Me three...

For those who don't know, majorgeeks.com hosts all the patches and updates from MS, meaning that anyone can update any machine, regardless of MS stance on 'new' hardware.

Don't count on it!  MS recently spoke of hard-coding various advertising and data collection tools into the OS using Windows Explorer... and unlike the built-in apps, which can be uninstalled or disabled, those tools cannot be removed or disabled without completely crippling the OS.  It was rumoured they were to have been implemented with the Creator's Update, though I've not heard of anyone with the update complaining thus far.  I've not seen anything like that since updating, either, but MS decided it would go the hard-coded way because data its mining apps could be disabled, and come Hell or high water, they really, really want that data.

You all missed the gist of the subject.

NEW PCs reverted to the older OSes won't get the updates. MS is making it so that you have to run Windows 10 on a NEW PC. At least that is what I read from it.  Link below.

 https://www.ghacks.net/2017/03/17/microsoft-blocks-updates-for-new-cpus-on-windows-7-and-8-1/ 

http://windowsreport.com/windows-7-8-1-updates-blocked-amd-ryzen-kaby-lake/ 

 Windows 7 and 8.1 updates coming to an end for new computers

If you're thinking of getting a PC with the latest chips, be ready to have it run Windows 10.

And if you have no use for it, why keep it?  I never gave it a chance to be irritating.  Once I'd read that it wants to know the ins and outs of everything one does and where one is, I got rid of it.  Microsoft isn't to be trusted with that much knowledge, and for those who think all this data mining is harmless, and won't affect them, well let's hope it doesn't come back to bite them on the bum.

There likely to keep the ai. Now assuming there keeping the ai we will have to wait for storage to get better before we can have room to fit the wholevthing on the computer.

So, a different question. Instead of removing Cortana, how do I completely disable it?

Reach for your PC's microphone........speak nicely to her and ask her - politely - to go away.

Yeah, but she's a sneaky bitch!  She'll just go 'round the corner and still listen to everything he says.      

Kona, go into Settings and Privacy.  There you will find means to turn Cortana and other apps off.

the block has supposedly already kicked in this month. according to the ars link i posted.

I was able to update my new computer successfully, so either they are incorrect, or its a rolling release on that program. I received that Ryzen cpu on the 7th, and assembled/updated on the 8th and 9th.

No, I certainly won't count on it. I'd be shocked (happily) for sure. Honestly, thinking about the whole situation kinda bums me out. Such a disappointing change in personal computing.

And if she refuses, drag her off by her feet. Be sure to bust her lip a little.

Still running 7, but I wouldn't buy a copy today if building a new rig. I would get a copy of 10 and figure out how to best tweak it to suit my needs.

That's probably the best solution for new rig builders these days, given that MS won't support old OSes when users opt for the most modern CPUs.

I probably would have gone that route if:

a. Setting it up one time would definitely stick. Meaning no checking after every damn update to see if they have reset to spying on you.

b. I believed that they have actually admitted to, and put in place controls to stop all of their spying. I very much doubt they have actually admitted to all the crap they have in place, even after their latest round of saying what they are actually collecting.

edit: For the record, I do have Win10 Pro on one PC (along side a dual boot of Ubuntu 16.04) as a test bed.