MInimalist win10 possibility

johnhoh · 09 Apr 2019

I had been reluctant to upgrade my win7 system since it has so many tweaks that make the interface look just like win98, which is something I prefer. Then I remembered I had an old 8.1 pro key still in the box so last weekend I cloned the win7 system to a backup disk and did a fresh install of 8.1. Now after running classicshell, making several hours of registry tweaks, icon personalizations, and running some anti-telemetry scripts this 8.1 system looks exactly like my win7 system did. Which leads me to wonder is it similarly straightforward (for an experienced techie) to get win10 stripped down to look the same way? All input appreciated.

dalchina · 09 Apr 2019

The particular difficulty you may face with Win 10 is the 6 monthly upgrade, which to date has been hard, but not impossible for Home users to avoid. However, this is changing with the next build, meaning Home users may be able to avoid upgrades for up to 18 months.

Why does this matter in your case?

It may be that some of your tweaks are overridden on each upgrade (feature update)- and you'd need a convenient way of redoing them.

As to whether what you've done is feasible... well, I suggest you grab yourself a copy of Win 10 e.g. on a spare disk and try it.

What I've done with just a few specific changes is to
a. make sure most backgrounds are not MS off-white
b. make Win 10 look somewhat like Win 7 - from the start menu to Aero, and many icons.

These changes can be readily reapplied after an upgrade.

pepanee · 10 Apr 2019

Dalchina is correct. After every new "half year big update", many settings WILL reset to default settings (which reset most of your registry tweaks).

So I was on the same boat with you on that one once I installed Windows 10. I LOVED my custom settings that I have, and ALWAYS want them at all times.

I want to point out that new Windows 10 Updates will never mess with your Classic Shell. My custom Classic Shell always stays the same after any update (refer to the picture below).

So... I did custom reg files, that re-applies my custom settings. (Check the next image below of a sample of the beginning part of that reg file when I have it opened in Notepad. That reg file has so many different custom settings that would get applied immediately once I merge that reg file to my Registry.)

I also have separate reg files that aren't included in that big reg file I have prepared, they are separate settings that I apply one-by-one. (Check the 3rd image below)

spapakons · 10 Apr 2019

Classic Shell (or newer Open Shell) is not affected by upgrades. If you have used Customizer God or other tool to make the icons look like Windows 7 or 8.1, then you should apply that again after each build upgrade. You will also have to update 8gadgetpack to be able to use the desktop gadgets again. You will have to install Winaero Old Calculator and classic games again. I know, this is not very convenient, that's why I do not do all the updates, or make sure I do them when I have time to also redo all the tweaks to the interface.

johnhoh · 10 Apr 2019

That excellent feedback guys, thank you. So here is the $64000 question: Since I have already made my tweaks, perhaps 30-40 or so, is there a way to export those changed values into a reg file? For instance, in gpedt you can look at All Settings and click on the State column and it sorts them so at the top you only see values that you have either enabled or disabled, essentially giving you only the line items you have changed. Is there a way for me to do the same thing with the registry - to call out just he values I have changed? Cuz no way do I remember every thing I have changed over the last few days!

dalchina · 10 Apr 2019

Hi, there's no way to do that, as there will be many other changes to the registry performed by the system; even if you had a snapshot before you started, and ran a comparison now (e.g. Regshot, free) the result would be an enormous list and your particular changes could not be automatically distinguished.

If you have made changes using the GUI, expect those to be kept.

You can obtain a list of policy changes from default if you have Pro - tutorials available in Tutorial section. Again, those will be any policies, not just ones you have set. However, I would expect any such policy changes to be retained through a feature update.

In general what I do is
a. keep a simple text log of changes (mostly installation, uninstalls).
b. in that log note when I create a differential disk image (Macrium Reflect (free) ).
Thus if something goes wrong I can restore a disk image, then redo the changes where feasible, and if I encounter the same problem as a result, hopefully identify it.

It's a long time since I had to do that.

xTL · 10 Apr 2019

@johnhoh

Brink has excellent guides on how to minimize windows 10, so that you can get ridd of lots of unnecessary crap that comes with windows 10.

Here's a few i've used
Add or Remove Folders from This PC in Windows 10
Add or Remove Edit with Photos context menu in Windows 10
Remove Add to Windows Media Player list Context Menu in Windows 10
Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10

:)

johnhoh · 10 Apr 2019

Thanks all that's the info I was looking for. At this point it looks like upgrading to Win10 will come with some level of recurring annoyance on the downside, but no real upside at all, at least none that I can see. Am open to any input on that score - as to whether there is any upside at all to upgrading.

spunk · 10 Apr 2019

After January 14, 2020, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or support for PCs running Windows 7

pepanee · 10 Apr 2019

Quite honestly, over my past 33 years of life and growing up starting off with Windows 95, then to Windows 98, etc... I became rather familiar with technology. I saw a slight drawback of technology improvement when the "millennials" started taking over (I don't define myself as one of those people). That drawback happened maybe around 2009-2014 or so, but after that, I actually DID see improvements in technology. As of today in 2019, technology is so far advanced that it is a best choice to always have the latest device / software / etc. So in this scenario, it is best to have the latest version of Windows, which is Windows 10. Its updates are all automatic and they are intended to make the operating system better and more secure. I remember when I was a kid, I had Windows XP and didn't have a valid key for it. I did everthing I could to avoid it from getting invalidly registered by avoiding specific updates or whatnot. But now Windows 10 is completely valid and not pirated or anything. So honestly, if that could be anyone's situation, you can buy Valid product keys from eBay for as low as $6. That would make your Windows 10 perfect and most up to date. There may be a rare eventual bug that Microsoft will accidentally deliver to everyone, but they get right on that and fix up the glitch.

So in conclusion, just force yourself into the mindset that everything you have today, should always get updated to the latest version for, most importantly, security purposes. There are many many MANY different types of unidentifiable "independent" hacks/hackers out there who could easily get into older versions of things. So just join the big group where everyone is in.
I also enabled my iPhone to automatically update its software whenever a new version is released by Apple.