Request for Windows 10 alternatives to reduce data usage

Forums › Microsoft Windows › Request for Windows 10 alternatives to reduce data usage

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Master Geek
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#1903061 16-Nov-2017 23:04

I've had reasonably pleasant experience with RemixOS (Android for PC), you just need to disable the auto update and it should be fine. I believe RemixOS is no longer maintained though, so you won't be getting anymore OS updates. Works best with an Intel PC (with an Intel GPU), least amount of trouble.

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#1903108 17-Nov-2017 08:09

blackjack17: If the device is for a non it person I would avoid Linux. ...

Maybe, maybe not.

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1101

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#1903146 17-Nov-2017 10:21

You could try a ChromeOS/chromebook clone

Ive installed Neverware's Chromebook-ish cloned Operating System on a laptop with no issues
https://www.neverware.com/freedownload

Not sure if a cloud based OS is a good idea if trying to minimize data usage though. :-)
That might make chromebooks a poor choice as well ?, although I have no idea how much online data use a Cloud OS will use/need.

farcus

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#1903197 17-Nov-2017 12:46

perhaps something like Linux Mint. It's very beginner friendly and not such a steep learning curve coming from windows.

tripper1000

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#1903291 17-Nov-2017 15:22

ripdog: Windows 10 enforces updates for a good reason. It's not safe to leave a computer on the internet without receiving security updates.

I have had exactly the same trouble as the OP but on work machines. Updates slowing the machine & cellular connection become a security problem because in our case workers start using their own machines instead of the supplied/painful/barely functioning W10 machines.

Does anyone know why Win10 is so much heavier on updates than previous versions? Has it got more flaws than previous versions? Is M.S. shovelling out un-necessary updates?

I fear Microsoft has gone full on Norton and prioritised security over the actual functionality of the computer.

1101

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#1903325 17-Nov-2017 15:54

ripdog: Windows 10 enforces updates for a good reason. It's not safe to leave a computer on the internet without receiving security updates.

Yes in theory. Not how it actually is in the real world however . Not by a long shot
Thats why the same people or type of user keeps getting there PC infected . Nothing to do with if WINupdates are on or off. Never has been , with a few exceptions.
Sure , better to have security patches, but lets not pretend its some security panacea . Click that popup, open that bogus email, install that adware :-)

tripper1000:

Is M.S. shovelling out un-necessary updates?

yep, you betcha. They bundle in uneeded crapware (apps, games, adware) with compulsory updates

Those major build updates (creators, fall etc) wont be small either. I could see that blowing out data cellphone caps

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ANglEAUT

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#1903451 17-Nov-2017 20:28

1101: ... Those major build updates (creators, fall etc) wont be small either. I could see that blowing out data cellphone caps

Not only cellphone caps, but other emerging economies & 3rd world countries. I have a family member on a 512K ADSL line with a 3GB cap.

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lNomNoml

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#1903469 17-Nov-2017 21:19

Give this a try, I recall using it in the past and it worked fine.

https://www.computerworld.com/article/3053701/microsoft-windows/block-windows-10-forced-updates-without-breaking-your-machine-part-2.html

tripper1000

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#1904265 19-Nov-2017 23:27

IcI:

1101: ... Those major build updates (creators, fall etc) wont be small either. I could see that blowing out data cellphone caps

Not only cellphone caps, but other emerging economies & 3rd world countries. I have a family member on a 512K ADSL line with a 3GB cap.

A colleague was complaining just last week that his daughters school laptop was unusable for several hours while it did unsolicited updates and multiple restarts. If this were to happen in the middle of class too frequently I could can see teachers insisting on chrome-books.

This product risks becoming irrelevant to much of the 1st world, let alone 3rd world countries.

I wonder if people are going to hang onto Win7 longer than they held onto WinXP.

miked

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#1904271 20-Nov-2017 00:40

Second vote for Linux Mint.

Interface wise, it is very accessible to Windows users, so should be easy for her to use.

But it is also normally a doddle to install, so should also be easy for you to setup on her computer.

Batman

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#1904282 20-Nov-2017 07:04

is OP sure that it's Windows updates and not some other program "updating"?

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andrewNZ

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#1904285 20-Nov-2017 07:24

@freitasm you tracked down some rouge data use recently. What did you use in the end?

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#1904526 20-Nov-2017 13:04

Pretty sure the boss had some success with GlassWire on a Windows device. Have had good results with the Android version myself. Might be worth a look to see if the rogue data thief can been identified?

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tripper1000

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#1908108 26-Nov-2017 19:16

I have had some success protecting cellular data in the past on other versions of windows by disallowing/blocking all applications and services in Windows fire wall except the Internet browser. Data cap went from lasting 2 days to lasting more than a month. I've not tried this with W10, so I can't be certain weather or not the update service will circumvent the firewall. Prior to this I was faffing around with MSconfig trying to disable all the updater services etc, but there was simply too much hidden stuff to deal with.

kotuku4

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#1921209 18-Dec-2017 12:00

I installed Linux Lite on an old HP laptop for Grandma. They are on ADSL, I have not checked data use.

We were having problems with windows 7, and had not updated to Win 10.

Use is chrome browser, gmail, and facebook.

It runs faster and cleaner, with little or no intervention from me. Grandma seems happy.

I probably need to check if updates have been run, it's probably been a year since I looked at it.

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