W10 (Pro)- A update limits policies & removes cortanas off switch

[Deleted]

According to
http://www.ghacks.net/2016/07/26/you...ays-microsoft/
there is no longer an off switch for Cortana in the 1611 anniversary update.

Although you can still disable it via a registry entry those days might be numbered as well, since the update also limits what policies (and registry entries) can do on W10 Pro. http://www.ghacks.net/2016/07/28/mic...indows-10-pro/

Most notably you cannot disable the store anymore and neither can you disable Windows tips nor the their consumer experiences policy, which allows MS to push applications (think Candy Crush) to your PC.
Of course this list could be extended at any time.

Enterprise and Educational SKU are not affected.


Might be a good time to defer updates and think about an alternative OS....

[Thunderball]

Changes nothing for the Pro version, Group Policy switch is still available. Suck for Home users though. Other changes although suck but are very minimal annoyances.

[Deleted]

For Cortana, yes, this can be done on Home by editing the registry as well.

However those registry/policy switches are disabled in the Pro version as well and of course they might be extended later.
And pushing stuff onto your PC is more than a minimal annoyance in my book.

[Thunderball]

For Cortana, yes, this can be done on Home by editing the registry as well.

However those registry/policy switches are disabled in the Pro version as well and of course they might be extended later.
And pushing stuff onto your PC is more than a minimal annoyance in my book.

We dont really have any other options for gaming. Just have to deal with it and be in touch with the latest third party tweak tools.

[Deleted]

We dont really have any other options for gaming. Just have to deal with it and be in touch with the latest third party tweak tools.

Well there's W7 or W8 for some time at least, those allow you to pick and choose updates in case MS tries the same shenanigans there as well.

[Thunderball]

Well there's W7 or W8 for some time at least, those allow you to pick and choose updates in case MS tries the same shenanigans there as well.

Both dont support DX12.

[DeltrusDisc]

Both dont support DX12.

This.

As much as I hate how much Windows 10 seems to be encroaching on our shit, it looks like I'll be starting the upgrade process tonight. >_<

[Deleted]

Both dont support DX12.

Sure but games will support DX11 for quite some time, but yeah, W7/8 do have a limited life span, but then again some people are still on XP.

[Hottage]

It's really like Microsoft are reading the feedback from those hesitant to make the switch to 10 and think "well fuck you then here's more reason to be paranoid!".

[Deleted]

Email microsoft. Tell them you dont give them permisdion to install can dy crush or other games on your pc.

If they do, dial 999 and get them prosecuted for accessing a computer without permission.

Problems solved.

[Deleted]

Email microsoft. Tell them you dont give them permisdion to install can dy crush or other games on your pc.

If they do, dial 999 and get them prosecuted for accessing a computer without permission.

Problems solved.

If anything they'll point to the EULA/ToS and tell you to stop using Windows 10 if you disagree - which as pointed out before is the only viable way to prevent this.

Well I guess you could complain on forums and websites until your fingers bleed but given Microsoft's attitude and that a majority of people apparently doesn't mind all this I doubt it'll change anything.

[Gorgodeus]

Or you could actually read the article you linked, and you will see that Cortana can still be turned off even after the 1611 update.

Skip the next paragraph and go to the Registry option instead as it will work on Home devices as well.

Tap on the Windows-key, type gpedit.msc and hit enter.
1. Use the left folder hierarchy to go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search.
2. Locate Allow Cortana and double-click on it to open the policy.
3. Set it to disabled to turn off Cortana.

[Deleted]

Or you could actually read the article you linked, and you will see that Cortana can still be turned off even after the 1611 update.

Or you could actually read THIS thread and see that I've already pointed that out - it's even in the first post....
Also policies are not available on Home and registry hacking is not something many people are willing to do.

In any case there is no way to bypass the new policy limits, i.e. windows ignores the registry/policy settings in question.

[Gorgodeus]

Or you could actually read THIS thread and see that I've already pointed that out - it's even in the first post....
Also policies are not available on Home and registry hacking is not something many people are willing to do.

In any case there is no way to bypass the new policy limits, i.e. windows ignores the registry/policy settings in question.

Anyone with a brain can disable Cortana. Pretty simple instructions.

[Deleted]

Well apparently even completely reading the first post of a thread is too much to ask these days.

[Deleted]

Both dont support DX12.

and not many games support DX12 either

[Thunderball]

and not many games support DX12 either

Well if you're only playing older games you can stay on Windows 7 (or even XP) but a lot of new games greatly benefit from DX12 and I dont see why would people give that away on a basis of laziness.

[Denpepe]

You could always do like me and use the dutch version of windows, no cortana in sight (so far anyways).

[Deleted]

Well if you're only playing older games you can stay on Windows 7 (or even XP) but a lot of new games greatly benefit from DX12 and I dont see why would people give that away on a basis of laziness.

i only play blizzard games, ive never been a AAA game latest title player

[Thunderball]

i only play blizzard games, ive never been a AAA game latest title player

That's cool, but why would you assume that everyone else only plays Blizzard games?