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Blocking Windows 7 Telemetry

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February 11, 2017, 14:19(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

In the last few days I’ve seen posts at AskWoody and Ghacks discussing blocking Windows 7 telemetry.
Since this seems to still be an issue I’ve decided to revive my Remove And Block GWX In Windows 7 script.

Last updated 13FEB2017

My script does not cover Windows 8.1 because, well… I hate it.
My script does not stop scheduled tasks as I feel it is not needed.
My script does not use a hosts file. I’m a former network guy and I’m just not into this solution.

Since Microsoft keeps sneaking these updates back in to Windows Update, it will not hurt to rerun this script monthly after Windows Updates.
You should have turned off Recommended Updates.

Inspiration for this came from a variety of sources but started HERE and HERE.
There is NO SUPPORT for this. You get what you pay for 😉
This folder contains:
BlockGWXetcV6.bat – Removes telemetry related updates and files. Blocks OS upgrades. Disables telemetry services.
HideGWXetcV6.vbs – Automatically run by the above .bat file. This hides the updates the batch file uninstalled.
README.txt – Instructions
th_add_CMDandTO.reg – Adds open command windows here (standard and admin) ,and Take Ownership to right-click.
DisableAutoWinUp.reg – Sets Windows Update to “Never check for updates” and UNCHECKS “Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates.”
DisableAutoWinUpButCheck.reg – Next Set Windows Update to:
“Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them” and UNCHECKS “Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates.”
DisableOsUpgradeGpedit.reg – Sets Group Policy to “Turn off the upgrade to the latest version of Windows through Windows Update”

Download block_GWX_V6.zip: http://www.tweakhound.com/files/block_GWX_V6.zip

To run this:
Either right-click the folder and choose Open Command Window Here as Administrator.
In the resulting command window type BlockGWXetcV6.bat and hit enter.
OR
right-click the BlockGWXetcV6.bat file (see above) and choose Run as Administrator.
If you do not have these right-click options, double-click in included th_add_CMDandTO.reg file and logout/reboot.

Let it run, when the .bat file runs HideGWXetcV6.vbs it will take a while.
It may look like things have stopped, they haven’t.
DO NOT CLOSE WINDOW UNTIL YOU SEE: ” – Finished … All operations complete. Reboot now. Press any key to continue . . .”

Code for BlockGWXetcV6.bat :

:: BlockGWXetcV6.bat
:: This must be run as admin.
:: By TweakHound (https://www.tweakhound.com) I blatently copied pieces of script and ideas from varoius sources.
:: Orginally uninstalled Win10 GWX and related updates. Now aimed at telemetry. For Windows 7 ONLY.
:: Created 01NOV2015. Last edited 13FEB2017
:: The level of support you will receive is equal to the amount you paid for this ;-)

ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL

REM — uninstall updates
echo uninstalling KB971033
start “title” /b /wait wusa.exe /kb:971033 /uninstall /quiet /norestart
echo done, uninstalling KB2952664
start “title” /b /wait wusa.exe /kb:2952664 /uninstall /quiet /norestart
echo done, uninstalling KB3021917
start “title” /b /wait wusa.exe /kb:3021917 /uninstall /quiet /norestart
echo done, uninstalling KB3068708
start “title” /b /wait wusa.exe /kb:3068708 /uninstall /quiet /norestart
echo done, uninstalling KB3080149
start “title” /b /wait wusa.exe /kb:3080149 /uninstall /quiet /norestart
echo done, finished uninstalling telemetry updates
echo next, block OS upgrades (in case GWX comes back)…

REM — Block OS upgrade
reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\GWX /f
reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\GWX /v DisableGWX /t REG_DWORD /d 00000001 /f
echo finished…Disabling CEIP…

REM — Disable Customer Experience Improvement Program
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows /v CEIPEnable /t REG_DWORD /d 00000000 /f
echo finished…disabling services…

REM — Disable Diagnostics Tracking and Windows Media Player Network Sharing Services
echo disabling Diagnostics Tracking service…
sc stop DiagTrack
sc config DiagTrack start= disabled
echo done, disabling Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service…
sc stop WMPNetworkSvc
sc config WMPNetworkSvc start= disabled
echo finished…waiting to hide uninstalled updates…

REM — hide updates
echo …
echo Hiding GWX related updates. Running HideGWXetcV6.vbs…
echo This may take a while.
echo DO NOT CLOSE WINDOW UNTIL YOU SEE: ” – Finished … All operations complete. Reboot now. Press any key to continue . . .”
start “title” /b /wait cscript.exe “%~dp0HideGWXetcV6.vbs” 971033 2952664 3021917 3068708 3080149
echo – Finished
echo … All operations complete. Reboot now.
pause
REM — EOF

Tagged With: Windows 7

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