Windows 10 - Bloatware Free Edition

I decided I couldn't do it any more. RS3 is just too much of a horrible mess to put up with. Went back to W10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB. No ISO mod required. No Store crap or worthless apps, no Cortana, no UWP filth. Should have just stayed there instead of wasting my time.



Check out all the worthless garbage that "doesn't function" with N-versions. Glorious, isn't it? You can choose any third-party stuff you want and skip the bundled Micro$uck trashware.

Spoiler: Windows 10 N - BloatFree Edition

Introduction
The "N" editions of Windows 10 include the same functionality as other editions of Windows 10 except for media-related technologies. The N editions don't include Windows Media Player, Skype, or certain preinstalled media apps (Music, Video, Voice Recorder).

If you use N editions of Windows 10, you must install other software from Microsoft or other companies to have this communication functionality; to play or create audio CDs, media files, and video DVDs; to stream music; and to take and store pictures.

New features such as Cortana, Windows Hello, and PDF viewing in the new Edge browser rely on Windows Media files that aren't included in N editions. And some websites and software, such as Windows Store apps or Microsoft Office, use Windows Media-related files that aren't included in N editions.

Users of N editions can make websites and software work correctly by installing the Media Feature Pack for N editions of Windows 10 (KB3133719).
More Information

The media-related features that are not provided in N editions of Windows 10 include, but are not limited to, the following.

• Windows Media Player user experience Enables Windows Media Player features, such as the ability to play media files and audio CDs, manage media in a library, create a playlist, provide media metadata (including album art), create an audio CD, transfer music to a portable music player, and play streamed content from the website.
• Windows Media Player ActiveX control Exposes methods and properties for manipulating multimedia playback from a webpage or an app.
• Windows Media Format Provides support for the Advanced Systems Format (ASF) file container, the Windows Media audio and video codecs, basic network streaming capability, and digital rights management (DRM).
• Windows Media DRM Enables the secure delivery of protected content for playback on a computer, portable device, or network device.
• Media sharing and Play To. Enables music, pictures, and videos on a networked computer to be shared with other computers and devices on the same network. Also enables computers to find those kinds of files on the network.
• Media Foundation Provides support for content protection, audio and video quality, and interoperability for DRM.
• Windows 8.1 Portable Devices (WPD) infrastructure Communicates with attached media and storage devices, including devices that support the Media Transfer Protocol.
• MPEG, WMA, AAC, FLAC, ALAC, AMR, Dolby Digital audio, and Opus codecs Enable playback of digital audio content such as MP3, WMA, MPEG-2 audio, AAC, FLAC, ALAC, AC-3, and Opus.
• VC-1, MPEG-4, H.264, H.265, H.263, and VP9 codecs "Standards-based codec components" that enable Windows 10 software experiences such as Windows Media Player to support activities that include the playback and creation of multimedia files that are encoded with standards-based codecs.
• Groove A preinstalled app that plays digital music.
• Movies & TV A preinstalled app that plays digital video.
• Voice Recorder A preinstalled app for recording sounds.
• Skype A preinstalled app for messaging and communications.

Effect on other features
The following Windows 10 features aren't removed in N editions but are affected by having the media technology removed:

• App Sync: This feature doesn't work.
• OneDrive and Photos: These apps can't play videos.
• Xbox: Some functionality that is associated with this app, such as Game DVR, doesn't work.
• HomeGroup: Integrated media sharing through streaming features doesn't work.
• Webcam: This feature doesn't work.
• Windows Portable Devices: There's no support for media synchronization, image acquisition, or file browsing.
• Windows 10 camera devices: Cameras that use the picture transfer protocol (PTP) don't work.
• Sound Recorder: Recordings are limited to the WAV format.
• Alarms and Clock: Alarm and timer sounds don't play.
• Group Policy for removable disks: This feature doesn't work in N editions of Windows 10 Pro.
• Cortana Personal Assistant: Speech interaction with Cortana doesn't work.
• Windows Store media content: Audio and video content that's obtained through the Store can't be played. Also, preview of audio or video content in the Store doesn't work.
• Wireless Display: This feature doesn't work.
• PDF Viewing in Edge: This feature doesn't work.
• Windows Hello: This feature doesn't work.
• Toast Notifications: Sounds that are set for toast notifications don't work.
• Reset this PC: If you use this feature to reset or refresh a computer that's running an N edition of Windows that has the Media Restore Package installed, the Media Restore Package is lost. The package must be reinstalled to restore missing system binaries.

 

Right click and open / go to file location or search the internet.

Can it be any worse?

 

Tried. Internet search just searches for the word 'program'.

 

And what did you find in file location?

 

Open file location option is disabled.

 

Check it out in your registry or with Autoruns. It could just be some kind of error with a dead shortcut that you can delete. RS3 is just full of goofed up little surprises and land mines like that. It comes as no surprise. Based on the crap I was seeing, RS3 is the worst version of Windoze OS X released so far.

 

How did you get Windows 10 N ? I might test it out rather than go into RS3 (Currently on 5.9 but bored kinda with it) I've been looking everywhere and nothing is coming up.

 

I have Enterprise through a special licensing arrangement, but you can get the N version of Pro using this tool. You will have Windows Search without Cortana the digi-slut. You can install the Media Feature Pack to get Windows Media Player and codecs back without resuscitating the witch and without Store and UWP App crap.

https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/techn...icrosoft-windows-and-office-iso-download-tool

 

@Mr. Fox You can use this link https://tb.rg-adguard.net/index.php
Its more easy to use and everything related to MSFT SW are present there. For Enterprise version, use technet evaluation center in Select Type. Enterprise works in evaluation/trial mode for 90 days afterwards you supply a valid license key to keep its up and running.

 

@Vasudev @Mr. Fox You two geniuses with the fancy OS links know how a lad can get Windows 7 Ultimate N iso? My key does not work on Microsofts website to download the ISO direct, its a legit key though, I think the N version is just wanky with their system in that regard, bought it off Reddit from a trusted Windows/Office mega store type thing. Every ISO creator I try, even the ones you both just linked don't offer the N version for Win 7 Ultimate.

Please advise. I am sticking with 1607 for my main rig, but I have a side rig I would like to use this Win 7 key on, so no rush, just something I want to do someday, just having hard time tracking down the ISO, tried for a few months now.

 

Try this one... http://download-msdn-microsoft.pro/Windows 7 Ultimate N English/x64/

 

I'm not a genius, I'm always last of the pack.
Go to adguard website I linked above and you will see Product Dump, click on it or alternatively use the link https://tb.rg-adguard.net/products.html

 

That would have been my first recommendation, but attempts to download a Windows 7 ISO now show me this:

 

Maybe MSFT found a way to block that generic key that adguard uses to bypass the site. I'll PM scarface asking whether he has bloatware free W7 Ultimate N.

 

@Phoenix I know search is removed or disabled in these versions of 10. Is it possible to get an app, aside from Classic Shell which redos everything to look like 7, to integrate a search bar into the start menu to replace Cortana? I know you mention this everything app, but is this a specific application that needs to be opened to search? Is Classic Shell really the only way to re integrate a search bar into the start menu? I wouldn't necessarily mind making everything look like 7 if that's the only/best option but if I can just put something back in that works for me too.

 

What more do you need?



1) ClassicShell

2) ClassicShell optimized settings to look like Windows 7 XML Configuration File



PS: Yes, Everything, is just for searching any file on your computer but Classic Shell has the built in search functionality in the Start Menu to quickly search for a program

 

Well I just meant to keep everything as is with the Windows 10 look and style etc but just add some sort of search bar back into the 10 start menu. If I need to and it's really the only/best option is to install Classic shell and revert everything back to the 7 style, but I was looking more for a way to leave 10 as is and just have a search function in that start menu but I will look into just replacing everything if that's just the recommended solution.

 

You can't, the biggest Privacy digital **** Cortana is disabled and always will be in the Bloatware Free Edition. If that's a show stopper for you. You might as well just install the standard Windows 10 ISO.

Say No to Cortana



Personally, I never EVER use the search feature in the start menu, because the apps that I frequently use, are all in the most recent apps section of the start menu, even in the stock Windows 10 start menu they would be app at the top provided you enabled the recent apps toggle button in the PC Settings > Personalization > Start Menu (I always uncheck the recently added apps and check the most used apps in that menu)

If there's an app that I rarely use, well I know where it is, it's in the start menu > all programs

You also have the Recent Items in the ClassicShell Start menu so you can easily reopen any recently opened file, that feature is not present in the Windows 10 Start Menu

 

Again, I know Cortana is removed and disabled, which I want. I am not trying to re-add it back in. I was merely looking for a third party option or tool that could add a search feature back into the start button/menu as it's own entity without having to re-enable Cortana, or without installing classic shell to try and make my machine run and look like 7. If that's the only/best solution that's what I will go with but I do not mind (for the most part) Windows 10 look and what not, and since I used my PC for work and work with clients with Windows 10, I'd prefer to have as similar to an experience on my machine as normal users would on their 10 machines so if I am trying to help someone remotely I can go through the motions on my own computer to try and assist or direct someone and not be using a 10 machine, that essentially looks and functions like 7. It looks like I will have to go with classic shell or a standalone third party application, which yes will work and may be snappier but it's just a bit of an inconvenience to launch a separate app than click the start button and if I do not see something there I am looking for, to just start typing it and have it pop up.

 

You have installed the wrong edition of Windows 10 then.

 

@Lunatics
Just use Windows Key + X to bring up the menu in minimalist format, and you know learn to use the search bar in control panel, those two things right there and I have yet to open a start menu in like 4 years now... who needs a start menu? well with RS2 and RS3 you do have to dig a little to pin to taskbar control panel, but meh not hard to find.

 

There's nothing wrong with wanting to do things the exact way that you do them, liking a start menu search option without a full 7 reskin is not "wrong", a simple no would suffice if you do not believe what I am looking for is an option.

 

Why the big love for the modern Wincrap 10 style?
15 reasons to use Classic Shell’s Start Menu in Windows 10

Compare Start Menus:Classic Shell vs Windows 10 and others

10 Ways to Customize Windows 10 With Classic Shell

You can as well Customize Win+X menu in Windows 10 for your liking also.

 

Classic Shell, StartIsBack, Start10... all of them have the search bar that uses classic Windows Search. That is not lost. It's native to Windows without Cortana and not a special feature associated with those better-than-Micro$loth Start menus. Same as Window Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8, you can also search from any open Explorer window, like this...

 

Why do have a page file of 3GB when you've 32GB of RAM?
What happened to f5 tornado? Did you exchange your f5 for f7 tornado?

 

I have a page file of almost 9GB and I have 64GB of RAM. Life has taught me to never try to outsmart Windows when it comes to RAM management

 

Win 10 forgives that mistake these days. Check out Recommended Page File Settings according to Windows and set it. I have set it to 800MB and so far no issues at all. I have consumed almost 15.7GB out of 16GB and no page file was used.

 

Can someone explain to me what are the differences between the two versions on the OP? (v1.0 vs v5.9)?
I tried following the thread but got confused.
Thanks.

 

v5.9 aka ISO of Windows 10 Home/Pro Build 15063 And guess what v1.0 is?

 

5.9 is Redstone 2
1.0 is Redstone 3

 

Hello, I want to give a try to this Windows but I have a question?

Version 1.0 is 16299.15

In OP I see one update .cab files.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/oc8ogrogmguodu8/Windows10.0-KB4043961-x64.cab

Should I apply update and I should be updated to 16299.19 (though it confuses me why it says v1709).

 

I think its already integrated. @Phoenix

 

And you think so? Nope!! If he had, he would update OP with correct info.

 

15 -> 19 minor update. Yeah thanks!.

 

no updates to anything for now as I'm planning to release v1.1 soon when the new MSMG Toolkit is released which has better support for Creamstone 3 as Micro$h4ft made it really tricky to remove Windows Defender now as they spread the files/registry entries across multiple locations so Mr. MSMG is preparing his magic to fight the Nazis

@Mr. Fox

 

It almost seems like this is about a futile as going outside with a fly swatter to try to rid the world of flies. Tricky is one way of describing it, but I believe they are not playing games and are as serious as a heart attack about trying to ram all of their OS filth up our asses whether we like it or not. I think it really speaks to their corruption, debase character and lack of integrity as a company, so Nazis is pretty accurate.

I'm thinking I might want to stay on W10 N Enterprise LTSB 2016 at this point. No updates are installed, and update functionality has been manually disabled to keep it that way. No UWP filth or Cortana is present, everything else that can be disabled that is not essential to core Windows functionality is disabled, and I did not have to mod anything in the ISO to get it that way. Here is the only filth visible on the Start Menu Apps folder.

 

From Mr. MSMG:

 

Glad he is working on it. What a mess, LOL. Seems like RS3 is quite the can bucket of worms maggots.

 

From MDL:

 

Amazingly accurate statement. The clowns at the Redmond Mafia are trying to create an impression of doing great things to distract from the fact they haven't done anything right since Windows 7. The perception of many consumers that "new means better" makes it a whole lot easier for them to avoid accountability for their messes. If most consumers don't see a BSOD or experience issues like lockups or sluggish performance, their perception morphs into an unsupportable belief even if the product is inferior in ways that are not immediately obvious to them. All of the UWP app bloatware garbage is probably seen by some as offering added value.

Look mommy, all this free stuff, just like daddy's smartphone!!! Plus, I can get even more free stuff from the Store to fill up my hard drive's tummy. Micro$oft is so awesome, mommy. Plus, I can use Personalization to make the Windows colors scheme match my Malibu Barbie's dress and lipstick. I'm going to take a webcam selfie to show all my friends how special I am.

 

If you ask me or I had only the choice of running Windows 10, I would choose the first build 1024.0 to be honest, as ugly as Windows 10 is, that is not even half as filthy as what Windows 10 has become. It just keep getting worse with every build........a never ending Beta...that's what it is

 

More goodies for the kids...
The Microsoft Store app will soon start offering Surface and other hardware
"To access the dedicated Surface page, simply type ms-windows-store://navigatetopage/?PageName=ShopSurface into the address bar of the Edge browser (other browsers will not work) or the Run dialog box. This will open the Store app featuring the dedicated product page for the Surface range of devices and their accessories."

Btw...
Windows 10 free upgrade via assisted technologies will end on 31st December 2017

 

In the age of Monero Coin and other untraceable currencies, I am surprised no one has just ripped Directx and the runtimes/packages necessary to run games, and then create a linux based OS and inject that stuff into, I am not a coder, but I know there are Linux geniuses out there, so don't tell me this is isn't possible.

They could make a fortune though, keep it ANON and require Monero coin to buy it, lol my guess is it is just to much work for a single person or even a small team, so M$ really is a unstoppable monopoly we will have for the rest of our lives... maybe with declining iphone sells Apple will turn its attention to gamers? oh wait... thats just as bad... sigh...

 

I think the Linux geniuses out there are not avid gamers or overclockers. If they were there would already be cross-OS compatibility for most things. Because they are not and don't care about those things, gaming and overclocking on Linux sucks. For this reason, I think we're going to be forever stuck with Windows for doing the things we want to do. Linux will only develop further for the things those geniuses want and care about. And, I think most software and game developers that are in it as their livelihood and want to make money are likely to never have much interest in burning calories on things for a free OS platform based on the premise that nobody should have to pay for anything unless they feel like making a freewill donation. It is also unlikely that Intel, NVIDIA and AMD, or Micro$loth, are going to invest a great deal of time, energy or money providing support on freeware or volunteer projects.

 

Use Dism++ to remove some system apps like Contact Support and several others.

For me, 10586 Threshold 2 and Anniversary edition was the best Windows version I used.

On Linux, you barely need to OC since the system itself uses less resource and less abstraction whilst comparing Windows. I do like OC'ing but thanks to Prema BIOS you guys can enjoy OC'ing via BIOS itself, so thats good. Have you tried gaming on linux using WINE 2.x since WINE 2.x loads windows binaries without any latency. I always wondered Windows binaries were so optimized to run on Wine but on WIndows it runs really bad or worse sometimes or all the time. Try older games DX11 on WINE with proprietary Nvidia GPU driver and disable SLI, you will having great gameplay experience.
I always needed stock apps from MSFT like Photo viewer, calc w/ converters, video app(I use VLC, though), music app(default music app on every PC along with iTunes), camera app.
I use win32 apps 50-60% and UWP 40% of the time. On Linux 90% I use scripts and 10% GUI based applications and IDEs. Then there are mobile apps from iOS, Android and Windows as well. So, I use everything every time simultaneous switching from phones to PCs/laptops.
@Papusan I noticed that UWP apps startup automatically based on previous usage history on Creators update too, they just stay in background w/o consuming any CPU time.

 

I like Linux and wish it could replace Windows. If it could I would not be using Windows at all and believe that in many ways it is superior to Windows, with fewer limitations relating to low-level hardware and firmware access. I love Linux Mint, in fact, but it cannot meet my needs because of its functional limitations related to the lack of software that I find value or pleasure in using.

On Linux, too many things are either broken, non-functional, not supported or non-existent. There is no point in overclocking because the benchmarks that exist suck and are unpopular/not used on overclock leaderboards.

Here is a very short and incomplete sample of the things I need or want to use and either cannot or do not know how:

• SLI is broken to the point of barely functioning (inadequate configuration support)
• CPU-Z
• GPU-Z
• HWiNFO64
• Thaiphoon Burner
• RivaTuner Statistics Server
• NVIDIA Inspector
• MSI Afterburner
• EVGA Precision X
• EVGA OC Scanner
• ThrottleStop
• 3DMark 2001
• 3DMark 05
• 3DMark 06
• 3DMark Vantage
• 3DMark 11
• 3DMark Suite
• Aquamark3
• Most of my Steam Library
• Origin Game Library
• Uplay Game Library
  
• Mirillis Action
• Nero Platinum
• Techsmith Snagit
• Adobe CC
• Macrium Reflect
• Micro$loth Office 2013

I realize there may be some partial substitutes for a couple of these items (not many) but I have neither the time nor desire to figure it out. I've tried a couple of times and there was always something I didn't like or found it to be too much of a pain in the ass with the Linux substitution to mess with.

Again, I think the underlying problem has much to do with the people that are Linux experts do not share most of my interests and many are running old/slow/cheap hardware because Linux still runs swiftly on antique and anemic platforms.

I have limited interest in smartphones and their apps. What I do find use for is valuable to me, but the list is short. I basically use phones for phone calls, text, photo/video capture and GPS navigation. They are awesome for those things.

My interest in apps (Android, iOS and Windows) is very limited, almost non-existent on Windows. Most of them seem rather crappy, annoying, and designed to feed me advertisements. Windows and Android and iOS store apps remind me a lot of the plethora of shareware crap that was so popular in the early years of computing. I remember getting CDs unsolicited in the mail that were loaded with hundreds of titles of crappy freeware, LOL.

I really hate using a phone for web and email, mainly because the screen is too small and I despise touch navigation. I only use smartphones for web and email when a computer is not within arms reach and I need to do something that doesn't take very long.

 

You can blame Nvidia for that since they don't open source their drivers. I agree Linux can't replace Windows because lot of apps that we use are actually better supported in Windows than other OSes.
Very true, Linux experts prefer that, more older the better just like a bottle of Wine.
I can't use Aquamark correctly, it either crashes or the data files isn't accepted by HWBOT.
You can use Adguard app on your phones though.

 

We can blame NVIDIA (and Micro$loth) for a lot of things that suck besides Linux. That's sad. But, the harsh reality is that it matters a lot and they're under no moral obligation to make their stuff open source. I get that... it's how they make a living, and I probably wouldn't do so if I were them. Open source has some major advantages for the masses, especially for those that like free stuff, but for the people trying to make a comfortable living or grow a wealthy corporation from their talents, not so much. Think of all the people that would be unemployed if they gave their stuff away in the public domain.

Run Aquamark with the native hardware monitoring turned off and then you can upload the saved file. It's a documented bug that will likely never get fixed. The author no longer supports it with updates for the hardware monitoring database. It always works fine for me with the hardware monitoring disabled.

 

That's about as close as you can come to saying you'd rather never have run Windows 10 and wasted so much time on it as you can get.

Windows 10 was going to be and has proven to be a giant waste of time.

If it never happened, and we had all stayed on Windows 7 / 8.1, think of all the misery that would have been avoided.

At any point in time, including now, or tomorrow, abandoning Windows 10 for Windows 7 / 8.1, and helping everyone else to do the same, was and is always the best move.

 

That's one of the smartest and most accurate comments I have read in a long time. Windows 10 is a messed up piece of crap and on top of being crappy, totally unnecessary that it exist. I cannot identify any practical benefit from it being released. And, we've all burned a lot of calories trying to make it less disgusting.

@hmscott and I am in lock step on this... I think the chances of an unmodded default version of Windows 10 ever being something that might be regarded as a great OS is slim to none. Even after modding the crap out of it, it is inferior to Windows 7. It never should have been released, for the same reasons, and many more, that Windows 8.X was and is, and always will be, a piece of crap.