https://github.com/Wohlstand/Destroy-Windows-10-Spying/releases
https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10
It's a good idea to go through the apps first as they give you tons of options before using. Personally I use all 3 on full blast.
Wohlstand's Destroy Windows Spying and Windows 10 LTSC (a bare-bones Enterprise edition) make for a nice pairing. That's what I use on my gaming PC, and my Pi-hole logs show very minimal contact to Microsoft.
I've been using these 3 on full blast for the last 5 years and it takes care of most.
https://github.com/Wohlstand/Destroy-Windows-10-Spying/releases
https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10
The other things you need to do are go to the taskmanager/startup and disable everything except security apps
Also got to Run/msconfig/services and uncheck the obvious things you don't need running in the background.ie fax, telephony, retial demo, XBox etc most are fairly obvious. save and reboot.
Use this non install app to shut off the telemetry to MS. It should stop the pop ups. Works on all versions of Windows. 7,8.1 and 10.
https://github.com/Wohlstand/Destroy-Windows-10-Spying/releases
Forget MSMG and use these 3 on full blast to shut off telemetry
https://github.com/Wohlstand/Destroy-Windows-10-Spying/releases
https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10
Some do things the others don't so together, it's very good.
For anyone who wants/needs to use win10 but doesn't want to be spied on, i recommend using destroy-windows-10-spying, it lets you remove most of the built in spyware and add a blacklist for hosts which might be receiving your data
Use the options given you in Windows settings/Privacy
I use all 3 of these on full to get rid of all telemetry with MS, over 385 IP addresses. They will also shut off updates.
https://github.com/Wohlstand/Destroy-Windows-10-Spying/releases
Windows LTSC is classified as Enterprise, and going through the Out of Box Experience will only let you set the telemetry to “Basic”.
With a Group Policy modification (or via something like Wohlstand’s Destroy Windows SpyingWohlstand’s Destroy Windows Spying), you can set telemetry to security which is the lowest level you can set.
Windows 10 LTSC is one of three reasons I can stand to have my PC running W10, along with Wohlstand's DWS, Pi-hole and an IP based blocklist for MS IP's on my router.
Yes, I could run Linux, but it's too much fuss to get it working when my PC is already fickle enough with stability as it is - and I say this as someone who is proficient in all things bash
.
I've got a couple of FlashBLU write-protected USB's with stuff like:
7-Zip, AdwCleaner, Autoruns, BlueScreen View, CPU-Z/GPU-Z, Display Driver Uninstaller, Etcher, Foxit PDF reader, Hard Disk Sentinel, Notepad++, Minitool Partition Wizard, PingPlotter, Process Explorer, Process Monitor, PuTTY, Rufus, TCPView, Destroy Windows Spying (Wolstand's version), TronScript, VLC and WizTree.
I also keep shortcut bookmarks in each folder to the direct download URL (where ever possible) so I can easily grab the latest version if I'm in a position or have a need to get the most recent update. That along with making the USB bootable for Hirens.
I often use my gaming machine as my daily driver, and I've got a copy of Windows 10 LTSC, run through Destroy Windows Spying, which enforces the "Security" diagnostic data level, which is the lowest Windows allows.
On top of this, I block Microsoft domains with my Pi-hole and scraped the IP blacklist that DWS installs into the Windows firewall, ensuring that those IP's are blocked at my router.
It's fucking convoluted, but it's not like Windows was designed with privacy in mind...