Quick question, would you guys say blocking privacy stealing IP's, and removing modern apps is a good way to get extra performance out of a old machine? Trying to fix my neighbors ten year old toshiba by removing Vista and installing 10. I upgraded the hardware best I can (new CPU, new ram, new intel AC card, new SSD etc), and it has drastically improved the feel of the laptop, but I don't want to shock her with how bad Windows 10 has gotten with popups, advertisements, cortana and privacy stealing. She just wants to learn to pay bills online and use Facebook to keep in touch with her Family better. She has tons of grandchildren asking her to get online, lol. So I am on the hunt for performance improving things to do. After running DWS (I blame a youtube video on this), I think it might have done too much so I need to fix it. So I am about to wipe the drive and re-install Windows 10 again today. Any friendly setup recommendations for a 70 year old ladies PC? Thanks Rod P.S. I started in this thread because it has the word Telemetry in the title. Figured you guys are the pros on Telemetry stoppage...
When following this advice, as best I could: Start > Run > gpedit.msc Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\OneDrive Prevent the usage of SkyDrive for file storage = set to Enabled Then afterwards, c:\windows\explorer.exe which is the Windows file explorer, was significantly less chatty on the internet (re: WFC windows firewall logs), although it did contact all of the same ip addresses, except much less often. Informing the windows file browser that it has no good reason to go on to the internet, was insufficient. Clearly, we shall have to employ more convincing means to prevent the file browser from abusing our internet connections.
It would be easier to do it with Windows 7. The majority of big business has chosen Windows 7 because it is easier to direct it onto what it should be doing. Today, when I ran security scans on my computers, the server and the Windows 7 boxes passed. The Windows 10 machines failed security scans. So, if your client requires 'online banking' level of security, then it would be good to use Windows 7. You'd have to remove a few updates, but those are documented. As for end user with Windows 7, add Zone Alarm firewall and antivirus. Those are not effective with 10, but it does work on Windows 7. Trustworthy security with Windows 10 is an effort that has been going well, but it has not yet been achieved.
SkOrPn, save yourself some time. That game of IP wack-a-mole is destined to fail because DNS works. That IP block idea is not a valid path to long-lasting security, so have a plan to avoid it, and avoid the cause of it primarily.
I figured Windows 7 was too old now and she would be right back where she started, with a ISP that locked her out of the Internet because of a non supported platform. Then I will be right back at her house in a few years installing Windows 10 anyway. Unless I can talk her into trying Linux. I might make a enemy of my neighbor if I try that. lol I should try Windows 7 on it anyway, just to see how it runs.
As for your amazingly cranky ISP who wants less customers, what your client needs is a router with SPI firewall (these are commonplace), and then they cannot "see" the client's computer(s), and she also needs firefox+adblock plus for internet browsing. And she needs considerably less computer viruses (the likely cause of the ISP complaint). These basics just have to be the first step. Vista is a currently supported and valid operating system, still within its service life. So, you need some fact checking to discover what the problem actually was (it wasn't either Vista or 10). Therefore, this content is not valid for this thread and probably needs moved to a more helpful locale. . .
Agree with the Linux suggestion if you can get away with it, otherwise perhaps Win10 LTSB if you don't wanna go with Win7 (which on her hardware should be supported till Jan. 2020). No it isn't.
Vista lost 100% extended support on April 11th 2017, this year. Firefox officially drops support for Vista this Sept, and Opera 36 is the only one that will continue to support it officially albeit only with security updates. None of the browsers I tried worked, except for IE which just gave us a CenturyLink page claiming this is a lite version because Vista was no longer supported by the ISP. I looked online and could not find much info about the message she was getting in IE, so I just pulled the drive and Installed 10 right away. I did however use a live Linux usb to check to make sure the hardware was OK and sure enough it ran fantastic, even on the old Celeron. So the hardware seems OK. My choice seems either 7 or 10, three years of support or six years of support. Or Linux Mint XFCE with full LibreOffice suite, lol. It only has a Intel GPU, if you can call it that.
Check out Windows 10 Creators Update Bloatware Free Edition, it looks great, links are not allowed here, but you can easily find it.
You mean that badly performed homebrew iso by someone who does even say himself he doesn't really know how to use msmg? https://forums.mydigitallife.net/threads/msmg-toolkit.50572/page-151#post-1352284
Mentioning is OK, but please don't go on discussing homebrew ISO. The last time this didn't end well. I tested Windows 10 LTSB and it's not like bad or so. That I must admit. Without certain annoying "features" it's just another MS OS. I wouldn't recommend the normal Win 10 version (for various reasons that already have been discussed endlessly and need no repetition here) but rather Win 10 LTSB. I've advocated Linux Mint so much, not necessary to do this here any further. Quintessence: it just works and is absolutely beginner friendly, from Installation to everyday use. If you are able to install and use Windows, you won't encounter any problems with Linux Mint. However you decide, @SkOrPn - best of luck that all works out in the end.