Apparently to get rid of Cortana, you have to go thru your Group Policy. But all the Google info, which talked about how to get to Group Policy, didn't work. Then I came upon Maheshkumar at https://www.windows10forums.com/thr...nect-to-the-group-policy-client-service.3823/. His video (which covered every step needed) walked me thru Services.msc to see that my Group Policy was not running. Then we went to regedit to my netsvcs folder (If you need all the steps in between, I can provide them).
Before making changes, I wrote down what was in my folder, thinking I'd be able to get back to where I was if this didn't work (HA!). His example has AuthenticationCapabilities (as did mine) and 3 other files. I had 4 other files. Also, the first word of these 3 other files (in his video) was Coinitialze... (which I read to be the sensible word co-initialize). Mine, however was Colnitialize... I didn't know if the 3rd letter was the little letter "L" or a capital letter "I" (eye). Co-Lnitialize doesn't make any sense at all. Anyhow, I changed my files to be like his and in Services.msc I discovered that my status for Group Policy was now "running." However, I discovered that the Start button and the "Ask me anything" button no longer work. So I went back and changed the netsvcs folder to what I had originally (one time I used the little letter "L" and the next time I used the capital "I" (eye). I tried both and neither makes my Start button or my "Ask me anything" work). I also added the 4th file that he didn't have but I had had originally.
The rest of my computer seems to be OK. I still would love to get rid of Cortana but now I'm just wanting my Start Button and my "Ask me anything" to work. I would appreciate any help.
Just a little side note on Cortana - if your doctor's office has Windows 10, who knows what Cortana is learning about your medical records! Or at your office--your personnel records. So I've probably caused all this hassle for nothing since "she" is ever-present somewhere.
Before making changes, I wrote down what was in my folder, thinking I'd be able to get back to where I was if this didn't work (HA!). His example has AuthenticationCapabilities (as did mine) and 3 other files. I had 4 other files. Also, the first word of these 3 other files (in his video) was Coinitialze... (which I read to be the sensible word co-initialize). Mine, however was Colnitialize... I didn't know if the 3rd letter was the little letter "L" or a capital letter "I" (eye). Co-Lnitialize doesn't make any sense at all. Anyhow, I changed my files to be like his and in Services.msc I discovered that my status for Group Policy was now "running." However, I discovered that the Start button and the "Ask me anything" button no longer work. So I went back and changed the netsvcs folder to what I had originally (one time I used the little letter "L" and the next time I used the capital "I" (eye). I tried both and neither makes my Start button or my "Ask me anything" work). I also added the 4th file that he didn't have but I had had originally.
The rest of my computer seems to be OK. I still would love to get rid of Cortana but now I'm just wanting my Start Button and my "Ask me anything" to work. I would appreciate any help.
Just a little side note on Cortana - if your doctor's office has Windows 10, who knows what Cortana is learning about your medical records! Or at your office--your personnel records. So I've probably caused all this hassle for nothing since "she" is ever-present somewhere.