Rusty Old Guy and New Win 1909 Ten Enterprise Installation = Confusion

Henrik37 · 07 Jan 2020

I have a x64 Dell T3500 workstation with a 2 gB hard drive and maxed out memory that originally had Win Seven-Pro installed. The T3500 is not presently being used regularly as I want to understand how Win Ten works before making the machine my main PC. I obtained a Win Ten-Pro ISO and got it to install Win Ten to the HD of the T3500. I then tried to activate the installation with Microsoft using the key number on the original Win Seven COA and, to my surprise, the activation was successful. When I used Jelly Bean to verify the new Win Ten activation key number, I was surprised to learn that Win Ten Enterprise was identified as the OS I had installed as well as learning the new activation key number stored in the PC's registry (at least I think that is where this data is stored).

Immediately, I ran into Microsoft's privacy intrusive system for logging on to the computer. After stumbling around and looking through the tutorials on this forum, I learned how to convert the PC to a 'local log-in' mode, like what I was used to with Win Seven-Pro. I much dislike the 'look' of Win Ten. I then learned about 'Classic Shell', downloaded that and installed it. The next time I turned the PC on, it immediately - and without my permission - began downloading what I think was an update. I didn't like that.

My problem, then, is how do I tell this Win Ten-Enterprise installation that I want to be in charge of what the PC is doing; most particularly with the downloading of updates. I also want to disable this awful Cortana thing and make Win Ten look and operate more like Win Seven-Pro but, first, I need to stop this automatic downloading.

Advice, guidance, suggestions and/or pointers to appropriate tutorials are welcomed and will be gratefully accepted. I'm over 80 and a bit rusty these days so your collective understanding will be most appreciated. In advance, many thanks!

dalchina · 07 Jan 2020

Hi, I commend you on getting Win 10 installed and great idea to use Classic Shell. Your PC appears ot have Dell drivers only to Win 7, thus like millions of others, you are effectively using it out of spec with Win 10. That means you may or may not run into problems related to driver incompatibility - that's a risk you have chosen to take.

https://www.dell.com/support/home/uk...-t3500/drivers

Classic Shell was discontinued, but is still said to work. Development continues by a different group as 'Open shell' - functionally identical.

I obtained a Win Ten-Pro ISO

- how did you do this? iso's available to the public using the MS media creation tool will install whatever edition you have a license for. I.e. they are not specifically 'Pro' or 'Home' but grouped by x32 or x64, and by language.

I don't know why you have an enterprise license- that's odd. Hopefully one of our licensing experts will advise.

Just for info, at the start of this tutorial you will see the expected license upgrade routes:
Upgrade to Windows 10

Update control: Assuming you had Pro you have good tools to control this. (I'm not familiar with Enterprise- which is intended for businesses e.g.)

Upgrades:
You can defer upgrades for up to 365 days.
Windows Update - Defer Feature and Quality Updates in Windows 10
However, MS's policy means there is a limit - related to the end of service life of a particular build.

Updates:
Use the group policy editor - e.g. search Group Policy (or Win key + R, gpedit.msc) to set updates to Notify.

This means you are told there is an update available, click the notification, Settings, opens, you choose to apply it or not.

Rusty Old Guy and New Win 1909 Ten Enterprise Installation = Confusion-2.png

There are also 3rd party tools which can disable Windows Update- then you use the free tool instead.

In Settings, there's 'Active Hours' restricting when an update-related restart is applied.

Cortana: What is your Windows build? Win key + R, winver. The forum prompted you to state that when you created your post. There is a reason for that.

I am suspicious you may have used an old iso and do not have the current build where Cortana is separated from search and voice activated only. I never see Cortana unless I enable 'Hey cortana' in Settings and say that.

Tutorials: Searchable list:
Windows 10 Tutorial Index

And the Tutorials section in another format is at the top of the page. Click and explore.
Most tutorials have a 'Related tutorials' section after the main text- links to more.

look and operate more like Win Seven-Pro

You have a good start menu; I added the Orb, which you can see here:

Rusty Old Guy and New Win 1909 Ten Enterprise Installation = Confusion-1.png

Note the Win 7 icons, translucent rounded borders, and some background colour- I find the off-white a bit glaring.

EdTittel · 07 Jan 2020

Windows 10 Enterprise is available to those with a Visual Studio Live (formerly MSDN) subscription. See the winver output from my production desktop as an example:

Rusty Old Guy and New Win 1909 Ten Enterprise Installation = Confusion-image.png

It's provided as a MAK key, so you can actually activate it multiple times, if you're so inclined. I use only one instance myself.
HTH,
--Ed--

dalchina · 07 Jan 2020

It may be an assumption it really is Enterprise- Settings, About may be more reliable than Jellybean..

Henrik37 · 07 Jan 2020

Per EdTittel's suggestion, I tried Winver and the screen indicated version 1909, OS build 18363.535, and Win 10-Pro. Per dalchina's suggestion, I went to Settings and found the same information: Win 10-Pro, version 1909, and OS build 18363.535. Accordingly, JellyBean's report was WRONG!

When comes to the automatic download matter, I found I could delay some things for 35 days, other things for 30 days and still other things for only 14 days. Nowhere did I find the option of delaying updates until I want them. Did I misunderstand the guidance?

dalchina · 08 Jan 2020

1. Notify. Please open your group policy editor as I showed you.

Win key + r, gpedit.msc

Navigate to the same place and post a screenshot.
To post a screenshot use the icon above your post 'Insert Image'

2. 365 days deferral.
a. Open Settings, Windows Update, Advanced Options and post a screenshot.

That's in this tutorial which I posted for you. Did you look at it?
Windows Update - Defer Feature and Quality Updates in Windows 10

There's another method there using the Group Policy Editor.

Each time you have a problem post a screenshot where possible so we can see why you're not seeing what you say you'rs not seeing- i.e. where you are looking.