Idiots Guide to Uninstall GWX?

[H0w]

Not sure where I can post this to find help, or if I am even allowed to ask a question like this? I tried reddit and got blocked so I joined here.

I am pretty stupid when it comes to computer uninstall. I have read a LOT about the GWX.exe file, and I'm kinda sick of reading all the good, bad or ugly comments about it and microsoft et all. I just want to know the best way to uninstall it.

And I have read through so many Uninstall posts on the internet that my head hurts, literally. One of them suggested that I "navigate to the appropriate hive" as if I were doing brain surgery on a cyborg. Even if I knew where to find the hives on my computer, I wouldn't know how to pick an appropriate one.

Does anyone know of an Idiots Guide to uninstalling GWX.exe so it goes away gone for ever and ever? One tutorial suggests I uncheck "Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates", but again, I am not sure which hive, if any, I might find that option.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

One tutorial suggests I uncheck "Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates", but again, I am not sure which hive, if any, I might find that option.

That "Give me recommended..........." settings is within the standard Windows Update settings, NOT in a hive.

Control panel/Windows Update/change settings. It's a simple checkbox.

What's the underlying reason you want to uninstall GWX? Why are you in a lather about it, to the point that your "head hurts"?

 

[Brink]

Here you go.

Get Windows 10 Icon - Remove from Taskbar in Windows 7 and 8.1 - Windows 10 Forums

 

[H0w]

Thanks for responding ignatzatsonic; I am not so much in a lather about the GWX.exe (though it does seem to pose it's self as a poison apple, and thousands of folks are in a lather: just google "GWX") I simply don't want to receive any reminders about upgrading to Windows 10, nor do I want these files on my system, nor do I want an exe checking on a regular basis for info on the upgrade, etc.

I have a head ache from reading about GWX, it's merits or not, and the endless speculation and mind-effing in general on the topic, on top of that are the complicated directions on removing it which contain more jargon then steps that a simpleton like me can follow.


Thank you, Brink, OPTION FOUR in that link, is what I was looking for. That was pretty easy. But then Shawn suggested "When finished, hide the KB3035583 update so it will no longer show as available to install in Windows Update." and that tutorial was utterly incomprehensible to me. Can I just ignore that?, or if I don't will my computer constantly re-download that update because it shows as available?

 

[margrave]

I left my GWX "installed" ... but I deleted the files in C:\Windows\system32\GWX

 

[Brink]

Thank you, Brink, OPTION FOUR in that link, is what I was looking for. That was pretty easy. But then Shawn suggested "When finished, hide the KB3035583 update so it will no longer show as available to install in Windows Update." and that tutorial was utterly incomprehensible to me. Can I just ignore that?, or if I don't will my computer constantly re-download that update because it shows as available?

Yeah, you'll need to hide the KB3035583 update in Windows Update, or it will just install again if you have Windows Update set to automatically install updates.

If you have any questions about OPTION ONE below, then please ask.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24376-windows-update-hide-restore-hidden-updates.html

 

[H0w]

Thank you, Brink, OPTION FOUR in that link, is what I was looking for. That was pretty easy. But then Shawn suggested "When finished, hide the KB3035583 update so it will no longer show as available to install in Windows Update." and that tutorial was utterly incomprehensible to me. Can I just ignore that?, or if I don't will my computer constantly re-download that update because it shows as available?

Yeah, you'll need to hide the KB3035583 update in Windows Update, or it will just install again if you have Windows Update set to automatically install updates.

If you have any questions about OPTION ONE below, then please ask.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24376-windows-update-hide-restore-hidden-updates.html

I went thru Option 1. 1.

Open the Control Panel (icons view), > step 4. "A) Click/tap on the View by drop down menu arrow,"
I don't have a "View by" drop down. Under my View dropdown tab there is no choice for "Large items", there is a choice for Large icons but it is in grey and I am not allowed to choose it.

OPTION TWO
Set Default Control Panel View in Group Policy
1. Open the all users, Local Group Policy Editor

This is where I get lost, I am three tutorials deep (including this page) and don't understand what I am doing, why I am doing it or even what task I am trying to achieve and to what end at this point. On top of that it is frustrating to have to wait 10 minutes for a page to respond so I can continue. (btw, these pages are hanging up on: translate.google.com, which is weird since I am not translating them.) I do know that one of the hang up is that AdobeARM.exe *32 seems to start for no apparent reason, and if I endtask in Task Manager, things run much smoother.


I am running Firefox, ever since the GWX downloaded, my computer has been running at near to 100% of Memory and very high CPU usage. anything I do on the computer takes minutes to accomplish, opening a link on a web page now takes up to 5 minutes to load. I am unsure if the GWX is coincidental to this new problem. but I want to start there, and then work on the myriad of other problems that Firefox seems to be having. In fact, composing this and opening the number of web pages takes my computer about 45 minutes to accomplish (normally would take me a minute) because it is running so slowly and the constant "not responding" and other "performance" alerts to every task. I have had to restart my computer three times this morning, just to get to a fresh point where it is operating below 30% memory, but it quickly jumps up there near 100% in Firefox and then new web pages can take 5 to 10 minutes to load. In fact, this problem seems to get worse by the hour.

After I wrote the above (in Wordpad to paste here) I tried to run a new program, Temp File Cleaner by OldTimer, which worked well yesterday, but caused my computer to force a restart (You are about to be logged off Windows has encountered a critical problem and will restart automaticly in one minute) which led me to running a CBS.log and another forum which had suggested a user run AdwCleaner and Junkware Removal Tool which I ran. The memory use has dropped down to 68%, so I can easily enter this now, but I am unsure if those tools had anything to do with it.

In any event, I would still like to 'hide the KB3035583 update in Windows Update' if I am able to.

Thanks for your help. I really feel like I am swimming in the deep end for the first time and I'm doing everything I can to not panic.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I'd be examining what processes and what services are running and occupying your CPU when you are "slow", which I guess is most of the time.

Adobe........hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

How many processes are running per Task Manager and which of them are using the most CPU and memory?

Does speed improve if you turn off ALL non-Microsoft services temporarily, via msconfig?

I'm not at all sure GWX is the culprit.

 

[H0w]

ignatzatsonic: I'd be examining what processes and what services are running and occupying your CPU when you are "slow", which I guess is most of the time.

I have tried tracking that in Task Manager, svchost.exe runs the highest then, but at this moment, CPU usage is fluctuating pretty low and memory is at 75%, which still seems like it might be high even with firefox open. There are 42 processes running now, but before there where 51.

ignatzatsonic: Does speed improve if you turn off ALL non-Microsoft services temporarily, via msconfig?
I might be able to try that if you could point me to a tutorial, I wouldn't want to F it up.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Process count below 60 is generally pretty good.

Memory at 75% used? How much you got? Your system specs tell us virtually nothing. After a fresh reboot, my system typically is using 1.3 to 1.5 GB of RAM.

Re services: type msconfig into start box and poke the link to msconfig.exe. Open the services tab. Poke "hide all Microsoft services". Of what's still shown, some will be stopped and some will be running. Which are shown as running? You should be able to uncheck all non-Microsoft services except anti-virus and start up. There's a "date disabled" column there that will help you keep track of what you have unchecked.

Take a look at Resource Monitor from the performance tab of Task Manager. Look at the memory tab. What items have the highest working set?

Look at the CPU tab. What items have the highest "average CPU"?

 

[Brink]

Thank you, Brink, OPTION FOUR in that link, is what I was looking for. That was pretty easy. But then Shawn suggested "When finished, hide the KB3035583 update so it will no longer show as available to install in Windows Update." and that tutorial was utterly incomprehensible to me. Can I just ignore that?, or if I don't will my computer constantly re-download that update because it shows as available?

Yeah, you'll need to hide the KB3035583 update in Windows Update, or it will just install again if you have Windows Update set to automatically install updates.

If you have any questions about OPTION ONE below, then please ask.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24376-windows-update-hide-restore-hidden-updates.html

I went thru Option 1. 1.

Open the Control Panel (icons view), > step 4. "A) Click/tap on the View by drop down menu arrow,"
I don't have a "View by" drop down. Under my View dropdown tab there is no choice for "Large items", there is a choice for Large icons but it is in grey and I am not allowed to choose it.

The main thing is to open Windows Update first.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/20813-windows-update-shortcut-create-windows-7-a.html

 

[H0w]

Brink: The main thing is to open Windows Update first.

Thanks, I was able to make the short cut.
Now, what do I do second?

During the time I have been trying to figure this out, I see that KB3035583 has been installed again. It doesn't show on my dash/tray, though. I guess I need to remove it though. Can you direct me again on where to find out how to do that? I am so lost at this point. I have about 5 different WordPad notes I have been trying to keep, and I can't see where the starting point is again.

I do thank you for your help thus far.

 

[Brink]

Second is to hide the KB3035583 update in Windows Update as per the tutorial below so it will no longer show up as an available update to install.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24376-windows-update-hide-restore-hidden-updates.html


You'll of course will first need to uninstall the KB3035583 update again.

 

[raf]

i don't want w10
i have a lot of software i payed for and a lot of hardware that even won't run under vista so even not under w10

a CNC lathe ,a CNC milling machine ,a 1.5 meter plotter,scanner /printer/ cutter machine,a microship programmer ,digital camera + adobe premiere software ,realpic simulator software enz.......
i wont replace al of this for a stupid upgrade to win10.if thats the case a go tot ubunto and stay there .
the problems i got wiht the upgrade from XP to win 7 i won't cope again.
i try to remofe the KB 303558 but keep getting an error
not al files are removed

regards raf

 

[Brink]

Hello Raf, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Option Three below is recommended to remove the GWX icon.

Get Windows 10 Icon - Remove from Taskbar in Windows 7 and 8.1 - Windows 10 Forums

 

[pokeefe0001]

Somewhere I found another way to address the GWX "problem".

Install the "fix". Then go to Task Scheduler (Local)->Task Scheduler Library->Microsoft->Windows->Setup->gwx.
Two tasks will be displayed: launchtrayprocess and refreshgwxconfig. Disable them. You can probably just end them, but I rebooted. The GWX nagware is gone.

After Windows 10 has been tested by the gamma test team (i.e., customers) for about 3 months (and/or after SP1 has been released) I will enable and start those tasks again. Hopefully the nagware will then be back, telling me how to download Windows 10. If not, I will be here asking questions.

 

[raf]

Hallo Brink

i disabled the stupid icon but left the rest in the directory (impossible to remove or i have to take out the HD and put it in an other pc)and dan boot on that PC's harddrive and then acces the directory .but then microsoft will be so pollite to send me the files back LOL
i have my updates dissabled but still the files are uploaded is this not a kind of theft of data transfer ????? ant so illegal

regards raf

 

[Brink]

Raf,

If you disabled GWX, then it doesn't matter about the GWX directory other than the small amount of space it takes.

 

[raf]

it's my space and i wil do with it wath i want en nobody else.
Updates are disabled if I do then it means that I do not want to receive updates
I am satisfied with the PC as it is now
and no one should interfere in my decision, I have a memory of myself and I can decide for myself what's good for my equipment
except my bad english

and i will transfer to ubuntu if microsoft policy keeps doing stuf i dont like
i ame a custumor and i have a choice to work with wat i want and how i want it and else i go and spend mi money on somthing else

 

[Brink]

Then delete it, and be happy.