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Much has now been written about removing telemetry from Windows 7.

But one recommendation I don't find often is from the useful website AskVG.com:

Our reader "Xircal" shared some useful information with us. Even if the user opts out of the CEIP program, another task called "Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser" continues to relay data to Microsoft via a log file called "AutoLogger-Diagtrack-Listener.etl" present in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Diagnosis\ETLLogs\AutoLogger\" folder.

You can disable this Compatibility Appraiser task using following steps:

  1. Press WIN+R keys together to launch RUN dialog box, type regedit in RUN and press Enter. It'll open Registry Editor.

  2. Now go to following key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\WMI\AutoLogger\AutoLogger-Diagtrack-Listener

    In right-side pane, change the value of Start DWORD to 0 to turn off the auto logger program.

  3. Again go to following key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\WMI\Autologger\AutoLogger-Diagtrack-Listener{DD17FA14-CDA6-7191-9B61-37A28F7A10DA}

    In right-side pane, look for the DWORD Enabled. Its value would be set to 1 by default. Double-click on the DWORD and change its value from a 1 to 0 to disable the task.

Restart your computer to take effect.

Besides not contributing to Microsoft's massive volume of collected data, are there any downsides to following this tip? Does it break anything (except sending telemetry data to Microsoft)?

RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket
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Yes, there is.

This so-called tip acts exclusively on ControlSet001, which may or may not be the active Control Set. In case it is not the active control set, your change won't take effects.

Of course, as the computers are becoming more and more reliable, it might be that only a small population of the Earth have an active control set other than ControlSet001. But why leaving things to chance? Replace ControlSet001 with CurrentControlSet.

Furthermore, there is an irony in taking advice from someone who modifies control sets without knowing what they are. Is this change really does what is advertised? i.e. does it really stop collection of telemetry data? Or is it just as valid as the _NSAKEY conspiracy theory? If you really are worried about Microsoft collection of telemetry, I suggest you get a personal firewall with a program control module, like ESET Smart Security or COMODO Internet Security.

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    **Wrong!** You wouldn't want to tamper with emergency control sets one bit! Those emergency control sets are there to help you get your system back up and running if something mess up with the main control set. If you mess up with all of them and screw up, you are royally screwed. –  Jan 09 '17 at 20:16
  • Yes and no. This change is unlikely to render an emergency control set useless. Do you happen to have data to the contrary? But you're right, in most cases it's best not to modify them; but this may be an exception. – RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket Jan 09 '17 at 20:20
  • An exception that accomplishes what? Nothing. i.e., if you change all control sets instead of current, what you get is exactly nothing. Also, let's not forget that we are talking about an advice that comes from someone who suggests disabling UAC in the name of privacy! –  Jan 10 '17 at 08:49
  • **Wrong!** This is what they wrote, word for word: *Although we don't recommend disabling UAC in Windows as it helps your computer in protecting from suspicious and harmful items but if you are worried about privacy and want to disable UAC, check out following tutorials.* I agree that disabling UAC is a bad idea. Please don't misrepresent what people are advising, it's unkind and dishonest. – RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket Jan 10 '17 at 10:02
  • The quote yourself, "*but if you are worried about privacy and want to disable UAC*". –  Jan 10 '17 at 11:57
  • 1. I didn't say that; I was obviously quoting the website.. 2. If you selectively ignore half of what people write, you'll never learn or be helpful to others. Read the entire quote, and don't selectively choose a small piece of it. – RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket Jan 10 '17 at 20:13
  • (1) While the claim is not originally yours, you did write it. (2) Partial or not, this website is implying that there *might be* privacy-related reasons for disabling UAC without actually elaborating it. This is fraudulent journalism intended to fill the page only and is enough to disqualify the article from being a source in Wikipedia. –  Jan 11 '17 at 05:39