• Skype

    From Ed Cryer@21:1/5 to All on Tue Dec 31 14:14:34 2024
    MS has cluttered my PC with stuff I don't want.
    I have sufficient space for it all, but its presence annoys me; I'm a
    tidy man.
    It also adds time to all scans, backups, searches etc.

    Skype, Edge, and God knows what else. Windows has almost become bloatware.

    How can I decrapify it all? MS appear to have welded it to the OS.

    Ed

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From John C.@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Tue Dec 31 06:23:46 2024
    Ed Cryer wrote:
    MS has cluttered my PC with stuff I don't want.
    I have sufficient space for it all, but its presence annoys me; I'm a
    tidy man.
    It also adds time to all scans, backups, searches etc.

    Skype,


    Settings/Apps/

    Scroll down to and left-click on Skype. Select "Uninstall"

    Don't know if this will work for you, but it worked for me. There's not
    even any mention of "Skype" when I search for something on the Start Menu.

    Edge,

    You can probably find something that will uninstall Edge, but thanks to
    M$'s shenanigans, doing so might break something. However, you can use
    this freeware program to neuter it:

    and God knows what else. Windows has almost become bloatware.

    How can I decrapify it all? MS appear to have welded it to the OS.

    Edge Blocker: https://www.sordum.org/9312/edge-blocker-v2-0/

    It's listed at Major Geeks too:

    https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/edge_blocker.html

    I use it and it works great.

    HTH.

    --
    John C.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ed Cryer@21:1/5 to John C. on Tue Dec 31 14:35:37 2024
    John C. wrote:
    Ed Cryer wrote:
    MS has cluttered my PC with stuff I don't want.
    I have sufficient space for it all, but its presence annoys me; I'm a
    tidy man.
    It also adds time to all scans, backups, searches etc.

    Skype,


    Settings/Apps/

    Scroll down to and left-click on Skype. Select "Uninstall"

    Don't know if this will work for you, but it worked for me. There's not
    even any mention of "Skype" when I search for something on the Start Menu.

    Edge,

    You can probably find something that will uninstall Edge, but thanks to
    M$'s shenanigans, doing so might break something. However, you can use
    this freeware program to neuter it:

    and God knows what else. Windows has almost become bloatware.

    How can I decrapify it all? MS appear to have welded it to the OS.

    Edge Blocker: https://www.sordum.org/9312/edge-blocker-v2-0/

    It's listed at Major Geeks too:

    https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/edge_blocker.html

    I use it and it works great.

    HTH.


    It's not listed under Apps; nor is it in Control Panel Programs &
    Features: nor does it appear with Search. But I have folders throughout
    my PC, some hundreds of MBs, named Skype.
    I think I could safely just delete all those, but I fear repercussions
    from MS sooner or later.

    Ed

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Newyana2@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Tue Dec 31 10:28:31 2024
    On 12/31/2024 9:14 AM, Ed Cryer wrote:
    MS has cluttered my PC with stuff I don't want.
    I have sufficient space for it all, but its presence annoys me; I'm a
    tidy man.
    It also adds time to all scans, backups, searches etc.

    Skype, Edge, and God knows what else. Windows has almost become bloatware.

    How can I decrapify it all? MS appear to have welded it to the OS.

    Ed

    I think this is what I used to remove Edge:


    https://github.com/ShadowWhisperer/Remove-MS-Edge

    Then I removed the leftover files, updater, etc by hand. You might
    need to go through taking ownership in order to do that. For other
    apps, see my post above on News and Interests. You can remove
    all the crap with a little work. But be warned: MS noew claim a right
    to install whatever they like without asking. If you don't block
    updates then there's no telling when the crap might start showing
    up again.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From sticks@21:1/5 to Frank Slootweg on Tue Dec 31 11:13:54 2024
    On 12/31/2024 10:29 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:

    [About Skype:]

    It's not listed under Apps; nor is it in Control Panel Programs &
    Features: nor does it appear with Search. But I have folders throughout
    my PC, some hundreds of MBs, named Skype.
    I think I could safely just delete all those, but I fear repercussions
    from MS sooner or later.

    Skype isn't part of Windows (10 nor 11), so if it is/was on your
    computer, it must have come bundled with the computer (ie. not with the
    OS) or installed by someone.

    I think you're not entirely correct, Frank. Skype is installed on
    Windows 10 systems, but it looks like it is not on Windows 11.

    I don't remember exactly, but I think I chose to uninstall it on my 10
    boxes.

    If you post where - i.e. *which* folders - "folders throughout my PC"
    are, then we might be able to tell if you can safely remove them.

    I do not have Skype on my Windows 11 system, but have both the program
    and app versions of Skype on my wife's Windows 10 system (to which I
    have limited access :-)).


    --
    I Stand With Israel!

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Frank Slootweg@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Tue Dec 31 16:29:51 2024
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:

    [About Skype:]

    It's not listed under Apps; nor is it in Control Panel Programs &
    Features: nor does it appear with Search. But I have folders throughout
    my PC, some hundreds of MBs, named Skype.
    I think I could safely just delete all those, but I fear repercussions
    from MS sooner or later.

    Skype isn't part of Windows (10 nor 11), so if it is/was on your
    computer, it must have come bundled with the computer (ie. not with the
    OS) or installed by someone.

    If you post where - i.e. *which* folders - "folders throughout my PC"
    are, then we might be able to tell if you can safely remove them.

    I do not have Skype on my Windows 11 system, but have both the program
    and app versions of Skype on my wife's Windows 10 system (to which I
    have limited access :-)).

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Alan K.@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Tue Dec 31 12:25:13 2024
    On 12/31/24 09:14 AM, Ed Cryer wrote:
    MS has cluttered my PC with stuff I don't want.
    I have sufficient space for it all, but its presence annoys me; I'm a tidy man.
    It also adds time to all scans, backups, searches etc.

    Skype, Edge, and God knows what else. Windows has almost become bloatware.

    How can I decrapify it all? MS appear to have welded it to the OS.

    Ed
    Revo Uninstaller is pretty good at cleaning up the leftovers after removal. I use almost all the
    time for just that reason.

    --
    Linux Mint 22, Cinnamon 6.2.9, Kernel 6.8.0-51-generic
    Thunderbird 128.5.2esr, Mozilla Firefox 133.0.3
    Alan K.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From John K.Eason@21:1/5 to sticks on Tue Dec 31 19:03:00 2024
    In article <vl18oh$28fg1$1@dont-email.me>, wolverine01@charter.net (sticks) wrote:

    *From:* sticks <wolverine01@charter.net>
    *Date:* Tue, 31 Dec 2024 11:13:54 -0600

    On 12/31/2024 10:29 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:

    I think you're not entirely correct, Frank. Skype is installed on
    Windows 10 systems, but it looks like it is not on Windows 11.

    Skype wasn't part of Windows 10 and was a seperate company at the time so wouldn't
    have been installed by MS.
    No idea about Windows 11, but I assume that would use Teams by default nowadays.

    --
    Regards
    John

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Frank Slootweg@21:1/5 to sticks on Tue Dec 31 19:07:28 2024
    sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
    On 12/31/2024 10:29 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:

    [About Skype:]

    It's not listed under Apps; nor is it in Control Panel Programs &
    Features: nor does it appear with Search. But I have folders throughout
    my PC, some hundreds of MBs, named Skype.
    I think I could safely just delete all those, but I fear repercussions
    from MS sooner or later.

    Skype isn't part of Windows (10 nor 11), so if it is/was on your computer, it must have come bundled with the computer (ie. not with the
    OS) or installed by someone.

    I think you're not entirely correct, Frank. Skype is installed on
    Windows 10 systems, but it looks like it is not on Windows 11.

    Thanks. You could well be right. As I mentioned (see quote below),
    it's on my wife's Windows 10 system, but I think that is because we used
    to install and use it, but no longer use it. But you could be right and
    it could come with Windows 10. I have no absolute way of telling one way
    or the other.

    I don't remember exactly, but I think I chose to uninstall it on my 10
    boxes.

    If you post where - i.e. *which* folders - "folders throughout my PC" are, then we might be able to tell if you can safely remove them.

    I do not have Skype on my Windows 11 system, but have both the program and app versions of Skype on my wife's Windows 10 system (to which I
    have limited access :-)).

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From John C.@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Tue Dec 31 11:29:44 2024
    Ed Cryer wrote:
    John C. wrote:
    Ed Cryer wrote:
    MS has cluttered my PC with stuff I don't want.
    I have sufficient space for it all, but its presence annoys me; I'm a
    tidy man.
    It also adds time to all scans, backups, searches etc.

    Skype,


    Settings/Apps/

    Scroll down to and left-click on Skype. Select "Uninstall"

    Don't know if this will work for you, but it worked for me. There's not
    even any mention of "Skype" when I search for something on the Start
    Menu.

    Edge,

    You can probably find something that will uninstall Edge, but thanks to
    M$'s shenanigans, doing so might break something. However, you can use
    this freeware program to neuter it:

    and God knows what else. Windows has almost become bloatware.

    How can I decrapify it all? MS appear to have welded it to the OS.

    Edge Blocker: https://www.sordum.org/9312/edge-blocker-v2-0/

    It's listed at Major Geeks too:

    https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/edge_blocker.html

    I use it and it works great.

    HTH.


    It's not listed under Apps; nor is it in Control Panel Programs &
    Features: nor does it appear with Search. But I have folders throughout
    my PC, some hundreds of MBs, named Skype.
    I think I could safely just delete all those, but I fear repercussions
    from MS sooner or later.

    Ed, a trick I've often used to good effect would be to simply reinstall
    Skype so that it's listed again in Apps, then uninstall it. If there are
    any orphan folders and files left on your system, I would say that it
    would be safe to simply delete them. That's what I did, and there
    weren't any repercussions at the time.

    --
    John C.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From John C.@21:1/5 to Frank Slootweg on Tue Dec 31 11:32:41 2024
    Frank Slootweg wrote:
    sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
    On 12/31/2024 10:29 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:

    [About Skype:]

    It's not listed under Apps; nor is it in Control Panel Programs &
    Features: nor does it appear with Search. But I have folders throughout >>>> my PC, some hundreds of MBs, named Skype.
    I think I could safely just delete all those, but I fear repercussions >>>> from MS sooner or later.

    Skype isn't part of Windows (10 nor 11), so if it is/was on your
    computer, it must have come bundled with the computer (ie. not with the
    OS) or installed by someone.

    I think you're not entirely correct, Frank. Skype is installed on
    Windows 10 systems, but it looks like it is not on Windows 11.

    Thanks. You could well be right. As I mentioned (see quote below),
    it's on my wife's Windows 10 system, but I think that is because we used
    to install and use it, but no longer use it. But you could be right and
    it could come with Windows 10. I have no absolute way of telling one way
    or the other.

    I don't remember exactly, but I think I chose to uninstall it on my 10
    boxes.

    If you post where - i.e. *which* folders - "folders throughout my PC" >>> are, then we might be able to tell if you can safely remove them.

    I do not have Skype on my Windows 11 system, but have both the program >>> and app versions of Skype on my wife's Windows 10 system (to which I
    have limited access :-)).

    Frank, I installed Windows 10 Pro as an OEM, not an upgrade. It came
    with Skype.

    --
    John C.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From sticks@21:1/5 to John K.Eason on Tue Dec 31 13:49:22 2024
    On 12/31/2024 1:03 PM, John K.Eason wrote:
    In article <vl18oh$28fg1$1@dont-email.me>, wolverine01@charter.net (sticks) wrote:

    *From:* sticks <wolverine01@charter.net>
    *Date:* Tue, 31 Dec 2024 11:13:54 -0600

    On 12/31/2024 10:29 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:

    I think you're not entirely correct, Frank. Skype is installed on
    Windows 10 systems, but it looks like it is not on Windows 11.

    Skype wasn't part of Windows 10 and was a seperate company at the time so wouldn't
    have been installed by MS.

    Well MS owned the company at the time I think. But anyway, there is a
    little confusion as to how it gets installed. Some sites say it gets
    done via windows updates. I don't know for sure since as soon as I
    install an OS I go for the updates right away. It's been on all the
    machines I've ever put 10 on.

    No idea about Windows 11, but I assume that would use Teams by default nowadays.

    I read it doesn't get installed on 11, though you can put it on if you wish.


    --
    I Stand With Israel!

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Frank Slootweg@21:1/5 to John C. on Tue Dec 31 21:54:16 2024
    John C. <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:
    Frank Slootweg wrote:
    sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
    On 12/31/2024 10:29 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:

    [About Skype:]

    It's not listed under Apps; nor is it in Control Panel Programs &
    Features: nor does it appear with Search. But I have folders throughout >>>> my PC, some hundreds of MBs, named Skype.
    I think I could safely just delete all those, but I fear repercussions >>>> from MS sooner or later.

    Skype isn't part of Windows (10 nor 11), so if it is/was on your
    computer, it must have come bundled with the computer (ie. not with the >>> OS) or installed by someone.

    I think you're not entirely correct, Frank. Skype is installed on
    Windows 10 systems, but it looks like it is not on Windows 11.

    Thanks. You could well be right. As I mentioned (see quote below),
    it's on my wife's Windows 10 system, but I think that is because we used
    to install and use it, but no longer use it. But you could be right and
    it could come with Windows 10. I have no absolute way of telling one way
    or the other.

    I don't remember exactly, but I think I chose to uninstall it on my 10
    boxes.

    If you post where - i.e. *which* folders - "folders throughout my PC" >>> are, then we might be able to tell if you can safely remove them.

    I do not have Skype on my Windows 11 system, but have both the program >>> and app versions of Skype on my wife's Windows 10 system (to which I
    have limited access :-)).

    Frank, I installed Windows 10 Pro as an OEM, not an upgrade. It came
    with Skype.

    Thanks for the confirmation. That removes the uncertainty.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Frank Slootweg@21:1/5 to John K.Eason on Tue Dec 31 21:55:49 2024
    John K.Eason <john@jeasonnospam.cix.co.uk> wrote:
    In article <vl18oh$28fg1$1@dont-email.me>, wolverine01@charter.net (sticks) wrote:

    *From:* sticks <wolverine01@charter.net>
    *Date:* Tue, 31 Dec 2024 11:13:54 -0600

    On 12/31/2024 10:29 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:

    I think you're not entirely correct, Frank. Skype is installed on
    Windows 10 systems, but it looks like it is not on Windows 11.

    Skype wasn't part of Windows 10 and was a seperate company at the time
    so wouldn't have been installed by MS.

    That's not correct. Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 and Windows 10
    didn't release till 2015, so Windows 10 can include Skype and - as John
    C. confirmed - *does* include Skype.

    <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skype_Technologies#Microsoft_subsidiary_(2011%E2%80%93present)>

    <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_10>

    No idea about Windows 11, but I assume that would use Teams by
    default nowadays.

    Indeed, Windows 11 does not include Skype and does include Microsoft
    Teams.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From knuttle@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Tue Dec 31 16:51:15 2024
    On 12/31/2024 9:35 AM, Ed Cryer wrote:
    John C. wrote:
    Ed Cryer wrote:
    MS has cluttered my PC with stuff I don't want.
    I have sufficient space for it all, but its presence annoys me; I'm a
    tidy man.
    It also adds time to all scans, backups, searches etc.

    Skype,


    Settings/Apps/

    Scroll down to and left-click on Skype. Select "Uninstall"

    Don't know if this will work for you, but it worked for me. There's not
    even any mention of "Skype" when I search for something on the Start
    Menu.

    Edge,

    You can probably find something that will uninstall Edge, but thanks to
    M$'s shenanigans, doing so might break something. However, you can use
    this freeware program to neuter it:

    and God knows what else. Windows has almost become bloatware.

    How can I decrapify it all? MS appear to have welded it to the OS.

    Edge Blocker: https://www.sordum.org/9312/edge-blocker-v2-0/

    It's listed at Major Geeks too:

    https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/edge_blocker.html

    I use it and it works great.

    HTH.


    It's not listed under Apps; nor is it in Control Panel Programs &
    Features: nor does it appear with Search. But I have folders throughout
    my PC, some hundreds of MBs, named Skype.
    I think I could safely just delete all those, but I fear repercussions
    from MS sooner or later.

    Ed

    What is interesting in my installation is that as said it does not
    appear in the list of programs or Control Panel. However when you do a
    system search for Skype, it is found in the search.

    I don't remember doing any thing to remove it, but I have had Windows 10
    and this computer for years.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ed Cryer@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jan 1 11:09:57 2025
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    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Frank Slootweg@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Wed Jan 1 11:37:02 2025
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:
    [...]

    It's in a hidden folder in WindowsApps under Program Files. Access denied. There's something really fishy about it. Edge, for example, appears in Programs & Features.

    Nothing fishy. That Skype is in WindowsApps under Program Files means,
    as the folder name implies, that it is an ('modern'/UWP/etc.) *app*.
    Edge is listed in Programs & Features, because it's a traditional
    Windows *program*. This distinction between programs and apps will
    continue to exist for a long, long time.

    BTW, if you install/use an alternative start menu, such as Open-Shell
    Menu, it will nicely put 'Programs' and 'Apps' each in their own menu.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ed Cryer@21:1/5 to Frank Slootweg on Wed Jan 1 13:05:17 2025
    Frank Slootweg wrote:
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:
    [...]

    It's in a hidden folder in WindowsApps under Program Files. Access denied. >> There's something really fishy about it. Edge, for example, appears in
    Programs & Features.

    Nothing fishy. That Skype is in WindowsApps under Program Files means,
    as the folder name implies, that it is an ('modern'/UWP/etc.) *app*.
    Edge is listed in Programs & Features, because it's a traditional
    Windows *program*. This distinction between programs and apps will
    continue to exist for a long, long time.

    BTW, if you install/use an alternative start menu, such as Open-Shell Menu, it will nicely put 'Programs' and 'Apps' each in their own menu.

    That still sounds fishy to me, Frank.
    Look at it this way. Edge is visible, Skype can only be found with a search. What else could be lurking here that I don't know about?

    Ed

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Frank Slootweg@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Wed Jan 1 13:41:22 2025
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:
    Frank Slootweg wrote:
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:
    [...]

    It's in a hidden folder in WindowsApps under Program Files. Access denied. >> There's something really fishy about it. Edge, for example, appears in
    Programs & Features.

    Nothing fishy. That Skype is in WindowsApps under Program Files means, as the folder name implies, that it is an ('modern'/UWP/etc.) *app*.
    Edge is listed in Programs & Features, because it's a traditional
    Windows *program*. This distinction between programs and apps will
    continue to exist for a long, long time.

    BTW, if you install/use an alternative start menu, such as Open-Shell Menu, it will nicely put 'Programs' and 'Apps' each in their own menu.

    That still sounds fishy to me, Frank.
    Look at it this way. Edge is visible, Skype can only be found with a search. What else could be lurking here that I don't know about?

    The 'fishy' part is that apparently the Skype *app* has been *partly* removed, i.e. it was not properly uninstalled.

    So if you want to delete the remains, but are unsure if that's safe,
    you should give us - as we requested - the path names of the folders in
    which you found these remains and the filenames of the remains.

    Or you could just leave things as they are and not worry about it.

    BTW, I don't think "Skype can only be found with a search". You didn't
    find *Skype*, you found some folders or/and files which were *part* of
    the Skype software.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Newyana2@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Wed Jan 1 08:24:39 2025
    On 1/1/2025 6:09 AM, Ed Cryer wrote:


    It's in a hidden folder in WindowsApps under Program Files. Access denied. There's something really fishy about it. Edge, for example, appears in Programs & Features.


    The guts of it can be removed with the 3rd party options.
    All other things can be removed via Powershell. See my other
    post. As I said there, you have to take ownership to delete
    the other crap left behind. And some of Edge crap is in
    Program Files(x86).

    If you want to control Win10 at all you need to get used to
    removing file restrictions. When Win7 came out I wrote my
    own program to do that recursively for any folder. There are
    similar programs available. There's even a trick to put takeown
    and cacls on the context menu.

    The whole restrictions thing is a Rube Goldberg mess. Worse,
    in Win10 it will often put back the file restrictions without
    asking within a day or so. Private property isn't what it used
    to be.

    The general process is that in order to grant "permissions"
    you have to own the object. So it's a two-step process. There
    are a half dozen ways to do it via Windows API, with each method
    being more absurdly complicated than the last. Security through
    obscurity.

    Long story short, as Admin you have to take ownership of the
    object(s) in question. Grant ownership to all Admins. You can also
    do that via context menu Properties, but that method is complicated.
    Better to set up an automated restriction zapper.

    Once you own the object you can change permissions. Once
    you successfully do that, and give yourself full access, you can
    delete the files in the program folders. Most of my WindowsApps
    folders are gone altogether. I left some Edge folders in Program Files(x86)\Microsoft\ Those folders are empty. If there were
    ever similar folders in Program Files, they're gone now. Edge is
    kaput. The other apps are kaput. But you need to delete them
    shortly after removing restrictions, before Windows undoes what
    you did.

    As Winston confirmed recently, removing Edge will break the
    Internet Options applet. Not a big deal, since that's just settings
    for IE. And you can still access the settings directly in the Registry
    if you ever have need to. IE is also broken now, as of 22H2, so it
    doesn't much matter. Though you can fix IE by replacing the two
    ieframe.dll files with an earlier version. I put in ieframe.dll from
    20H2 and now IE works fine. I don't allow it online, but I like it
    as a quick, lightweight HTML reader to use with local files. I set
    IE to be the default browser and then block it at the firewall.
    That gives me control to stop local webpages jumping online
    to retrieve remote files.

    It's an odd scenarion. IE has never actually been removed.
    It's still available for programmatic automation, for HTA file,
    for Web Browser controls, etc. IE is still baked in, in numerous
    ways. What MS did with 22H2 was just to break the call to run
    IE as a program by starting iexplore.exe directly. Officially that's
    the removal of IE. In practice it's simply a broken function. When
    iexplore.exe is run it apparently kills itself, but the browser is not
    actually iexplore.exe.

    If you want reasonable control over Win10, there's no choice.
    You must get used to removing file restrictions when necessary.
    And don't be surprised if things break. MS have become increasingly
    aggressive. They're designing Windows to malfunction if you tweak
    it. Last week I was reading that MS officially intends to not allow
    Windows users not to sign up with Passkey. How? They're going to
    show harassing popups until people surrender!

    "We're implementing logic that determines how often to show a nudge so
    as not to overwhelm users, but we don't let them permanently opt out of
    passkey invitations," explained Sangeeta Ranjit, group product manager,
    and Scott Bingham, principal product manager, in a blog post.

    https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/18/microsoft_passkey_push/

    This is a whole new Microsoft. They think they have a right to own
    computing itself. And years of watching Apple screw their customers
    while shoveling bucks has made them impatient. If you want reasonable
    control then you can't be shy about it.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ed Cryer@21:1/5 to Frank Slootweg on Wed Jan 1 14:05:48 2025
    Frank Slootweg wrote:
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:
    Frank Slootweg wrote:
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:
    [...]

    It's in a hidden folder in WindowsApps under Program Files. Access denied. >>>> There's something really fishy about it. Edge, for example, appears in >>>> Programs & Features.

    Nothing fishy. That Skype is in WindowsApps under Program Files means, >>> as the folder name implies, that it is an ('modern'/UWP/etc.) *app*.
    Edge is listed in Programs & Features, because it's a traditional
    Windows *program*. This distinction between programs and apps will
    continue to exist for a long, long time.

    BTW, if you install/use an alternative start menu, such as Open-Shell >>> Menu, it will nicely put 'Programs' and 'Apps' each in their own menu.

    That still sounds fishy to me, Frank.
    Look at it this way. Edge is visible, Skype can only be found with a search. >> What else could be lurking here that I don't know about?

    The 'fishy' part is that apparently the Skype *app* has been *partly* removed, i.e. it was not properly uninstalled.

    So if you want to delete the remains, but are unsure if that's safe,
    you should give us - as we requested - the path names of the folders in
    which you found these remains and the filenames of the remains.

    Or you could just leave things as they are and not worry about it.

    BTW, I don't think "Skype can only be found with a search". You didn't find *Skype*, you found some folders or/and files which were *part* of
    the Skype software.

    All of Skype is still there, not just leftover bits.

    Let's leave it there, Frank. I've expressed my opinion, you yours. I
    don't think we can advance toward mutual agree on this New Year's Day.
    I wish you a good year.

    Ed

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From John C.@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Wed Jan 1 06:21:06 2025
    Ed Cryer wrote:
    Frank Slootweg wrote:
    Ed Cryer wrote:
    [...]

    It's in a hidden folder in WindowsApps under Program Files. Access
    denied.
    There's something really fishy about it. Edge, for example, appears in
    Programs & Features.

       Nothing fishy. That Skype is in WindowsApps under Program Files means, >> as the folder name implies, that it is an ('modern'/UWP/etc.) *app*.
    Edge is listed in Programs & Features, because it's a traditional
    Windows *program*. This distinction between programs and apps will
    continue to exist for a long, long time.

       BTW, if you install/use an alternative start menu, such as Open-Shell >> Menu, it will nicely put 'Programs' and 'Apps' each in their own menu.

    That still sounds fishy to me, Frank.

    Of course it's fishy. Microsoft is fishy as hell and has nothing but
    loaded agendas for everything they do. This ultimately will be their
    downfall, I hope.

    Look at it this way. Edge is visible, Skype can only be found with a
    search.
    What else could be lurking here that I don't know about?

    To anybody else reading this, if you want to be able to get in the
    Program Files/WindowsApps folder and see what is lurking in there, you
    should be able to do it by following instructions at one of the places
    listed here:

    https://www.bing.com/search?q=how+to+get+access+to+windowsapps+folder+in+windows+10&qs=GS

    --
    John C.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Frank Slootweg@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Wed Jan 1 15:58:13 2025
    Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> wrote:
    [...]

    All of Skype is still there, not just leftover bits.

    Let's leave it there, Frank. I've expressed my opinion, you yours. I
    don't think we can advance toward mutual agree on this New Year's Day.
    I wish you a good year.

    First of all, a happy new year to you too and to all (well, most :-))
    others.

    What still puzzles me, if "All of Skype is still there", why can't you
    just Remove it from the Apps page in Settings?

    If Skype is not listed on the Apps page, then *some* part of Skype has
    been removed, if only the 'shortcut' (I don't know if that's the right
    term for apps, it is for programs) *to* the app.

    In any case, as another poster suggested, why don't you just
    re-install the Skype app from the Microsoft Store and then Remove it
    from the Apps page in Settings?

    The re-install will just overwrite the 'old' files and will add any
    of the bits that are missing, so the app will again appear on the Apps
    page and hence be Remove-d from that page. Problem solved.

    I will now (try to? :-)) bow out.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Newyana2@21:1/5 to Paul on Wed Jan 1 13:11:57 2025
    On 1/1/2025 12:32 PM, Paul wrote:


    Decrapify recipe.

    https://www.auslogics.com/en/articles/what-is-tiny11-install-tiny-windows-11-to-lightweight-your-os/

    "run programs like Paint and Notepad"


    There's a tiny11 set of scripts on github that lists what's removed.
    It's pretty much all the apps and services that I removed without
    much trouble. It seems safer to me to install a standard ISO, then
    clean it up, rather than depending on a custom strip job. The tiny11
    on archive.org requires joining up and the number of complaints in
    the comments is substantial.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Wed Jan 1 12:32:40 2025
    On Tue, 12/31/2024 9:14 AM, Ed Cryer wrote:
    MS has cluttered my PC with stuff I don't want.
    I have sufficient space for it all, but its presence annoys me; I'm a tidy man.
    It also adds time to all scans, backups, searches etc.

    Skype, Edge, and God knows what else. Windows has almost become bloatware.

    How can I decrapify it all? MS appear to have welded it to the OS.

    Ed

    2021-11-18 19:43:17.110-05:00 [9284:002] [Info]
    [BackgroundTaskManager]
    OnBackgroundActivated: TaskName = SignInOnUserSessionConnected,
    ErrStr = User is not signed in on Skype, No default MSA available on the machine, returning...

    Well, at least now we know what $6 billion buys you.

    *******

    Decrapify recipe.

    https://www.auslogics.com/en/articles/what-is-tiny11-install-tiny-windows-11-to-lightweight-your-os/

    "run programs like Paint and Notepad"

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ed Cryer@21:1/5 to Paul on Wed Jan 1 19:40:33 2025
    Paul wrote:
    On Tue, 12/31/2024 9:14 AM, Ed Cryer wrote:
    MS has cluttered my PC with stuff I don't want.
    I have sufficient space for it all, but its presence annoys me; I'm a tidy man.
    It also adds time to all scans, backups, searches etc.

    Skype, Edge, and God knows what else. Windows has almost become bloatware. >>
    How can I decrapify it all? MS appear to have welded it to the OS.

    Ed

    2021-11-18 19:43:17.110-05:00 [9284:002] [Info]
    [BackgroundTaskManager]
    OnBackgroundActivated: TaskName = SignInOnUserSessionConnected,
    ErrStr = User is not signed in on Skype, No default MSA available on the machine, returning...

    Well, at least now we know what $6 billion buys you.

    *******

    Decrapify recipe.

    https://www.auslogics.com/en/articles/what-is-tiny11-install-tiny-windows-11-to-lightweight-your-os/

    "run programs like Paint and Notepad"

    Paul

    I've tried TinyWin11. It installed well and quite small. But at every
    update it grew and grew like Topsy, until it wasn't much smaller than
    full Win11.

    Do you follow the posts about Apple? And specifically the complaints
    that they imprison their OS's and make them unattractive to
    freedom-lovers? Well, MS have gone the same way. They called it the
    search for "security"; keep the scammers and spammers at bay, but we've
    ended up with an Windows OS that has all the prison paraphernalia,
    touted as protection against the criminals.

    It's good for the layman; the non computer-savvy; but for the
    cognoscenti who inhabit this group it's just a restriction; a fence
    against the threatening outside world which they'd prefer to handle with
    their own wits and methods.

    Linux-users will jump in here, and tell us how far outside the
    commercial world all their distros lie.

    Ed

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Wed Jan 1 17:16:02 2025
    On Wed, 1/1/2025 2:40 PM, Ed Cryer wrote:
    Paul wrote:


    https://www.auslogics.com/en/articles/what-is-tiny11-install-tiny-windows-11-to-lightweight-your-os/


    I've tried TinyWin11. It installed well and quite small.
    But at every update it grew and grew like Topsy, until it
    wasn't much smaller than full Win11.

    But that's what you would expect to happen. I would
    think, that eventually, even removed subsystems would
    be back to annoy you.

    Windows 98 would not do that :-)

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)