I really rushed through this but here is probably 98% of what I do. I started out trying to keep it all neat and nice but really needed to finish installing yet another 10 install, so I started flying through it. Some one here graciously offered to pretty it up for me. Just quote this, makes changes.
Once we have a close to final draft I will make a fresh post, also make it a downloadable Word doc and remove my snarky comments.
Love any other suggestions from the IT Pros here..
STARTING HERE IS FROM A BRAND NEW INSTALLATION, NOT AN UPGRADE.
Initial Configuration
• Choose the language & Location settings
• Accept the “Legal Stuff”
• On the “Get Going Fast” Screen choose
Customize Settings (lower left)
• On the next several screens turn off everything. This stop Windows from sending a lot of personal information to MS. You can certainly leave any of them on. Read them carefully if you are interested in doing so.
• Wait for updates to install. This can take some time.
• Choose “HOME” on the ownership page.
PERFORMING AN IN-PLACE UPGRADE
• During initial set up after reboot you are prompted to use Cortana. Lower left corner is the option for “Not Now”.
• On the “Get Going Fast” screen, choose Customize, lower left. On the next several screens turn off everything. This stop Windows from sending a lot of personal information to MS. You can certainly leave any of them on. Read them carefully if you are interested in doing so.
• On the “New Apps for New Windows” menu, again lower left: “Let me choose my apps”.
(Love how they sort of hide these things…). This is, of course, entirely up to you.
This, I think, is one of the biggest reasons people hate Win10. They don’t really read this in a hurry to get going. MS even encourages it "Get Going Fast"? Then when Windows loads, many programs you used to use have been replaced. Personally I uncheck them all.
INITIAL DESKTOP SETUP
• Click where it says “I’m Cortana, Ask Me Anything”.
Didn’t we already say NO to her? Not Interested > I’m Sure
• Click the Gear in the left pane of the (called from here out) Search Pane. Uncheck > Device Search History & Search Online and Include Web Results.
• At the bottom of that pane, which should still be open, click Other Privacy Settings. Uncheck everything. (I thought we said NO to this stuff already?)
• Click Manage My Advertising…. Notice MS asks if you want to use Edge.
I thought I already said NO! See a pattern here? Choose Internet Explorer (or your favorite Browser). Select Always use this app. Click OK.
• Make a few choices here. I personally turn everything off. Close that windows.’
• You should still have the Privacy windows open. You can play around here and change whatever. The one I suggest looking at is the last option: Background Apps. Click that. I always turn off everything except the first 1: Alarms & Clock.
START MENU / TASKBAR SETUP
• Click the START button. Right click all the tiles that pop up on the right hand side. Start RIGHT Clicking them and choose UNPIN UNPIN.... do this until they are all gone. A few of these give you an UNINSTALL OPTION. I Uninstall any that let me. (News, Phone Companion).
• Point to the edge of the now empty pane until your cursor becomes the 2 headed arrow resize cursor. Pull that edge to the left to eliminate it.
• Right Click the Taskbar: Uncheck SHOW TASK VIEW. Right click again > Search > Show Search Icon.
• Right click STORE icon > Unpin. Right click Edge icon > Unpin.
• Click your search icon (Magnifying glass) and type the first few letters of the browser you want to use until its name pops up in the search pane. Right click > Pin to Taskbar. Do this with any other programs you might want to pin down there. (Like WORD for Word, etc etc…).
• Click your search icon and type START. Click START SETTINGS. These are optional but from someone who has done this over 45 times now, I recommend: turn off SHOW SUGGESTIONS. Turn or leave on SHOW MOST USED, SHOW RECENTLY ADDED, SHOW RECENTLY OPENED should be on. All else off.
• Next on that same window you will see some text at the bottom: CHOOSE WHICH FOLDERS APPEAR ON START. Go there. Do that. Make your choices. Close that.
• Click your search icon and type: Desktop Icons. You will see a choice for SHOW OR HIDE COMMON ICONS. Go there. Choose. I recommend all except Network (unless you have a network).
PROGRAMS SETUP & OTHER TWEAKS
• On an upgrade Install, find and open a PDF. “Would you like to use Edge?”
Again?!?!? Madness. Choose your PDF Reader, select Always Use and then OK.
• Click your search icon and type: Remove. Choose Add\Remove Programs. Start at the top and go through this list thoroughly. Single click any you do not want > Uninstall. Wait until the current app is uninstalled before going to the next. *Note: not everything has an Uninstall option.
• At the bottom of that Windows click: Programs & Features. This is the old school Add\Remove Windows. This is a good time to just review that and see if there is anything worth removing. Occasionally something may show in this list but not the other.
• Click Search and type Windows Update Settings. Click Advanced Options. Choose Notify to Schedule Restart in the dropdown box. Click Choose How Updates Are Delivered. Turn that off.
• Click Search and type: WiFi. Change WiFi Settings. Click Manage WiFi Settings. Turn off: Paid Wi-Fi Services.
• Click Search and type: Default Programs. You may get 2 choices. Click the Blue Icon with the White gear. You can click the icons and choose new defaults here.
Amazingly you will find some things here you already said you don’t want to use are chosen for you. Really MS?
• Click Search and type: Default Programs. This time you are looking for the other icon; It’s a windows with a green checkbox. Go through the list on the left side by clicking the programs important to you. Example: Click Internet Explorer. At the bottom of this window you will see: Set this program as default. I recommend doing this for Browser, Mail program, photo program, Windows Media Player (or whatever you use).
FINALLY
• Type Printers in your search box. Click PRINTERS AND SCANNERS. Turn off the option to “Let Windows Manage my Printer”. I don’t even understand why anyone would want that one on. Please, yes, constantly change my default printer for me…thanks.
• Turn off Metered Connections (I believe it is off by default).
*Note: Once you are in a SETTINGS screen, you can do most of the searches I type here in the upper right corner where it says FIND A SETTING. I phrase it the way I did to keep it as simple as possible.
As you can see the one thing I despise about this is MS's CONSTANT push to get you to use the new 10 apps. I love Windows 10, but MS really dropped the ball in a few areas. 
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
