The News&Interest-ception

Question

The News&Interest-ception

prakharb5 opened this issue 3 years ago · comments

Prakhar Baranwal commented 3 years ago

Select category

Windows Explorer / User Interface

Windows version

Windows 10 21H2, Windows 10 21H1, Windows 10 20H2

Expected behavior

If NI is not going to be disabled, dont show it when performing changes

Actual behavior

In the initial selection screen, the script confirms that it will not disable NI.

While it is processing changes (uninstalling apps, features, etc.), there was the text "Disabling NI", "Disabled NI" (or something similar)

In the end, it did not disable NI

WinRice output

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Windows PowerShell transcript start
Start time: 20220115001739
Username: DESKTOP-69BQ57G\Pro
RunAs User: DESKTOP-69BQ57G\Pro
Configuration Name: 
Machine: DESKTOP-69BQ57G (Microsoft Windows NT 6.2.9200.0)
Host Application: C:\Users\Pro\Downloads\WinRice-main.exe
Process ID: 10992
PSVersion: 5.1.19041.1320
PSEdition: Desktop
PSCompatibleVersions: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.1.19041.1320
BuildVersion: 10.0.19041.1320
CLRVersion: 4.0.30319.42000
WSManStackVersion: 3.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion: 2.3
SerializationVersion: 1.1.0.1
**********************
WinRice pre-execution environment

Copyright (c) Pratyaksh Mehrotra and contributors
https://github.com/pratyakshm/WinRice

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PS>TerminatingError(Get-WmiObject): "Cannot validate argument on parameter 'ComputerName'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the command again."
>> TerminatingError(Get-WmiObject): "Cannot validate argument on parameter 'ComputerName'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the command again."

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Completed checks.

Express Settings:
  A set of unessential apps WILL be uninstalled.
  A set of unessential features WILL be uninstalled.
  Apps will NOT be installed.
  NO optional features are installed.
  Windows automatic updates will be disabled.
  Windows quality updates will be delayed by 4 days and feature updates will be delayed by 20 days.

To learn more, visit https://github.com/pratyakshm/WinRice/blob/main/doc/Main-brief.md
Standard privacy, security, tasks, services and UI changes as listed in WinRice documentation will apply. These changes are not configurable.



Please take your time to answer the questions below in order to save user config.
Press Enter to proceed after answering a question.

APP DEPLOYMENT
  Unessential apps WILL be uninstalled.
  You will select which apps you want to uninstall.
  Microsoft OneDrive WILL be uninstalled.

FEATURE DEPLOYMENT
  NO changes will be made to .NET 3.5.
  NO changes will be made to Windows Subsystem for Linux.
  NO changes will be made to Windows Sandbox.
  Unessential features WILL be uninstalled.
  NO changes will be made to Widgets.

WINDOWS UPDATE
  Windows updates will be delayed.
  Windows automatic updates will be disabled.

 NO system restore point will be created.


To sum it up,
NO apps will be installed.
NO changes will be made to .NET 3.5.
NO changes will be made to Windows Subsystem for Linux.
NO changes will be made to Windows Sandbox.
Unessential features will be uninstalled.
NO changes will be made to Widgets.
Windows automatic updates will be disabled.
Windows quality updates will be delayed by 4 days and feature updates will be delayed by 20 days.
NO system restore point will be created.

If this configuration is correct,
press any key to go ahead.
If this configuration is not correct, restart WinRice and create a new one.
Starting WinRice...

pratyakshm's WinRice - main branch

Copyright (c) Pratyaksh Mehrotra and contributors
https://github.com/pratyakshm/WinRice

Windows 10 Pro 21H1
Build 10.0.19043.1466, vb_release branch



-------------------------
     APPS & FEATURES
-------------------------


Installing NanaZip... (https://github.com/M2Team/NanaZip)
Installed NanaZip.

Installing HEVC Video Extensions...
Installed HEVC Video Extensions.

App Uninstaller GUI
If app selection menu is not visible, use Alt + Tab to switch to that window.
Uninstalling selected apps...
Uninstalled.

Unpinning all tiles from Start Menu...
Unpinned all tiles from Start Menu.

Unpinning apps from taskbar...
Unpinned apps from taskbar.

Uninstalling Microsoft OneDrive...
Uninstalled Microsoft OneDrive.

Removing capabilites and features...
    - Uninstalled Math Recognizer
    - Uninstalled Steps Recorder
    - Uninstalled Snipping Tool
    - Uninstalled Windows Fax & Scan
    - Uninstalled Windows Media Player
    - Uninstalled Windows Hello Face
    - Uninstalled Windows PowerShell ISE
    - Uninstalled Windows XPS Features
    - Uninstalled WordPad
    - Disabled DirectPlay
    - Disabled PowerShell v2 (root)
    - Disabled SMB1 protocol
    - Disabled SMB Direct
    - Disabled Work Folders Client
    - Disabled XPS Document Writer
Removed capabilities and features.

---------------------------
     CHANGES PERFORMED
---------------------------


-------------------------
    PRIVACY & SECURITY
-------------------------


Disabling Activity History...
Disabled Activity History.

Disabling Advertising ID...
Disabled Advertising ID.

Disabling Windows Error Reporting...
Disabled Windows Error Reporting.

Disabling Feedback notifications...
Disabled Feedback notifications.

Disabling Inking & typing personalization...
Disabled Inking & typing personalization.

Disabling websites' ability to provide you with locally relevant content by accessing your language list...
Disabled websites' ability to provide you with locally relevant content by accessing your language list.

Disabling location tracking...
Disabled Location tracking.

Disabling automatic Maps updates...
Disabled automatic Maps updates.

Disabling Online Speech recognition...
Disabled Online Speech recognition.

Disabling silent installation of suggested apps...
Disabled silent installation of suggested apps.

Disabling suggested content in Settings app...
Disabled suggested content in Settings app.

Disabling suggested content in Start menu...
Disabled suggested content in Start menu.

Disabling Tailored experiences...
PS>TerminatingError(Test-Path): "Cannot bind argument to parameter 'Path' because it is null."
Disabled Tailored experiences.

Disabling telemetry...
Disabled telemetry.

Enabling Clipboard History...
Enabled Clipboard History.
You can now copy multiple items to your clipboard.
Access your clipboard now using Windows key + V.

Enabling automatic login post updates...
Enabled Automatic login applying updates.

Disabling Virtualization-based security...
  This processor does not natively support MBEC. Emulating it will result in bigger impact on performance on MBEC-unsupported CPUs.
  See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/device-guard/enable-virtualization-based-protection-of-code-integrity.
Disabled Virtualization-based security.

  Note that virtualization features powered by Hyper-V such as WSL and WSA will not work until you re-enable Virtualization-based security.
  Read https://github.com/pratyakshm/WinRice/blob/main/doc/Main-brief.md#virtualization-based-security for more.


Disabling Windows WDigest credential caching...
Disabled Windows WDigest credential caching.

Disabling LLMNR...
Disabled LLMNR.

PS>TerminatingError(Get-ItemPropertyValue): "Property DisableExceptionChainValidation does not exist at path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\kernel."
Enabling Structured Exception Handling Overwrite Protection...
Enabled Structured Exception Handling Overwrite Protection.

Disabling Web Proxy Auto-Discovery...
Disabled Web Proxy Auto-Discovery.

Enabling LSA Protection/Auditing...
Enabled LSA Protection/Auditing.

Disabling Windows Script Host...
Disabled Windows Script Host.


---------------------------
     CHANGES PERFORMED
---------------------------


---------------------------
      TASKS & SERVICES
---------------------------


Enabling Storage Sense...
Enabled Storage Sense.

Disabling Reserved Storage...
Disabled Reserved Storage.

Disabling AutoPlay...
Disabled AutoPlay.

Disabling Autorun for all drives...
Disabled Autorun for all drives.

Disabling hibernation...
Disabled hibernation.

Setting BIOS time to UTC...
BIOS Time is set to UTC.

Setting Num lock to turn on autoamtically on Startup...
Num lock will turn on automatically on Startup.

Disabling unessential services...
    Stopped service: DiagTrack.
    Stopped service: SysMain.
Disabled unnecesarry services.

Disabling unessential tasks...
    Disabled task: Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser.
    Disabled task: Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\ProgramDataUpdater.
    Disabled task: Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\PcaPatchDbTask.
    Disabled task: Microsoft\Windows\Autochk\Proxy.
    Disabled task: Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\Consolidator.
    Disabled task: Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\UsbCeip.
    Disabled task: Microsoft\Windows\DiskDiagnostic\Microsoft-Windows-DiskDiagnosticDataCollector.
    Disabled task: Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\QueueReporting.
    Disabled task: Microsoft\Windows\Feedback\Siuf\DmClient.
    Disabled task: Microsoft\Windows\Feedback\Siuf\DmClientOnScenarioDownload.
Disabled unessential tasks.

Setting up Windows Update policies...
    - Disabled automatic updates
PS>TerminatingError(Set-ItemProperty): "Cannot bind argument to parameter 'Path' because it is null."
>> TerminatingError(Set-ItemProperty): "Cannot bind argument to parameter 'Path' because it is null."
>> TerminatingError(Set-ItemProperty): "Cannot bind argument to parameter 'Path' because it is null."
>> TerminatingError(Set-ItemProperty): "Cannot bind argument to parameter 'Path' because it is null."
    - Delayed quality updates by 4 days.
    - Delayed feature updates by 20 days.
    - Disabled Delivery optimization.
    - Device will no longer auto restart if users are signed in.
    - Disabled re-installation of apps after Windows Updates.
Set up Windows Update policies.

---------------------------
     CHANGES PERFORMED
---------------------------


----------------------------------
          WINDOWS EXPLORER
----------------------------------


Binding Print Screen key to launch Snip overlay...
Bound Print Screen key to launch Snip overlay.

Hiding recent files from Quick Access...
Hidden recent files from Quick Access.

Disabling Sticky keys...
Disabled Sticky keys.

Setting default File Explorer view to This PC...
Set default File Explorer view to This PC.

Hiding 3D Objects...
Hid 3D Objects.

Hiding Search button...
Hid Search button.

Hiding Task view button...
Hid Task view button.

Hiding Cortana button...
Hid Cortana button.

Hiding Meet now...
Hid Meet now.

Disabling News and interests...
Disabled News and interests.

---------------------------
     CHANGES PERFORMED
---------------------------

Thank you for using WinRice.
**********************
Windows PowerShell transcript end
End time: 20220115002443
**********************

Alternative software run

I have run alternative software that offers functionality similar to WinRice

Link to alternative similar software

No response

Prakhar Baranwal commented 3 years ago

This

Prakhar Baranwal commented 2 years ago

🤨

Pratyaksh Mehrotra · Answer 1 · Sat Jan 15 2022 19:09:55 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Hi, are you referring to

NO changes will be made to Widgets.

under FEATURE DEPLOYMENT section?

Prakhar Baranwal · Answer 2 · Sat Jan 15 2022 20:21:05 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

No, I am referring to the 11th line from the last in the log. It says "Disabling News and interests" whereas it shouldn't.

Pratyaksh Mehrotra · Answer 3 · Sat Jan 15 2022 20:25:59 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

No, I am referring to the 11th line from the last in the log. It says "Disabling News and interests" whereas it shouldn't.

this?

Pratyaksh Mehrotra · Answer 4 · Sat Jan 15 2022 20:31:44 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Got it. Thanks for the report.

Pratyaksh Mehrotra · Answer 5 · Sun Jan 23 2022 05:19:42 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

I installed Windows 10 21H1 and 21H2 using Microsoft's vanilla ISOs and the change was still working. But after updating both these operating systems to their latest cumulative patches as of January 22, 2022, and the change no longer works.
I used Regshot to compare registry changes before and after manually disabling News & interests using Taskbar context menu, however I failed to find anything helpful in the comparison.

Prakhar Baranwal · Answer 6 · Sun Jan 23 2022 15:49:08 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Oh, huh. Interesting.
Maybe the reg key was made obsolete recently?

Which windows edition did you try it in? Maybe the key only works in enterprise?

Pratyaksh Mehrotra · Answer 7 · Sun Jan 23 2022 18:47:32 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

@Cyberdroid1 I tried it in Windows 10 Pro, the registry changes that I observed via Regshot are the same as the changes WinRice performs. I believe that I might have missed a few changes. If you wanna have a look, here's the registry comparison file:
~res-x64.txt

stale · Answer 8 · Tue Feb 22 2022 19:04:15 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Hi, is this issue still relevant? If so, what makes it relevant? And if its relevant, why is this issue stale?
This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be automatically closed in 90 days if no further activity occurs.

stale · Answer 9 · Thu Mar 24 2022 21:18:14 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Hi, is this issue still relevant? If so, what makes it relevant? And if its relevant, why is this issue stale?
This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be automatically closed in 90 days if no further activity occurs.

Pratyaksh Mehrotra · Answer 10 · Fri Apr 01 2022 04:16:06 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

I do not think that there's any good in keeping this issue as is anymore. Since it's been more than a month and I still haven't discovered the updated method to configure News & interests, WinRice will no longer support configuring News & interests.

Pratyaksh Mehrotra · Answer 11 · Fri Apr 01 2022 04:24:02 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

I made one last attempt and found out a policy at https://admx.help/?Category=Windows_10_2016&Policy=Microsoft.Policies.Feeds::EnableFeeds

TL;DR: I found a method to configure News & interests, however that policy applies machinewide only, not specific to current user. 🤦🏻‍♂️

I will later on run a test in a Virtual Machine and try to see if this policy does any good when applied in HKCU location instead of HKLM. This might take time since I am too lazy to do a fresh Windows 10 installation.

Pratyaksh Mehrotra · Answer 12 · Thu Apr 07 2022 23:19:14 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

github is fucking retarded

Pratyaksh Mehrotra · Answer 13 · Thu Apr 07 2022 23:38:00 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)

Hi @Cyberdroid1
I have made some changes and tested them in Windows 10 Pro 21H2 (OS Build 19044.1620). News & interests is now correctly disabled.
You may test the change yourself and let me know. Thanks!