Remove Windows 10 Bloat

[Martin]

REM The stubborn task Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync\BackgroundUploadTask can be Disabled using a simple bit change. I use a REG file for that (attached to this post).
=========================
Hi !
How to disable Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync\BackgroundUploadTask ?
I didnt find the reg file you mentioned.

Here's one guide how to do it: http://www.1hd.biz/2015/07/windows-7-8-81-10-disable-stubborn.html

 

[wogopaly]

Wanted to try this one, so i downloaded both scripts. Now i lost my mail, calendar and the app market apps, so i decided to launch the putback script. But they didnt come back. Rebooting didnt solve the issue. Any ideas?

 

[Martin]

If your data is stored in cloud, it should not be lost. Hard to say what exactly happened without knowing more details.
The reverse script should restore all apps that were uninstalled using the prior script. If that doesn't work you might try to run this from Command Prompt (Admin)):

PowerShell -Command "Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}"

 

[Kythorne]

I love this script.  Takes care of a lot of stuff I wanted to remove/disable.  However, I like my search bar as i use a lot of commands.
You should add the below line to the script.  It disables the "suggested apps" like the Candy Crush junk and whatnot.


REM *** Disable Suggestions in the Start Menu ***
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager" /v "SystemPaneSuggestionsEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

 

[Martin]

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[wildcard604]

Hi Martin,

I tried to run your bat file on Windows 10 Pro (Version 1703, OS Build 15063.138) and one issue crept up that I wasn't ok with, the entire Start Menu became unusable. I could click on the start button, and the start menu would pop up but be in a greyed out disabled state, even though the tiles and such underneath it would still be animating (like the twitter and facebook tiles).

There were a couple errors from the batch file output, not sure if they are relevant but i'll paste them below... Any help would be appreciated. (running your reversal script does bring the start menu functionality back)

here's the first few...

C:\Users\bsterling\Downloads>PowerShell -Command "Get-AppxPackage *Cortana* | Remove-AppxPackage"
Remove-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CFA, Removal failed. Please contact your software vendor. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80073CFA)
error 0x80070032: AppX Deployment Remove operation on package Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_1.8.12.15063_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy from: C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy failed. This app is part of Windows and cannot be uninstalled on a per-user basis. An administrator
can attempt to remove the app from the computer using Turn Windows Features on or off. However, it may not be possible to uninstall the app.
NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] d7d26740-b924-0004-db74-d2d724b9d201 in the Event Log or use the command line Get-AppxLog -ActivityID d7d26740-b924-0004-db74-d2d724b9d201
At line:1 char:29
+ Get-AppxPackage *Cortana* | Remove-AppxPackage
+                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   + CategoryInfo          : WriteError: (Microsoft.Windo...l_cw5n1h2txyewy:String) [Remove-AppxPackage], IOException
   + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.RemoveAppxPackageCommand

Remove-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CFA, Removal failed. Please contact your software vendor. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80073CFA)
error 0x80070032: AppX Deployment Remove operation on package CortanaListenUIApp_10.0.15063.0_neutral__cw5n1h2txyewy from: C:\Windows\SystemApps\CortanaListenUIApp_cw5n1h2txyewy failed. This app is part of Windows and cannot be uninstalled on a per-user basis. An administrator can attempt to
remove the app from the computer using Turn Windows Features on or off. However, it may not be possible to uninstall the app.
NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] d7d26740-b924-0003-d278-d2d724b9d201 in the Event Log or use the command line Get-AppxLog -ActivityID d7d26740-b924-0003-d278-d2d724b9d201
At line:1 char:29
+ Get-AppxPackage *Cortana* | Remove-AppxPackage
+                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   + CategoryInfo          : WriteError: (CortanaListenUI...__cw5n1h2txyewy:String) [Remove-AppxPackage], IOException
   + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.RemoveAppxPackageCommand


and then further down when you disable xbox...

C:\Users\bsterling\Downloads>PowerShell -Command "Get-AppxPackage *xbox* | Remove-AppxPackage"
Remove-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CFA, Removal failed. Please contact your software vendor. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80073CFA)
error 0x80070032: AppX Deployment Remove operation on package Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI_1000.15063.0.0_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy from: C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI_cw5n1h2txyewy failed. This app is part of Windows and cannot be uninstalled on a per-user basis. An
administrator can attempt to remove the app from the computer using Turn Windows Features on or off. However, it may not be possible to uninstall the app.
NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] d7d26740-b924-0004-4375-d2d724b9d201 in the Event Log or use the command line Get-AppxLog -ActivityID d7d26740-b924-0004-4375-d2d724b9d201
At line:1 char:26
+ Get-AppxPackage *xbox* | Remove-AppxPackage
+                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   + CategoryInfo          : WriteError: (Microsoft.XboxG...l_cw5n1h2txyewy:String) [Remove-AppxPackage], IOException
   + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.RemoveAppxPackageCommand


and further down with ContentDeliveryManager...

C:\Users\bsterling\Downloads>PowerShell -Command "Get-AppxPackage *ContentDeliveryManager* | Remove-AppxPackage"
Remove-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CFA, Removal failed. Please contact your software vendor. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80073CFA)
error 0x80070032: AppX Deployment Remove operation on package Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_10.0.15063.0_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy from: C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy failed. This app is part of Windows and cannot be uninstalled on a
per-user basis. An administrator can attempt to remove the app from the computer using Turn Windows Features on or off. However, it may not be possible to uninstall the app.
NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] d7d26740-b924-0004-7575-d2d724b9d201 in the Event Log or use the command line Get-AppxLog -ActivityID d7d26740-b924-0004-7575-d2d724b9d201
At line:1 char:44
+ Get-AppxPackage *ContentDeliveryManager* | Remove-AppxPackage
+                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   + CategoryInfo          : WriteError: (Microsoft.Windo...l_cw5n1h2txyewy:String) [Remove-AppxPackage], IOException
   + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.RemoveAppxPackageCommand

 

[Martin]

This seems to be unfortunately the effect of completely disabling Cortana. Doing this in Version 1703 (RS2) seems to render the entire Start menu unavailable.
Should be easy to fix this (but it will bring Cortana back) by:
1. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to: C:\Windows\SystemApps\
2. Rename the "Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy.bak" folder to "Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy" (so remove the last .bak extension).
The system should automatically start Cortana after a few seconds. If that doesn't happen, launch manually "SearchUI.exe" inside that folder.

I will comment out the step to disable Cortana until a better solution is found.

 

[ckbeme]

Greetings all,

I came accross this thread as I was grumbling and talking to myself cuz my machine has so very many things running at startup. Some I've researched and disabled. Others, I can't find any definite answers - or conflicting answers.

So I found a link to your script to remove the bloatware, and the script to undo the first one. I have a good link to the undo script but the link for the remove bloatware just takes me to the page with a circular link for the remove script.

Screenshot attached to demonstrate.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Martin]

Greetings all,

I came accross this thread as I was grumbling and talking to myself cuz my machine has so very many things running at startup. Some I've researched and disabled. Others, I can't find any definite answers - or conflicting answers.

So I found a link to your script to remove the bloatware, and the script to undo the first one. I have a good link to the undo script but the link for the remove bloatware just takes me to the page with a circular link for the remove script.

Screenshot attached to demonstrate.

Thanks a lot.

Please try with a right-click on the link and then Save-As. Or a different browser.

 

[ckbeme]

Please try with a right-click on the link and then Save-As. Or a different browser.

Thanks a lot. The other link opened a new window. I didn't even think about Save As.

I appreciarte it.

 

[Mr. Fox]

I just now saw this for the first time. Awesome! I hack W10 to pieces because it is a worthless piece of rubbish in it's default state. I use the MSMG Toolkit to remove a ton of filth from the ISO to make the post-installation sanitation less cumbersome. But, I am definitely going to give this utility a go and let other know about it.

Removing Cortana the digital slut is inconsequential. The default W10 Start Menu is worthless. Classic Shell or StartIsBack (the latter is my favorite) give us a legitimate Start Menu that Micro$lop did not. Normal Windows Search works fine without Cortana.

 

[Galdorf]

you are missing an important tweak it will remove fps drops in games and most people never use it disable the xbov app game dvr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaJILxn7flo

 

[Galdorf]

you might want to add remove xbox game dvr it causes fps drops in games nobody uses it.

 

[01_Anna]

Hello,
I am a new user here, but I have downloaded and used your script before, thank you very much for providing it. The first time I used on my daughter's laptop, running win10 (2017 update) it run successfully I have then tried to use it on my own computer. Also win10; but the 2016 version. Most of the sub scripts gave the error message access denied.
I could list them all, but it is practically all scripts. The rest gave the message no such file at this location or lastly, no running process detected.
E.g. access denied to:
stop diagTrack,
Diagnostics hb. standardcollector...untill sc config dmwappusherservice start =disable all denied;
wSearch - denied;
schtasks ...smart screen specific -denied all till:
Customer Experience improvement proram usbceip -denied
practically all "re add "HKLM\ SOFTWARE\Microsoft...denied;
only the "HKCU\SOFTWARE...AdvertisingInfo completed.
I would be grateful for any advice?
I have Classic menu installed, could it perhaps interfere with the bat file execution? There are no modification to the basic win10 installation I am aware of, it is a HP laptop (some branding + extra bloat ware)

 

[Martin]

Hello,
I am a new user here, but I have downloaded and used your script before, thank you very much for providing it. The first time I used on my daughter's laptop, running win10 (2017 update) it run successfully I have then tried to use it on my own computer. Also win10; but the 2016 version. Most of the sub scripts gave the error message access denied.
I could list them all, but it is practically all scripts. The rest gave the message no such file at this location or lastly, no running process detected.
E.g.  access denied to:
stop diagTrack,
Diagnostics hb. standardcollector...untill sc config dmwappusherservice start =disable all denied;
wSearch - denied;
schtasks ...smart screen specific -denied all till:
Customer Experience improvement proram usbceip -denied
practically all "re add "HKLM\ SOFTWARE\Microsoft...denied;
only the "HKCU\SOFTWARE...AdvertisingInfo completed.
I would be grateful for any advice?
I have Classic menu installed, could it perhaps interfere with the bat file execution? There are no modification to the basic win10 installation I am aware of, it is a HP laptop (some branding + extra bloat ware)

Such errors would happen if you don't run the script as Administrator. Have you tried to do so ?

 

[01_Anna]

Hello,
thank you very much for taking time to help me. I have used the admin account in both laptops.
I have also installed "take ownership" extension to the menus in win10. The only extra item in both is the classic menu. One laptop is a Lenovo (the scripts did work); the other HP where they did not. The HP has a lot of additional "bloatware", some of which I was able to manually remove. The computer is used only for work, in other words, I would like it to run as smoothly as possible. The HP software was causing some processor overload, and crashes of Win10; after removing those greatly diminished.
But if I could get rid of the "cortana annoyances" etc. which interrupt my work -it would be a great help. I have managed to disable the background task -of indexing the hard drive (which again was causing the computer to freeze).

 

[Martin]

Well then perhaps there's some additional security software installed which prevents modification of certain settings. I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with such HP "add-ons", so I can't give you a precise recommendation.
Also please read a few posts above about trying to remove Cortana on recent Windows 10 builds.

 

[01_Anna]

Well then perhaps there's some additional security software installed which prevents modification of certain settings.

Thank you very much. I will try to find the HP additional bloat I mean software -if I do find a definitive "culprit" I will of course share my findings with the readers of this thread.