'Debloating Windows 10 With One Command and No Scripts' (gabrielsieben.tech) 101
An anonymous reader writes: Recently, I had to set up a Windows 10 computer for one specific application in a semi-embedded use case. Anything else that Windows does or comes with is unnecessary for this. While there are plenty of internet scripts and apps for de-bloating Windows, I have found the easiest (and little known) way to debloat Windows without running any internet scripts is as follows:
1. Open Powershell.
2. Type Get-AppxPackage | Remove-AppxPackage.
3. Ignore any error messages about packages that can't be removed, it's fine.
Will this work for everyone? No, of course not, but it's a great one-line, easily memorable tool for cleaning up a PC quickly for an industrial use case without any security risks.
1. Open Powershell.
2. Type Get-AppxPackage | Remove-AppxPackage.
3. Ignore any error messages about packages that can't be removed, it's fine.
Will this work for everyone? No, of course not, but it's a great one-line, easily memorable tool for cleaning up a PC quickly for an industrial use case without any security risks.
O&O Shutup - One Program Does Most (Score:3, Informative)
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Shutup supports Win11 too.
Paste the full article (Score:3)
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I remember posting this exact comment maybe a year or so after Windows 8 came around, right here on slashdot. But actually it removes applications globally as well, including some applications that you normally can't uninstall. And doing so would often break some things. Removing the xbox app in particular actually broke the start menu. And other applications that couldn't normally be uninstalled would still have their icon remaining, and clicking it would literally do nothing at all, not even close the sta
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Parent Anon is correct. Remove-appxpackage removes an application for the current user. To remove it for all users on the box you need remove-appxprovisionedpackage.
As a heads-up, there are packages that can't be reinstalled once removed. It's a good way to derp a box bad enough to require a reinstall.
Re:Paste the full article (Score:5, Funny)
and you'll have completely debloated Windows without any of this Powershell GetAppixPackage stuff.
Re:Paste the full article (Score:4, Funny)
will updates reload the removed stuff? (Score:2)
will updates reload the removed stuff?
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Of course. And reset the firewall to allow all the Microsoft crappola unrestrained access to and from the internet.
And the "removed" stuff was not removed -- only temporarily hidden in the current user profile.
Re: will updates reload the removed stuff? (Score:2)
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Yes it will turn itself back on after some major updates, it will also remove most things associated with the Microsoft Store. This should be fine, but it will axe your XBox controller drivers (it did this for me a few years ago) and will make Office 365 products wig-out a bit.
Just use Windows LTSC (Score:5, Informative)
Re: Just use Windows LTSC (Score:4, Insightful)
But the windows are still borderless.
Borderless windows are truly evil inventions.
Re: Just use Windows LTSC (Score:5, Funny)
Yeah, I hate those borderless windows. They let the contents spill out everywhere, and pretty soon you can't see anything but a bunch of blobs. I think I even saw a cockroach in there somewhere.
It's basic high school physics... (Score:1)
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There is only problem with LTSC. It’s an older build and you’ll get stuck with older graphics drivers. If your graphics card is new you’ll be at the mercy of drivers supplied by Microsoft.
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you can install the full NON MS ones on that right?
Re:Just use Windows LTSC (Score:4, Insightful)
I believe the GP is referring to a lack of DCH [custhelp.com] driver compatibility?
DCH was a new display driver type introduced with Windows 10 1803 in 2018. These days the only Win10 drivers shipped by the major GPU vendors are all DCH, since consumer support for the pre-1803 OSes has long since expired.
However, checking Wikipedia's product matrix [wikipedia.org], there are two newer versions of Win10 LTSC in service, based on 1809 and 21H2 respectively. Both of these versions would support DCH drivers, so you can install the latest Win10 drivers from the manufacturer. In this case, I'm not sure what driver trouble the GP would be running into.
Re: Just use Windows LTSC (Score:3)
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I wonder how many of the people using LTSC are the same that complain about bugs and stupid feature designs in Windows. I did try this (mainly to get an older laptop onto a more leaner Windows release) and it was like an infuriating trip back in time which reminded me of all the hate Windows 10 got on release. Unfortunately (or rather very fortunately for the common user) Windows 10 has changed a lot over the years and the LTSC release doesn't have many of the bug / quality of life fixes.
If you are that des
Re: Just use Windows LTSC (Score:4, Informative)
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Some people want LTSC 2019 because they want to keep their PCs on the internet after October 2025.
This deserves an insightful mod. Of all the reasons people mention using LTSC, that is probably the single most legitimate one I've heard. Kudos on not mentioning some feature that is simply disabled by clicking a button in the settings panel like a lot of other people do.
Re:like updated Win 7? (Score:3)
Does it have the desktop? That was the one defining feature that was removed from Win 7. If it doesn't have the nice desktop, hard to call it win7.
Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC (Score:5, Insightful)
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Because the features you're paying to remove are ones that Microsoft uses to steal your data and advertise to you.
Remember when Microsoft tried hard to prevent Windows piracy? Now they hand it out like a dentist on Halloween handing out candy.
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Finally switched from Win7x64 Ultimate to Win10 LTSC 21H2, now that Win11 is the new hotness
Absolutely zero issues installing the latest drivers on brand spanking new AMD R9 7950X systems, one with a 7900XTX, the other with a 4090
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Not sure why that is marked as Insightful[...] Absolutely zero issues installing the latest drivers
You're also not sure where you are, or what you're doing in this handbasket, as GP said nothing whatsoever about drivers.
Re:Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC (Score:4, Interesting)
Not exactly. Among other things, LTSC has no store app, which this command doesn't remove. It also left you with a different start menu, and there were no tiles whatsoever. Also before edge became chromium based, it couldn't remove edge either, where LTSC had it removed entirely.
Re:Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC (Score:5, Interesting)
And a promise not to do updates that break things for 5 years.
You're forgetting something. Windows 10 is a buggy heap of shit with lots of infuriating user design choices. You say "updates that break things" but that is a double edged sword where the other edge is "updates which fix things".
Using Windows LTSC is like going back in time and undoing all the shit MS has fixed. Think of Windows 11 and the most common Slashdot complaints about the task bar being unable to be moved or not having seconds visible. The latter is already slated for the next release, the former is (allegedly) being worked on. Running Windows LTSC in that scenario would be like torturing yourself for 5 years stuck with a shitty design.
It's a better option to install normal windows and just remove things you don't want with the PowerShell. Plus you get to feel good since you're typing commands like a real neckbeard and it's called both Power and Shell.
Re:Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC (Score:4, Informative)
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LTSC is just so much better than either of those it's not even close.
That's a weak statement. Be specific. Let's see what it is that makes it better for you so we can also see what specific features it is that you care about.
If you start the sentence with something to do with privacy just note you "drawback" has already been deemed irrelevant by 99% of users.
I will then deduct a point for every "feature" which can be disabled with a simple toggle (so let me give you a head start by suggesting you don't mention advertisements in the startmenu).
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You're forgetting something. Windows 10 is a buggy heap of shit with lots of infuriating user design choices. You say "updates that break things" but that is a double edged sword where the other edge is "updates which fix things".
Using Windows LTSC is like going back in time and undoing all the shit MS has fixed.
You accidentally guessed the new patent-pending Microsoft technology to force users to stay forever on the Windows Update treadmill. However, it's a Microsoft trade secret. You should delete your comment ASAP, if you don't want to get a polite letter from your friendly Microsoft lawyers.
Re: "You have to pay $500" (Score:2)
As a business subject to audit, yes.
Otherwise downloading a clean image, verifying checksum then using an activation script is easy for anyone not tech-illiterate.
Old news (Score:5, Interesting)
Been doing this for close to two years with no major side effects. Only thing is, it breaks Sticky Notes, so in an office environment you get some squawking.
If you want, redirect the resulting output to a text file, eliminate the line that kills Sticky Notes (or any other apps you want to keep) and then just run _that_.
Oh, and you have to do this per-user. If a new person logs into the PC all these apps come back (for them, not anyone who's done this already.)
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Get-AppxPackage | Remove-AppxPackage
Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -online | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -online
Re:Old news (Score:4, Informative)
For the *power user* there's no major side effects. For a normal user several "features" of windows are actually embedded in such apps. You've mentioned Sticky Notes, but running the command also removes the Snipping Tool, and Windows Store. While many here would think the latter is a benefit, their mums and dads are probably scratching their heads when they go to a website, see a button that says "Get it from Microsoft" and that button doesn't appear to do anything. I'm not sure if this removes the clock app, but if it does then all alarming functionality on Windows disappears too.
This isn't something more power users use, but it is none the less advertised features of windows that some users may expect to work.
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There are still quite a lot of distributions which are quite bloated, like Windows.
Re: 1. Install Linux (Score:2)
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He writes that he has a use case for one specific application. That is a case where trying Linux & Wine is a good idea.
Either it runs, and things are fine.
Or it does not work, then you can always go back to Windows and the headaches it brings.
Using Linux on a PC that might have to run additional specific applications in the future is a lot more problematic. An example would be a friend of mine who is running his own professional car repair shop.
He does not only need various maintenance software that is
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He writes that he has a use case for one specific application. That is a case where trying Linux & Wine is a good idea.
Either it runs, and things are fine.
Or it does not work, then you can always go back to Windows and the headaches it brings.
Wine is focusing too much on games, IMHO, and this limits its usefulness. For example, I have to maintain a bunch of Windows machines that run a specific mission-critical Windows application. The application itself is absolutely nothing special. It works on any Windows version from NT 4.0 onward, and really the only "exotic" thing it does is shared opening files, PC-DOS 3.x (1984) style. Wine doesn't support this, and has been asked for and refused to implement this feature for decades. Because few games us
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you clearly never used wine for other thing other than games them ... for those, it is better a vm, but i have run in the past many "normal" windows apps
the only problem with wine for other apps is when they try to install their drivers, ie: they have hardware or try to control specific hardware or enable/check some drm or finally, interact with internet exploder (thanks good it died already)
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SolidWorks makes ~half a billion in annual revenue. That is sufficient for them to port their software to the more useful operating system.
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Solid works doesn't give a shit about your silly little 'Linux is the one to rule them all' fantasy
So? I don't give a shit about their silly little software.
Listen closely - Linux distros are not a desktop OS, get over it
But Unix is everywhere, including on the desktop.
Also, you're a troll.
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check https://www.onshape.com/ [onshape.com]
but you can also run solidwork in linux:
https://github.com/cryinkfly/S... [github.com]
Usually the major problem is that people are blind wo their existent software and if it works or feels different, they automatically dislikes it... unless it is one upgrade from their existent software, in that case, those changes are awesome!! :)
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Installing linux will just work? Woot!
Re:1. Install Linux (Score:4, Funny)
sudo apt list --installed | apt remove
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sudo apt list --installed | apt remove
don't forget the "yes, do was i say", just llike linus (the other one) did... your setup will be very clean in the end!! :D
Re: 1. Install Linux (Score:2)
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And have to search for ways to debloat systemd? Not sure if I want this.
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you have several distros without systemd, choose the one that fits better your needs/taste
little known? (Score:2)
Wish it would actually remove the bloat (Score:5, Informative)
All it does is remove the AppX instances from your local profile. It's just like right-clicking on the app and clicking "uninstall." Although this technique lets you remove apps that the GUI won't. However if you create a new user and everything is automatically populated in that new user. And sometimes system updates can bring back some of the bloated apps.
So the bloat is still on the hard drive even if you run this one-liner. but at least they won't be running.
Re:Wish it would actually remove the bloat (Score:5, Informative)
Here's the fix for you:
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So the bloat is still on the hard drive
Honestly our drives are full of irrelevant shit. If you're after a slim down OS for an application to run on an SD card windows isn't your issue. You can remove all this bloat and it won't even move the needle on the diskspace being used.
What happened to Slashdot (Score:2)
I havenâ(TM)t been reading Slashdot much these last 10 yearsâ¦.but seriously, what happened? This is the kind of content that would be openly mocked 10 years ago. Donâ(TM)t the editors feel shame? People can see this.
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And where are all the "insensitive clod" and Cowboy Neal comments? Not to mention all the witty ones. Or the ones that were sometimes helpful and insightful?
I must be getting old.
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They died from eating all the hot grits. /s
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I havenÃ(TM)t been reading Slashdot much these last 10 yearsæ.but seriously, what happened? This is the kind of content that would be openly mocked 10 years ago. DonÃ(TM)t the editors feel shame?
No, they do not. The owners are crypto boosters who also refuse to report on Elno, presumably they are also invested in Tesla. Shame is clearly not an emotion available to them.
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Literally every comment above yours is mocking the story BTW. Nice to see there are still readers that don't read but go straight to post about whining.
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Many older users seemed to have moved on. And with a wider web these days, there are more places to visit instead. The articles (submitted by the remaining and newer users [some Eternal September-ish]) seem to have gotten less technical over time on average; perhaps because there's so much available/to know these days (i.e., fewer experts)...I know that even my small job juggles many different tools. "Anonymous users" are no longer allowed to post due to the spam and trolling that w
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Compare the Pair (Score:2)
This is my Start Menu, after installing my CAD software:
Probably should have posted a before shot for comparison.
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To show a few icons not there? There's no point in this comparison. It doesn't free any disk space it just unregisters internal apps from your profile.
old and not that super (Score:2)
I have tried this before with little to no noticable results, and I just tried again on my garage computer
Mac Mini 2013 edition, so a 3rd gen i5 mobile something, 1tb SATA SSD, 16GB DDR3 Ram (and a 500 gig spinning rust drive for stuff I want to keep) native boot into windows no other OS installed
Hard disk usage, immeasurable though explorer, memory usage, maybe a whole whopping 300 megs ... lots of stuff removed from start menu but who uses that ... considering this is the weakest machine I daily drive its
This is silly (Score:2)
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You are not the target audience for this content.
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Everyone's a target for the weather. *watches storm blow through*
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What ever happened... (Score:3)
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That doesn't work anymore, but randomly deleting some files from it does work for some people.
This is idiocy (Score:2)
This is some 19 year old kid with no real understanding who got lucky.
It makes no sense to do this on a live system. The correct way is to create a stripped down ISO and install that.
Windows doesn't break. Your ability to use it does (Score:4, Informative)
It should really be right in the title that this kind of activity is reserved for experts who know what they are doing and are setting up their computer for a specific purpose. The latest string of issues I see people having with Windows is that someone told them it was bloated, so they Googled and ran a script or a command and now x or y doesn't work anymore!
The reality is Windows as a core OS functions fine, but people don't use an OS, they use the applications and tools on top of them, and while the average Slashdotter may not be interested in the "bloat" that comes with Windows, this commend actually uses features advertised with the OS, such as the snipping tool or the Microsoft Store. So what you say? Well mum and dad aren't the type to figure out why program X they want to download won't install when they click the button "Get it from Microsoft" and nothing happens anymore.
One man's bloat is another's critical feature.
"Debloating Windows 10" isn't possible at all (Score:3)
This won't work permanently; more required (Score:2)
This will only remove installed bloatware. What will happen after every update, all these apps will be reinstalled again. To stop that, you need to remove pre-installed apps from the system image using
https://4sysops.com/archives/r... [4sysops.com]
I'd just use linux (Score:1)
I have another tool (Score:2)
\rm -rf /
Very powerful, will free so much of disk space.
Windows in an industrial application? (Score:2)
That sounds like an accident waiting to happen....
Oh, brother (Score:1)