cant use ShutUp10 and similar spy-blocking utils..

So I have a "legit registered" Windows 10, meaning that a retail (not OEM) key from years ago on windows 7 was used originally, even though i'm using it on older hardware. (intel clarksdale, ie nehalem era/after the core 2 duo but the earliest of the i3 i5 i7 series) It's been frustrating since day one due to all the crap running in the background that I didn't ask for and dont want - windows outlook is loaded even though i've never used it once in my life, cortana is taking up ram constantly, and "windows error reporting" sends at least a dozen large package uploads per day while thrashing my hard drive to unusability as it hardlocks often for minutes while trying to do so - something i never asked for, consented to, or wanted.

Several times i've tried using the spy-blocking apps like O&O Shut Up 10 but nothing ever seems to save it's status to the system. It doesn't change the session that's operating, and on next boot everything is rolled back anyways. I've tried several other spy blocking apps (i dont remember which all) but they didn't work for me either. I reinstalled Windows 10 twice but it gave me the same behavior. Finally in frustration at things degrading even further I put windows 7 back on because things had become unusable online although my old 'upgraded to 10' key i dont think is working as it tells me i have to activate within 30 days.

Does anyone have ideas or suggestions on how to figure out why I can't save this status... is there some special degraded version of windows 10 that can block out these apps from working that they save from chumps like me trying to use an old paid key or what...

 

That sounds like a buggy Windows 10 Installation.

Did you follow the steps in this guide to install Windows 10?

Are you 100% sure that you have obtained the latest Windows 10 genuine installer as per the guide?

I have never heard a single issue on the internet where one was unable to use any of the Anti-Spyware tools such as O&O ShutUp10 and the likes.

We need more details, step by step on how you installed it, what you installed in terms of software/security apps, and if you ensured that you did not sign in with a Microsoft Account and also ensured that you did not connect to the internet when prompted during the initial setup wizard screens, all which are detailed in the guide above, step by step, there is no room for errors with that guide or IFs. It WILL work if you followed it.

 

For those software you should contact their support since they know more about their in/outs of their software. Outlook isn't a Windows O/S program it's a part of Office package so there is confusions going on here.

If you want freeware you should look at these software:

Ultimate Windows Tweaker 4 for Windows 10
http://forum.thewindowsclub.com/twc...-ultimate-windows-tweaker-4-windows-10-a.html

OldNewExplorer 1.1.9 - this makes your Explore windows look like it did before the Ribbon took over.
https://msfn.org/board/topic/170375-oldnewexplorer-119/?_fromLogout=1

Another tip is here to remove Tiles without haveing to install all those other junk that doesn't do what you want and it's free to do.

How to Make the Windows 10 Start Menu Look More Like Windows 7
https://www.howtogeek.com/197586/how-to-make-the-windows-10-start-menu-look-more-like-windows-7/

 

You can force it down it's throat....this way.
Open a admin powershell and copy/paste whats in this code box, hit enter at the end and then reboot...

Code:

$hostsPath = “$env:windir\system32\drivers\etc\hosts”

IF ([System.Environment]::OSVersion.Version.Major -ge 10){
Get-Service DiagTrack | Stop-Service
Get-Service DiagTrack | Set-Service -StartupType Disabled
Get-Service dmwappushservice | Stop-Service
Get-Service dmwappushservice | Set-Service -StartupType Disabled

# RegFix ##############################################################33

New-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection” -Name “AllowTelemetry” -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DiagTrack” -Name “Start” -PropertyType DWord -Value 4 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DiagTrack” -Name “Type” -PropertyType DWord -Value 10 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DiagTrack” -Name “ServiceSidType” -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DiagTrack” -Name “ServiceDllUnloadOnStop” -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\dmwappushservice” -Name “DelayedAutoStart” -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\dmwappushservice” -Name “Start” -PropertyType DWord -Value 4 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\dmwappushservice” -Name “Type” -PropertyType DWord -Value 20 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\dmwappushservice” -Name “ServiceSidType” -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\dmwappushservice\Parameters” -Name “ServiceDllUnloadOnStop” -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfo” -Name “Enabled” -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force
Remove-ItemProperty “HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfo” -Name “Id” -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfo” -Name “Enabled” -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKCU:\Control Panel\International\User Profile” -Name “HttpAcceptLanguageOptOut” -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\InputPersonalization” -Name “RestrictImplicitTextCollection” -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\InputPersonalization” -Name “RestrictImplicitInkCollection” -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\InputPersonalization\TrainedDataStore” -Name “HarvestContacts” -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force
New-ItemProperty “HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Personalization\Settings” -Name “AcceptedPrivacyPolicy” -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force

$HostsUPD = @()
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 vortex.data.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 vortex-win.data.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 redir.metaservices.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 choice.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 choice.microsoft.com.nsatc.net’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 df.telemetry.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 reports.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 services.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 sqm.df.telemetry.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 telemetry.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 watson.ppe.telemetry.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 telemetry.appex.bing.net’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 telemetry.urs.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 telemetry.appex.bing.net:443’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 settings-sandbox.data.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 vortex-sandbox.data.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 survey.watson.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 watson.live.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 watson.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 statsfe2.ws.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 corpext.msitadfs.glbdns2.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 compatexchange.cloudapp.net’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 cs1.wpc.v0cdn.net’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 a-0001.a-msedge.net’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 statsfe2.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 diagnostics.support.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 corp.sts.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 statsfe1.ws.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 pre.footprintpredict.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 i1.services.social.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 i1.services.social.microsoft.com.nsatc.net’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 bingads.microsoft.com’
$HostsUPD += ‘127.0.0.1 www.bingads.microsoft.com’

$Hosts = Get-Content $hostsPath

foreach ($Line in $HostsUPD)
{
IF ($Line -notin $Hosts )
{ “True: $Line”
$Line | Out-File $hostsPath -Append -Encoding ascii
}
}
}

Pretty easy to see whats in there and what it does.