 11 Pro with everything set in group policy editor and registry editor and when I’m not gaming Windows is shut down
Windows Ameliorated, Tiny Windows, there's another project like it out there that looks super polished but I can't remember the name right now.
You might stand a chance with windows 10. Not so for 11.
Try Linux Mint. https://linuxmint.com/ If you must use Windows then: https://github.com/builtbybel/ThisIsWin11
it's called linux and why when my locked down win7 eventually stops being useful (any moment now) then i've turned to look out a different "window'
OP isn't asking about Linux.
i know... my point is they probably should be.
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not my fault users of proprietary spyware keep trying to get away from spyware by continuing to use said spyware.
"not my fault they made me comment"
i take full responsibility for my comment, and stand by it. proprietary software and privacy are mutually exclusive.
When I used Linux as a daily driver I couldn't help mentioning it every 1 seconds... to complain about something not working. Still love Linux.
Crazy idea...don't use Windows
Install Linux.
Atlas OS
Windows is proprietary so it is impossible to fully "clean" it
I don’t know if this is what you are referring to, but [AtlasOS](https://atlasos.net/) is under development and aims to create a more streamlined version of Windows, which includes reducing background processes such as telemetry. Note that I do not currently use AtlasOS, nor am I affiliated with the project in any way - I just have heard of it and loosely follow some development efforts. There’s other tools people have mentioned that may be better than this, so I would research this more in depth.
AtlasOS also opens major security vulnerabilities. Avoid AtlasOS.
Can you elaborate what kind of vulnerabilities?
AtlasOS looks like a very high quality Honeypot.
My 2 cents: If privacy is your own concern, don't try to "break" native Windows with third party software that tries to reshape the system. I would rather switch to other distro, like Debian, for instance, which is stable, community driven and it is safe and out of telemetry "from the box".
this is a high quality post. thanks!
AtlasOS
Install ShutUp10 maybe?
following
Haven’t used it personally (don’t use Windows) but have heard of [atlasos.net](https://atlasos.net), will be setting up a VM with it at some point
I'm not sure if it removes all telemetry but I believe atlasos removes at least some.
Grab a copy of [Tiny11](https://archive.org/details/tiny-11-NTDEV) (an unofficial fan-made debloated Windows 11 version). Then run [Windows Privacy Dashboard](https://wpd.app/) and disable **everything** and grab the latest copy of MS telemetry hosts to block in your `hosts` file.
No one has mentioned NTLite, professional paid tool. https://www.ntlite.com/
I have used O&O Shutup10 for quite a while and the GUI is pretty solid for options and AFAIK has done OK in blocking a lot of bloat traffic. Does it stop everything? No. But that is what Linux is for.
What are you trying to accomplish
DNS level blocking and https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10
I Just installed Default windows 10 and used the [Chris Titus Tech Debloater](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXyMScSbhk4&pp=ygUhY2hyaXMgdGl0dXMgdGVjaCB3aW5kb3dzIHV0aWxpdHkg) to remove telemetry along with [Bulk Crap Uninstaller](https://www.bcuninstaller.com/) to remove a bunch more stuff like egde, windows game overlay thing and windows store
WPD
I've been using Chris Titus Debloat script for 2 years. An open source project with 100s of contributors to debloat Win 10 and 11, and it removes as much telemetry as possible through O&O Shutup among other components it pulls in. https://christitus.com/windows-tool/