Why does MS download such LARGE files when logon?

Caledon Ken said:

Agree I'm not op.

Mega10user asked the question "If I could find the update troubleshooter, what would that tell me if no updates are there and no failed updates are 'retrying'? He also said he didn't use Cortana.

I was trying to answer why I had suggested running trouble shooter.

Hi Ken, That part of my reply was only as an answer to your original reply. Just this evening, it did it again (20 plus minutes downloading so far 400+MB data and there are no updates in windows or defender. This ex win8.1 NEW HP was completely wiped and the free win 10 clean install was done (HP bloatware AND the 8.1/10 update left me with a LOOOOOONG bootup and slow system so I found the post on wiping the HDD and clean installing this win 10). Although I HAD to have the MS account (according to the prompts) I do not use cloud, MS (any more than I have to), nor want or care to use 'cortana'. I would like to explore the possible 'cortana' automatic downloading thing because of the MANY IP's in the resource monitor (network window) leads to a large number of (searched) MS controlled IP's. It is so annoying to log in wanting to do some surfing, emails but having the laptop locked up doing this HUGE download. This isn't my primary system so it isn't turned on as often as my win 7 machine (which does not have this quirk). Lets please see if it is this auto-Cortana non-prompted force-ware download is causing this, and stop it from locking my system?

storageman said:

As I have previous posted - Its not updates that are causing the OP's issuses. Why don't you fix your quote color since I can't see The quotes that you post ! My quotes are clear as a bell !

Storageman, your idea sounds logical, can I just find that file and delete it, or can I just 'disable' (simply) this 'cortana' unwelcome demand of my time and system?

CountMike said:

It's not happening to me but could be it's synchronizing with something, phone, another computer or even OneDrive.

Hi Mike, it isn't sync-ing with anything in my house. You see, I am too dumb for a 'smart' phone and I have no 'smart' or 'wifi' devices/appliances in my home. The large list of IP's that I look up mostly come back as a MS owned/leased IP. I don't 'cloud', or use a MS account, and don't know how too anyway. I just want to be able to log on and search/email (and sometimes 'smurf' the net). Not 'connected' in the way many are today.

Is Windows Defenders disabled? It's definitions can be that large sometimes.

Go to the control panel and click on Windows Defender. It'll say it's off if it's off.

vram said:

Is Windows Defenders disabled? It's definitions can be that large sometimes.

Go to the control panel and click on Windows Defender. It'll say it's off if it's off.

:) Defender is enabled and up to date. :)

Caledon Ken said:

This is an interesting idea and could help confirm if Cortana, Defender or any other app.

How to See What Web Sites Your Computer is Secretly Connecting To

:) I did some more research. In 'resource monitor' I see 'cortana' as not running (I'm on a win 7 machine right now the term is not correct). IF it does run and then log off after downloading completes, I will have to first start the laptop without the internet connected until I can open/watch research monitor for cortana and the .dll mentioned earlier. After that, I'll start internet and watch for those two. :)

:) I'll have to research some more, that link. Thanks for the help so far. :)

OP - Per your quote "Storageman, your idea sounds logical, can I just find that file and delete it, or can I just 'disable' (simply) this 'cortana' unwelcome demand of my time and system?" - The name of the file is "SearchUI.exe". He is the downloader. What I did was search for his name on my WINDOWS drive (Note Directory name = "C:/windows/SystemApps/Microsoft.Windows.Cortana.cw5n1h2txyewy) and then I took "ownership" of the directory (note TenForums has a tutorial to add "Take Ownership" to the right click pull down menu - I forgot the link - you will have to search for it) and then I just RENAMED "SearchUI.exe" to "SearchUI.old".

Please note that I've observed several (not all) cumulative updates that will re-install "SearchUI.exe", which will require you to do the procedure again.

That will stop Cortana from downloading any info !

Enjoy

FYI - I forgot that you will receive once a week 3 new "Cortana Error events" in your event log. Just disregard them.

Thanks for trying I really appreciate it BUT...

Ran the tool, changed the searchui.exe, it saved OK. Restarted, and right now the service isn't showing up as suspended or even in any process as 'SearchUI.exe' BUT so far am at 130MB and counting.....

This is so frustrating! The IP that is doing all this downloading is ( Whois IP 13.107.4.50 ), additional info (maybe) at url ( 13.107.4.50 - Microsoft Corporation In Redmond United States | IP-Tracker.org Lookup Locator ). Sorry about taking so long to reply, its getting to the point I do not want to use my laptop any more!

During composing this msg, the download capped out at @ 140MB (might be because I was just online with the downloading of the tool and changing of the 'SearchUI' file (just before restarting to see if it stopped).

mega10user said:

Thanks for trying I really appreciate it BUT...

Ran the tool, changed the searchui.exe, it saved OK. Restarted, and right now the service isn't showing up as suspended or even in any process as 'SearchUI.exe' BUT so far am at 130MB and counting.....

This is so frustrating! The IP that is doing all this downloading is ( Whois IP 13.107.4.50 ), additional info (maybe) at url ( 13.107.4.50 - Microsoft Corporation In Redmond United States | IP-Tracker.org Lookup Locator ). Sorry about taking so long to reply, its getting to the point I do not want to use my laptop any more!

During composing this msg, the download capped out at @ 140MB (might be because I was just online with the downloading of the tool and changing of the 'SearchUI' file (just before restarting to see if it stopped).

:) IT IS DONE! This morning, I checked to see if there was a reply and SURPRISE! No more huge files downloading. I suspect yesterday's download was maybe 'queued' and not interruptible (at the time I did the 'ownership' and rename)? Thank you storageman, so much, for your SPOT-ON diagnosis, and solution. IF people have the 'cortana' disabled, MS should have this 'SearchUI' disabled as well. Just another instance of MS not thinking (or is there another reason for it to be running?). Anyway, I can NOW log onto my laptop and use it right away instead of waiting for these danged time/resources delay! :)

Got a Dell 15-3521 laptop from a friend that was useless to them because they lost the password to access the computer account. Took it back to a barebones win 10 home machine with a USB boot/install win 10 home and it is 100% operational. Since they replaced this one before they gave it to me, they said go ahead and keep it.

Now my problem... I wanted to 'take ownership' of the Cortana folder so I could 'rename' the searchui file, it all went well, but then a weird thing happened. The original laptop is still working as set up (disabling searchui) but this one locks up the window icon lower left (desktop access to all programs). If I try to access 'settings' to update, it is 'dulled' out and doesn't work. This happens to every item on the list. Has anyone had this quirk happen to them? The only reason I was disabling searchui, is so the laptop didn't sit there downloading all those mega files whan started up like the original one from almost 2 years ago. HELP please!!!