aestheticallly Posted at 2019-04-04 22:26:04(291Wks ago) Report Permalink URL | ||
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| Your starter introduction of how to stop Windows 10 spying on you + using your resources and bandwidth: A review of the anti-spyware software available for free – Windows 10. By aesthetically........ Hi everyone and I hope you are all well today. Today, I’m going to talk about the various spying aspects to Windows 10. The problem is that Windows 10 is always spying right down to its core. This is a problem for people like us but we can fix this problem if we use a number of very special anti-spy programs. The beauty of these programs is that they are all generally made by pretty savvy developer/thinker type people + that they are FREE! They are as follows: destroy Windows spying, Windows 10 remove bloatware from Windows 10, remove Edge browser from Windows 10, shut up Windows 10 by O and O software + windows spy blocker but to name a few……… Let us start with destroy Windows spying. This is sometimes known as DWS. This program is very efficient, however I believe that the changes that it makes are somewhat permanent. Some alterations or roll-back can occur but some alterations ‘may’ remain. The program operates from an exercise. The exercise automatically opens the CMD box and through that the computer removes many spying options that Windows 10 uses to spy on you. These include Win 10 reporting back to the mother ship and also adding many block Microsoft IP address in your firewall settings. But in essence, this program is mainly associated with telemetry. The program is good and is updated regularly. I believe it is safe and I use this program myself on my Windows 10 machine. The only problem that I experienced with this program was that because Microsoft took over Skype - My copy of Skype [that I installed on my machine], was accidentally blocked. This was a real problem for me but I fixed it by getting Skype add-on for Chrome browser. I use Chrome portable browser and this allowed the connection to Skype from my windows 10 machine even though it was blocked by the ‘destroy Windows spying’ application 😉 Now I am going to talk about yet another program it is called Windows10Debloater. This also is an excellent program as there is much bloatware in windows 10. This program gives you the opportunity to get rid of it. Especially unwanted apps that will be continually tracking you and also using up valuable resources in the background - which of course makes your machine less efficient. I recommend this program - but be careful it's not so easy to replace bloatware that you may need in the future. But most of it is rubbish and you can get rid of it with this great program. I use this program on my Windows 10 machine + recommend it. As you already know windows 10 has the edge browser. This browser is a great threat - not only to privacy but to functionality [I have Firefox and since the quantum new version, it is now excellent, fast + efficient, not to mention super privacy conscious!] So, the edge browser has to go - but it is very hard to get rid of. I’m not sure, but I believe there is another helpful program that is called winaero tweaker. This is an amazing program. It has many settings and was made by very clever people. I believe there is an opportunity to get rid of Microsoft Edge browser in winaero tweaker. If not, there is a rough fix. It requires you to rename the microsoft edge exercise. This destroys microsoft edge functionality. The directions are as follows…… “Microsoft keeps changing things a bit, but you can still ‘Disable’ the Edge browser by doing the following.......... Hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys and tap the delete key, then click on Task Manager. If it says "More details" at the bottom of the Task Manager window, click on it to show more details. Scroll down the list and look for "Microsoft Edge". If you find it in the list, right click on it and select "End task". Now, open File Explorer and find the folder "C:WindowsSystemAppsMicrosoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe" and rename that folder to anything you wish. (I normally just append some text to it like "_remove" so I can easily re-enable Edge in the future if I desire.) Edge should now be ‘disabled’.” This method it blunt, but it works. If required, use internet explorer 11 instead 😉 I have firefox quantum and useI.E 11 if firefox has a problem with an anally retentive website…..lol We now move on to another brilliant program. This program is called shut up win 10 it is made by the famous German company O & O software. This program takes another tact on trying to preserve your privacy. It displays every single setting in Windows 10. As you can imagine, most settings when set to ‘enabled’, are a significant privacy threat. Luckily this program has a ‘recommended settings’ - setting. Also, it can be enabled or disabled [which reduces stress a little] OR if you have a problem. But overall it is very good and is both auto [set and forget] and manual as well. Using the default selections is quite handy. As such, I highly recommend this program, and I do use it on my machine. Now the thing is – is that you need to be careful - because there are settings that control your microphone and camera. The default settings see these as a threat and as such they are disabled by default. This is a fair assertion, however, again, this makes using Skype impossible. So you will have to allow camera and microphone if you want Skype or webcam. Use your brain and don't disable everything. Scroll through the options and be logical. Use the ‘recommended settings’ - but then allow the stuff you need. It's a great program, and I love it - but it is Savage! There are also two other annoying programs I got rid of. One was called smart screen which I got rid of with a registry file, and the other was Windows Defender. Windows Defender was hard to get rid of. There were many settings [that were needed to be configured to get rid of defender], but winaero tweaker helped me here. Nevertheless, it was very tricky because I needed half of Windows Defender to enable and run my Windows Firewall functionality, however, I did not want Windows Defender scanning my computer and spying on me or have it using up my valuable resources. So, [just let me say], I use Malwarebytes [So I don’t need Windows Defender at all]. Malwarebytes is a much lighter and better program and it hasn't failed me yet [7 years], and I love it. So I recommend that you get rid of Windows Defender and replace it with Malwarebytes. But yes this is tricky…………. And now for the scariest program of all these programs. This program is so scary you may need a spare pair of underpants. Its name is windows spy blocker. Again, this program uses the CMD black box method to do it’s work. Once initiated, the black box opens - revealing a menu with some settings for average users and for advanced users. I would just stick to the simple stuff [average users] if this type of work is new to you. The settings, mainly fall under the area of telemetry which if I recall correctly – it is number one. You hit number 1 and then a sub menu appears within that menu. There are many actions. Five actions I believe. The great thing about this scary program is that all actions can be undone 😊 What I believe this program does is add many many entries into your firewall block list automatically. When you see the list of blocked Microsoft IP addresses [it has entered/blocked], your jaw will drop to the ground and you will then realise that Microsoft is sending all your information back to its mother ship and spying on you big time. But this program stops that, and it even blocks many settings/connections in your machines host file! Again, I would be very careful with this program. It seems that the spying is at the core of Windows 10. Because it is so deep - changes made, can affect your machine [to not so great], but as I said….. the layers can be undone. If you do encounter bugs, you can do some research and if you have a problem you can remove an IP address or a host file entry manually from your firewall or hosts file respectively 😊 [thereby re-opening network connection for whatever app was complaining]. However this is time consuming and annoying - but then again privacy is priceless. I do use this program on my machine but I did have to ‘iron out the kinks’ and as such - I am very happy with it now 😊 So there you go. There is your starter introduction of how to stop Windows 10 spying on you and how to stop windows 10 from using your resources and bandwidth. I wish you good luck on your journey of privacy, however I urge you to use prudence in regards to all of these programs [mentioned above]. Naturally, as I was scared, I set restore points prior to using these programs. However, that did not work ‘every’ time. I guess that is because many of these programs use the cmd method of installing their settings. Nevertheless, when I struck a problem, I went back to the programs settings and changed the settings manually and it all worked out for me. But, it took a while and I needed patience and I had to look up to Google for help. Nevertheless, I am very happy now as my machine is like 99% locked down, so that's it - that's my story - so good luck – aesthetically. Hi folks, I have an UPDATE 15.05.2019 on the Skype problem with it being blocked by the WindowsSpyBlocker program. That's the one that has a cmd box with various numbered choices to add firewall entries to your firewall to block Microsoft spying. There's also another privacy program that I use called WPD Windows privacy dashboard - It too sets an entry that blocks Skype. Yeah, great idea until MS bought Skype, and as an MS program that uses the internet to function, it got blocked in the crossfire - as to speak. So, because I like and use Skype, I went through every firewall block rule using windows firewall with the new Windows Firewall Control [now malwarebytes] UI. God, that UI makes adjusting your firewall a breeze. So I found two entries that will stop Skype dead in it's tracks. Once these entries are disabled [or deleted] in the firewall, Skype should work - tested + working today 😉 Please see the images below that show the where, what and how of allowing Skype to function correctly, while still maintaining a sense of privacy [i.e. no tracking]. Image 1. A Skype killing firewall entry set by the WindowsSpyBlocker program.........  Image 2. A Skype killing firewall entry set by the WPD Windows privacy dashboard.........  So there you go, I hope that this information may be of value to somebody..... 😊 ........ aestheticallly Last edited by aestheticallly on 2019-05-14 08:13:03 | |
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