Completely Disable SkyDrive Everywhere\Remove from Explorer

[wmmiller]

Completely Disable SkyDrive Everywhere\Remove from the Explorer Side Panel

Is there any interest in the UVK crowd for a tweak such as this? I have disabled on my main machine since I don’t use it or want it. Just a thought.
Bill

Here's how:

Completely Disable SkyDrive Everywhere:

If you want to get rid of SkyDrive entirely, you can use Group Policy to remove it. This will get rid of it from everywhere on the system though, including the Metro apps.
Launch Group Policy Editor by pressing the Windows key and R simultaneously, typing gpedit.msc and hitting Enter.
Beneath the Local Computer Policy section, navigate to Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\SkyDrive and then double click the entry labeled Prevent the usage of SkyDrive for file storage to the right.
Select Enabled and then click OK.
The change will take immediate effect and you’ll see that the SkyDrive icon disappears from Explorer straight away.

Remove from the Explorer Side Panel:

If you just want to remove SkyDrive from the side panel, you can use the registry editor to remove the library that provides that feature.
Press the Windows key and R at the same type, type regedit and press Enter. You then need to navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\ {8E74D236-7F35-4720-B138-1FED0B85EA75}\ShellFolder.
Before you can proceed, you will have to take ownership of this registry key, and when this is done you can make the necessary changes.
Double click the Attribute key and change its value to 0.
Should you ever feel the need to reverse the changes and reinstate SkyDrive, you can do so by either disabling the setting in Group Policy Editor, or editing the registry key again, this time changing its value back to the default of f080004d

[Fred]

I don't get it Bill.

I mean, why not just uninstall it? I windows 7 and earlier, it can be uninstalled from the Add/remove programs control panel or UVK's Smart uninstaller.

In Windows 8 it is installed as an metro app, so it can be uninstalled like any other metro app. Go to Start, right-click the Sky drive icon, and press uninstall.

Am I missing something?

[Fred]

Oh, and to remove from the Explorer's side bar, you can simply right-click the shortcut and delete it.

[wmmiller]

Hi Fred,
I would have to say that I’m the one that’s missing something. I didn’t even know you could right click it and uninstall it. That’s good information. You sir, have taught me something. (Again) One question, Can it simply be reinstalled just as easy? Thanks for educating me about it. I’m still figuring Window’s 8 out and have never bother with a single metro app. I just don’t need them or use them. The first thing I do for almost everyone that hates the first look at windows 8 is to install “StartIsBack”. It’s a good working program and it seemed to be the most tweakable one I found when I looked a while back. It is not free, but there are a few free one out that do basically the same thing. Thanks Fred!


Link to StartIsBack home page for anyone that wants to take a look.

http://startisback.com/#home-tab

[Fred]

If you go to the Windows store, and right-click an empty space, a bar will be displayed at the top of the screen. In that bar there is a text saying Your apps. Click there, and you'll see all the apps you have purchased so far. Sky drive should be there too.

All you have to do is select the ones you need (you can select several by right click) and install them again.

[wmmiller]

Thanks Fred,
I understand now. It’s basically the same as Google Play. That makes sense. I still can’t figure for the life of me why I would want my computers to be like a tablet. I hate touch screens. Everyone runs around using hand sanitizer and worried about germs, but are more then willing to use touch everything. It might be ok on a pad, but….
However, In full disclosure, I’ve have two kidney transplants so my immune systems is compromised. I don’t live in a bubble, but I almost always use my shirt sleeve to open doors and things like that because when I catch something, I really get it bad and end up in the darn hospital for days on end. That’s really my beef with touch stuff and then I am maybe strange, but I hate a dirty computer screen and touch screens always look like hell. It just drives me nuts! I know. Too much information. Thank you for your time and patience.

Bill

[Fred]

You seem to have lots of health problems. Sad.

I'm not a big fan of touch screen either, but I guess they are going to dominate in the future, so I better start to get used to them.