"Windows Experience" KILL !!!

[GlennSprigg]

I'm not a Microsoft Conspiracy believer, (but who knows what really happens to your data), but this may
interest all 'Windows' users.  From Windows-7 onwards, there are MULTIPLE modules still running on your
systems, that were purportedly there to help you, & to improve automatic 'Feed-Back' to Microsoft, regarding
such things as Software Compatibility, Performance etc etc.  Their keyword was 'Telemetry'. (Warning bells!!).

That might be fine when Windows-7 just started, (and there-after), but they don't even SUPPORT older systems
now, let alone being interested in Monitoring/Improving older systems. But this Legacy remains.  Putting aside
privacy issues, this system software still chews up Resources, and slows things down. You may safely do this!!......

Run Windows "Task Scheduler", and open up the pane on the left to . . .
   Task Scheduler Library | Microsoft | Windows.
Take note of the Sub-Sections labeled . . .
   Application Experience
   Autochk
   Customer Experience Improvement.
Within EACH of those, Right-Click on each option, and select Disable.


They are NO longer needed, you will gain many megabytes of memory, and your system will be faster.
Have a nice day.

[edavid]

I suggest using the fine program "Autoruns" to turn off this kind of stuff:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns

[gnif]

 

Locking this thread before it gets out of hand, this is well known about Microsoft and windows 7, this is not the place for such things.
Edit: on 2nd thought, this wont be locked but moved to the computing section.

https://www.howtogeek.com/428265/windows-7s-july-2019-security-patch-includes-telemetry/

That might be fine when Windows-7 just started, (and there-after), but they don't even SUPPORT older systems
now, let alone being interested in Monitoring/Improving older systems.

Actually you would be very wrong here, Microsoft are not just looking for issues witn Windows 7, but in software that runs on Windows 7, such as Microsoft Office and other third party applications. I know this from when I was working on Kodi (XBMC at the time), Microsoft approached the team and gave us access to crash dumps from Kodi to help improve the product under Windows. While I firmly agree that these services are overreaching in what they do, they do have their purpose. For a software developer, crash dumps are extremely useful, and since they are too complex to generate by the average user, the automation of this feature is extremely useful.

Further to that, Microsoft do still support Windows 7 for thousands of companies world wide that have support contracts. It is an EOL product, but that doesn't mean it's not still being maintained and supported. The guarantee of support is simply gone for those without support contracts (the general public).

IE: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-0708
https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/4500705/customer-guidance-for-cve-2019-0708

Microsoft patched the 18 year old Windows XP this year, which is EOL.

[rdl]

I prefer to go into Services and just disable the unnecessary stuff there. One of the first things I disable is Task Scheduler.

[Halcyon]

Windows telemetry has been known for a long time, it's not a secret. If you want to see exactly what is being sent, use Wireshark, otherwise, use a network-wide ad/malware blocker like pfblocker or pihole.

[GlennSprigg]

Locking this thread before it gets out of hand, this is well known about Microsoft and windows 7, this is not the place for such things.
Edit: on 2nd thought, this wont be locked but moved to the computing section.

https://www.howtogeek.com/428265/windows-7s-july-2019-security-patch-includes-telemetry/

That might be fine when Windows-7 just started, (and there-after), but they don't even SUPPORT older systems
now, let alone being interested in Monitoring/Improving older systems.

Actually you would be very wrong here, Microsoft are not just looking for issues witn Windows 7, but in software that runs on Windows 7, such as Microsoft Office and other third party applications. I know this from when I was working on Kodi (XBMC at the time), Microsoft approached the team and gave us access to crash dumps from Kodi to help improve the product under Windows. While I firmly agree that these services are overreaching in what they do, they do have their purpose. For a software developer, crash dumps are extremely useful, and since they are too complex to generate by the average user, the automation of this feature is extremely useful.

Further to that, Microsoft do still support Windows 7 for thousands of companies world wide that have support contracts. It is an EOL product, but that doesn't mean it's not still being maintained and supported. The guarantee of support is simply gone for those without support contracts (the general public).

IE: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-0708
https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/4500705/customer-guidance-for-cve-2019-0708

Microsoft patched the 18 year old Windows XP this year, which is EOL.

I'm sorry if I offended anyone. (Re: your Face-Palm, Lock, Move, at the beginning) 
I don't profess to know anything like you, & some others, and I wasn't aware that such a 'post' would be so
pretentious or possibly trouble-invoking. I'm just a simple old man, addressing the multitude of 'Non-Windows
experts'.  (Support gone for the mere 'General Public' as you say. That's who 99.9% of 'us' are).

I'm aware that there is a multitude of software, to aid people in cutting back on 'resources', like my prior mentioned
"Task Scheduler", and running "services.msc", without having to download Apps like ProcessExplorer or AutoRuns.
I just wanted OTHERS to know that you can clean up Win-7 a lot, (with research), for basic systems.
Sorry.

[The Soulman]

Also found there that windows is running defragmentation once a week, disabled that to.
Although Intel SSD toolbox always reported that it already was disabled (for years..). 

[rdl]

Just curious, but which Windows? I've never had Windows 7 turn it on for an SSD. I remember a post from a Microsoft person saying that Win 7 would run a speed test during install and if it was above a certain threshold it would assume the drive was an SSD and not enable the weekly defrag.

Also found there that windows is running defragmentation once a week, disabled that to.
Although Intel SSD toolbox always reported that it already was disabled (for years..). 

[SilverSolder]

I just checked my Task Scheduler and found that defragging was enabled...  (Win 7 with SSD)

This might happen if you had a magnetic drive originally, then upgraded to SSD? 

Now disabled!  thanks to OP for bringing this up.

[SiliconWizard]

I just checked my Task Scheduler and found that defragging was enabled...  (Win 7 with SSD)

This might happen if you had a magnetic drive originally, then upgraded to SSD? 

That's quite possible. I have also upgraded Win 7 boxes from HDDs to SSDs but never noticed this because I actually always used a third-party defragging tool and disabled the integrated one.

I don't know how Windows is actually clever at detecting SSDs. What I do know is that most third-party defrag tools are. They can detect SSDs even without running any performance analysis.

[The Soulman]

This was a fresh install of w7 on this ssd in 2011, maybe a reinstall after that but can't remember..
Maybe I need a new one, in a couple of years. 

Windows should/could have known when a hd is a ssd from the hardware id's.
One of the main reasons at that time for me to make the jump from xp to 7 was the support for ssd's (trim) in w7.
Before that I was having fun with intel robson memory modules, ah the memories...

[Mr. Scram]

Windows telemetry has been known for a long time, it's not a secret. If you want to see exactly what is being sent, use Wireshark, otherwise, use a network-wide ad/malware blocker like pfblocker or pihole.

It's trivial to uninstall the associated kbs, although Microsoft does have a habit of rereleasing them. I really don't know what it is with this forum and Windows. I'm not quite a fan but people seem to be hunting for trouble and have no qualms about creating it where there is none. Thread after thread of people whipped into a barely contained rage, usually the same group.

[Halcyon]

Windows telemetry has been known for a long time, it's not a secret. If you want to see exactly what is being sent, use Wireshark, otherwise, use a network-wide ad/malware blocker like pfblocker or pihole.

It's trivial to uninstall the associated kbs, although Microsoft does have a habit of rereleasing them. I really don't know what it is with this forum and Windows. I'm not quite a fan but people seem to be hunting for trouble and have no qualms about creating it where there is none. Thread after thread of people whipped into a barely contained rage, usually the same group.

I sort of don't blame them. Over the years, I've been accused of being a Windows "fan boy", but no more. Windows 10 was the last straw for me. It is truly terrible, among the worst OSs I have ever used. It took a lot for me to turn my back on Microsoft but I don't regret it. I'm not the only one either, I work with a fairly small group of people and I'd say about at least 25% have either entirely or partially ditched Windows at home in favour of one of the Linux flavours.

I've never heard anyone say "Windows 10 is fantastic". Most people I speak to either tolerate it or absolutely hate it.

[Black Phoenix]

I've never heard anyone say "Windows 10 is fantastic". Most people I speak to either tolerate it or absolutely hate it.

I'm one of the ones who tolerated it. I use it mainly because I like photography and I'm really into Photoshop / Lightroom and using it for years I've didn't really found a good easy and powerful alternative to both apps.

I've been thinking a lot to simply go to Linux, Fedora specially because of had used Red Hat and CentOS in old projects I had but each and every time having to find alternatives to the programs I use make me return again to the Windows Ecosystem.

[Mr. Scram]

I sort of don't blame them. Over the years, I've been accused of being a Windows "fan boy", but no more. Windows 10 was the last straw for me. It is truly terrible, among the worst OSs I have ever used. It took a lot for me to turn my back on Microsoft but I don't regret it. I'm not the only one either, I work with a fairly small group of people and I'd say about at least 25% have either entirely or partially ditched Windows at home in favour of one of the Linux flavours.

I've never heard anyone say "Windows 10 is fantastic". Most people I speak to either tolerate it or absolutely hate it.

People recognize Microsoft needed to fix the update system. It was causing issues in any kind of sizeable deployment. I don't really agree with the cloud and subscription direction they're going, but it's definitely where the market is going. If you eliminate that part, it's actually a rather good OS.

[SiliconWizard]

If you eliminate that part, it's actually a rather good OS.

Well, yes! But what really makes Win10 Win10 is all the additional crap that is the foundation of the current MS business model (cloud, loosy and forced rolling updates, telemetry and inconsistent UI due to all the Metro crap that doesn't really serve any useful purpose on the desktop, and anything else that is done in the background and not directly useful to the user).

The kernel, which is an improvement over the previous versions and was already pretty decent, is good. Many of the base services are good.
Obviously a stripped-down version of Win10 (with a cleaner GUI, but that's my own opinion there) would satisfy most of us. But I doubt it's ever going to be released. Not under the current management anyway...

[Mr. Scram]

Well, yes! But what really makes Win10 Win10 is all the additional crap that is the foundation of the current MS business model (cloud, loosy and forced rolling updates, telemetry and inconsistent UI due to all the Metro crap that doesn't really serve any useful purpose on the desktop, and anything else that is done in the background and not directly useful to the user).

The kernel, which is an improvement over the previous versions and was already pretty decent, is good. Many of the base services are good.
Obviously a stripped-down version of Win10 (with a cleaner GUI, but that's my own opinion there) would satisfy most of us. But I doubt it's ever going to be released. Not under the current management anyway...

Judging by the piles of money the new course is making shareholders, I wouldn't hold my breath for new management with significantly different views.

[pix3l]

For win10 there is a tool called shutup10 which disables telemetry and some other annoyances

[Mr. Scram]

For win10 there is a tool called shutup10 which disables telemetry and some other annoyances

Commonly available versions don't allow turning telemetry fully off. You need "specialist" versions like Enterprise or Education.

[soldar]

If you eliminate that part, it's actually a rather good OS.

Reminds me of "Other than that how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?"

[Mr. Scram]

Reminds me of "Other than that how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?"

The difference being that it can still be polished up. You need to know what you're doing and it's tiring that you have to do it but at this point it's very doable.

[rdl]

They just need to get rid of the "It's our computer now, not yours" attitude.

Right or wrong thing to do should be my decision only.

No updates if I want no updates.
No telemetry if I want no telemetry.
No software other than what is the minimal needed to function as an operating system. If I don't want any other Microsoft bloatware then allow me to refuse it during install, or to remove it completely afterward.

That's all I ask.

[SiliconWizard]

As a couple of us already said, they unfortunately do not NEED to do that to be successful at the moment, so they just won't.

[Mr. Scram]

They just need to get rid of the "It's our computer now, not yours" attitude.

Right or wrong thing to do should be my decision only.

No updates if I want no updates.
No telemetry if I want no telemetry.
No software other than what is the minimal needed to function as an operating system. If I don't want any other Microsoft bloatware then allow me to refuse it during install, or to remove it completely afterward.

That's all I ask.

That's 2019 for you. Everything is a service and less and less is owned. Considering many companies have been struggling and now found a course that's making them momey you definitely shouldn't expect it to change.

[Mr. Scram]

As a couple of us already said, they unfortunately do not NEED to do that to be successful at the moment, so they just won't.

Quite the contrary, it's bringing them success. Not enough people are seeing the long term consequences and are voting with their feet.