Hey abacab. It turns out that I already have a local account for both my Win 10 computers. I'll go ahead and use Avira instead of Defender. You mentioned turn off everything related to a Microsoft account, and MS cloud apps.  Including all the modern tile apps, Windows online search, etc.
 
Is Windows online search the same thing that I see in Services called windows search? If so I used to have that disabled and see now that MS turned it back on - grrrr, so it's disabled again. I also have disabled in services: google update services, adobe acrobat update. I had to redo them since they were turned back on.

So does the local account automatically turn off MS cloud apps and all the modern tile apps?
 
What about what you said about updates locked down with policy editor. Maybe I should do that also. Can you explain that too?
 
Thanks for all your help,
 



 

gmp
Hey abacab. It turns out that I already have a local account for both my Win 10 computers. I'll go ahead and use Avira instead of Defender. You mentioned turn off everything related to a Microsoft account, and MS cloud apps.  Including all the modern tile apps, Windows online search, etc.
 
Is Windows online search the same thing that I see in Services called windows search? If so I used to have that disabled and see now that MS turned it back on - grrrr, so it's disabled again. I also have disabled in services: google update services, adobe acrobat update. I had to redo them since they were turned back on.

So does the local account automatically turn off MS cloud apps and all the modern tile apps?
 
What about what you said about updates locked down with policy editor. Maybe I should do that also. Can you explain that too?
 
Thanks for all your help,

So you're all set with the local account!
 
Here's a few other practical tips you should apply.  This will probably eliminate most of your concerns!
 
http://www.howtogeek.com/269331/how-to-disable-all-of-windows-10s-built-in-advertising/
 
http://www.howtogeek.com/249254/how-to-stop-windows-10-from-using-so-much-data/
 
http://www.howtogeek.com/241752/how-to-stop-windows-10-apps-from-running-in-the-background/
 
http://www.howtogeek.com/221864/digging-into-and-understanding-windows-10s-privacy-settings/

Here's a simple tutorial on how to defer updates and upgrades in Win 10 Pro, using the local group policy editor.
http://www.zdnet.com/arti...u-dont-own-a-business/
 
More options here:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/8013-windows-update-automatic-updates-enable-disable-windows-10-a.html
 
 
 
 
 

abacab

gmp
Hey abacab. It turns out that I already have a local account for both my Win 10 computers. I'll go ahead and use Avira instead of Defender. You mentioned turn off everything related to a Microsoft account, and MS cloud apps.  Including all the modern tile apps, Windows online search, etc.
 
Is Windows online search the same thing that I see in Services called windows search? If so I used to have that disabled and see now that MS turned it back on - grrrr, so it's disabled again. I also have disabled in services: google update services, adobe acrobat update. I had to redo them since they were turned back on.

So does the local account automatically turn off MS cloud apps and all the modern tile apps?
 
What about what you said about updates locked down with policy editor. Maybe I should do that also. Can you explain that too?
 
Thanks for all your help,

So you're all set with the local account!
 
Here's a few other practical tips you should apply.  This will probably eliminate most of your concerns!
 
http://www.howtogeek.com/269331/how-to-disable-all-of-windows-10s-built-in-advertising/
 
http://www.howtogeek.com/249254/how-to-stop-windows-10-from-using-so-much-data/
 
http://www.howtogeek.com/241752/how-to-stop-windows-10-apps-from-running-in-the-background/
 
http://www.howtogeek.com/221864/digging-into-and-understanding-windows-10s-privacy-settings/

Lord what a load of crap MS is doing behind our backs. I'll get on to this. Thanks for the links

gmp
 
Lord what a load of crap MS is doing behind our backs. I'll get on to this. Thanks for the links

LOL!  Yup, Windows 10 may just be the biggest trojan horse ever inflicted on consumers.  They are counting on enough complacent folks to not care that it has turned into a big advertising machine.
 
You can fight back, but it's not widely advertised.
 
We're like the rebels in X-wing fighters going up against the Empire's Death Star.  May the Force be with you! 
 

Thanks for all the tips and info. I got er all done.
 
I've used TenForums and How to geek too - those are my 2 favs. In fact I posted this same questions to them and got some response, but yours was the most complete - so thanks.
 
I realize it's speculation blaming my runtime errors on MS, yet they're the most likely culprit and considering the strangeness of this bug having to do with timing, it's certainly possible that MS was doing something that caused my problem. But regardless, I feel I'm better protected in the future.
 
I did find evidence of activity under Settings / Network / data usage. There were things listed like Store and Get Office. This was something MS did, not me.

yeah, it was never actually clearly explained - by anyone - exactly what the issue really was...

My laptop is haunted. Time to perform yet another exorcism ritual in an attempt to make Siri go away for good. 
 
I thought she'd been safely interred, but yesterday (after a Windows update) in the middle of a live session on my laptop, she pops up out of the blue with a large dialog box asking "how far is it to the nearest Chinese restaurant? I can answer this and many other questions!". Sheesh. I almost miss Bob the Talking Paperclip.

bitflipper
My laptop is haunted. Time to perform yet another exorcism ritual in an attempt to make Siri go away for good. 
 
I thought she'd been safely interred, but yesterday (after a Windows update) in the middle of a live session on my laptop, she pops up out of the blue with a large dialog box asking "how far is it to the nearest Chinese restaurant? I can answer this and many other questions!". Sheesh. I almost miss Bob the Talking Paperclip.

Not sure how to disable Siri, but if you want to disable Cortana, try this! 
http://www.howtogeek.com/265027/how-to-disable-cortana-in-windows-10/
 
I miss Bob sometimes too!  Bob!!!

Sorry, I meant Cortana, not Siri.