I need to look further into Win10 LTSC... Win7 is working fine but id like to update to new hardware and not give up gaming yet. I also don't like the idea of updates randomly changing my settings and Microsoft deciding what "apps" I want or don't want ESPECIALLY on my main server where I'm locked to windows due to hardware and applications.
Or I could just say eff it, and keep my current win7 machine for gaming and my new build for when I want to get work done and not have to trace down idiotic random changes and reboots.
I hear there is a thing called 0patch for Windows 7 but I haven't tried it yet.
https://0patch.com/pricing.htmlI know exactly how you feel and I went to great efforts over months experimenting and studying what the additional services do and trying to disable the telemetry stuff manually and any connections made to Microsoft and it's partners. You can switch off "App stuff" from automatically installing in Group policy editor so when installing a printer it doesn't get the "app" for it I'd have to look where that option is again. It was with a lot of frustration and anger for a long time until I got it the way I want and sometimes I feel it wasn't worth it due to the amount of work, staring at the screen looking for things, like removing many annoying nagging services, permissions and update notification ux stuff. I have a headache after and eye strain so it couldn't be any good for me.
I'd buy another drive and switch between the two just incase anything happens with the Windows 10 LTSC.
Here's what I do to gain control of the windows update service:
After Windows 10 is installed just make a backup of the drive with something like Macrium on another operating system or computer.
With it mounted:
I think it was in Program files, I can't remember which one but take ownership and remove.
Waasmedic folder, (Windows update mediatoon. There maybe another one called REMPL that turns it on too.
Task scheduler:
Take ownership of c:\windows\system32\tasks\
disable inheritence and convert then Deny SYSTEM everything.
Then delete the tasks in there.
In registry look for "Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\Microsoft\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator"
change permission to deny "Trustinstaller" everything.
Then look above it in ""Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule"
For tasks that match "usocore" and do the same to them but remove all the stuff in the keys.
Otherwise without setting this what I found will happen when Usocore starts again, it will default, recreate the tasks in the folders, the registry keys and deny the administrators the permissions. (Blooming cheek)
To gain control to start/stop and edit services:
In the services and application where you are prevented from altering Update Orchestor service, in registry editor look for USOCORE and change the type to like 16 where you can start/stop and disable the service.
That is only one thing, there are many other things I do and remove maybe I should do a thread on it.
I don't plan anytime going through all that aggravation again and the of time it took me.
See pictures.
I am going to try and clone it when I want another copy and I just get key and that.
If you want a go at the one I setup in the pictures, message me and I can set remote access, and If you are happy with it maybe I can send it over as a disk image file and if you get working you can purchase a key for it for £15 from the site I got it from. That one is on a virtual machine for testing.