Lightweight Windows 10 OR Switch to Simple, lightweight linux

[Deuxez]

So id like to make windows 10 more lightweight, and if possible even customize it, A LOT. I like windows 10, but i feel like there is to much bloatware on it, and i dont like the looks of it. SOoooo, i thought i would ask if there are anyway to customize Windows 10, preferbly without using 10 diffrent apps doing it. Since the debloating would be useless if i just replaced them with a bunch of other apps. Id like it to look like something from Linux, but still have the OG windows 10 core, so things like filetypes are still the same.

 

But, if it aint possible to customize windows, i could possibly go over to Linux, as ive tinkered with it a bit before and know one thing or another about it. Actually installed it on my old school chromebook once or twice (dual boot. Chrome OS - Ubuntu). But i aint sure which version would be the best for a "semi-beginner". So far im thinking about POP! OS or manjaro. So nothing too much based in the terminal but still got good hardware support and lightweight.

[Biomecanoid]

22 minutes ago, DankDeuxez said:

So id like to make windows 10 more lightweight, and if possible even customize it, A LOT. I like windows 10, but i feel like there is to much bloatware on it, and i dont like the looks of it. SOoooo, i thought i would ask if there are anyway to customize Windows 10, preferbly without using 10 diffrent apps doing it. Since the debloating would be useless if i just replaced them with a bunch of other apps. Id like it to look like something from Linux, but still have the OG windows 10 core, so things like filetypes are still the same.

 

But, if it aint possible to customize windows, i could possibly go over to Linux, as ive tinkered with it a bit before and know one thing or another about it. Actually installed it on my old school chromebook once or twice (dual boot. Chrome OS - Ubuntu). But i aint sure which version would be the best for a "semi-beginner". So far im thinking about POP! OS or manjaro. So nothing too much based in the terminal but still got good hardware support and lightweight.

I always make any OS installed on my newly build PC lighter. I have done it with windows 10 as well and it just uses 1.2gb or ram when you 1st boot it.

 

What i do is find the services or programs that are useless for me and either stop them or deleted them. I also use blackbird to stop windows telemetry and other spy functions.

 

So what is useless is subjective to each user. So gather what apps and services you want to remove and find guides online on how to remove them. So things are as easy as disabling a service and other things require you to use the registry or gpedit

 

When i have windows as i want it on a specific PC i take an image of it for safekeeping because its hard and takes a lot of time to be-bloat windows manually 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nayr438]

Any system modifications to Windows risk breaking the system with each update. Even something as simple as the uxtheme patcher.

If you want a custom look and feel to Windows, you will need to use alternative software and overlays. The end result is usually a more resource hungry Windows.

 

In Linux, believe it or not KDE Plasma is less resource hungry than GNOME and rivals other environments like lxqt and xfce. With that said, KDE plasma has more dependencies, so more packages. You would need to define what you consider lightweight.

 

The more pre-configured a system is and the better out of box support it has, the heavier the distro will probably be in both terms of packages and possibly resources.

 

If you want something that is easily heavily customizable, you probably want the KDE Desktop Environment.

If you want something that just works and stays out of the way, then GNOME.

 

For a Distro with the best out of the box support and with minimal configuration, you would want a Distro based on Ubuntu.

If you want something that usually just works, then look at PopOS!

If you want something that is actually mostly up to date, but may require you manually selecting dependencies and occasionally editing configuration files, you probably want Manjaro.

If you want something where you are in full control of your system, you probably want Arch.

 

Of course there are several Desktop Environments and Distributions out there, this is just a general idea.

My suggestion, just download a few Distros with various Desktop Environments, mess around with them, if you like one then use it.

[Deuxez]

4 minutes ago, Biomecanoid said:

So what is useless is subjective to each user. So gather what apps and services you want to remove and find guides online on how to remove them. So things are as easy as disabling a service and other things require you to use the registry or gpedit

Ive made my decision to try Pop OS first. And if i dont like it ill most likley just reinstall Windows 10 once agian. Probably easier to debloat it if its fresh too.

[Biomecanoid]

15 hours ago, Nayr438 said:

Any system modifications to Windows risk breaking the system with each update. Even something as simple as the uxtheme patcher.

If you want a custom look and feel to Windows, you will need to use alternative software and overlays. The end result is usually a more resource hungry Windows.

 

In Linux, believe it or not KDE Plasma is less resource hungry than GNOME and rivals other environments like lxqt and xfce. With that said, KDE plasma has more dependencies, so more packages. You would need to define what you consider lightweight.

 

The more pre-configured a system is and the better out of box support it has, the heavier the distro will probably be in both terms of packages and possibly resources.

 

If you want something that is easily heavily customizable, you probably want the KDE Desktop Environment.

If you want something that just works and stays out of the way, then GNOME.

 

For a Distro with the best out of the box support and with minimal configuration, you would want a Distro based on Ubuntu.

If you want something that usually just works, then look at PopOS!

If you want something that is actually mostly up to date, but may require you manually selecting dependencies and occasionally editing configuration files, you probably want Manjaro.

If you want something where you are in full control of your system, you probably want Arch.

 

Of course there are several Desktop Environments and Distributions out there, this is just a general idea.

My suggestion, just download a few Distros with various Desktop Environments, mess around with them, if you like one then use it.

The whole idea of de-bloating windows is to make it lighter by removing stupid services programs and telemetry using registry gpedit etc.The end result is NOT a more resource hungry Windows exactly the opposite.

 

I have been doing that for years. Really makes you PC more snappy.

[Nayr438]

4 hours ago, Biomecanoid said:

The whole idea of de-bloating windows is to make it lighter by removing stupid services programs and telemetry using registry gpedit etc.The end result is NOT a more resource hungry Windows exactly the opposite.

 

I have been doing that for years. Really makes you PC more snappy.

You should read more before posting. I never said debloating would make it more resource hungry.

20 hours ago, Nayr438 said:

If you want a custom look and feel to Windows, you will need to use alternative software and overlays. The end result is usually a more resource hungry Windows.

 

20 hours ago, DankDeuxez said:

So id like to make windows 10 more lightweight, and if possible even customize it, A LOT. I like windows 10, but i feel like there is to much bloatware on it, and i dont like the looks of it. SOoooo, i thought i would ask if there are anyway to customize Windows 10, preferbly without using 10 diffrent apps doing it. Since the debloating would be useless if i just replaced them with a bunch of other apps. Id like it to look like something from Linux, but still have the OG windows 10 core, so things like filetypes are still the same.

The OP was talking about heavily customizing Windows 10 to make it look more like Linux, which would require Desktop Overlays and alternative software. Which the OP actually already assumed would probably be necessary.

[Deuxez]

4 minutes ago, Nayr438 said:

The OP was talking about heavily customizing Windows 10 to make it look more like Linux, which would require Desktop Overlays and alternative software. Which the OP actually already assumed would probably be necessary.

Yeah. I actually tried POP os but i had a bunch of problems with it. Like my wifi card wasnt compatible etc. So i went back to a freshly installed Windows 10. debloated it, and so far its ok. 

And also: all the ones saying there is no point in debloating as my customization programs will be resource hungry too. Yall do realize that if i debloat it i get less usage on my cpu and ram than normal, and i can then use those saved bits for my customization programs. It might not improve my fps, but at least i can customize it without ADDING ram and cpu usage.