Maybe National Field Representatives needs some free code, as well?!
Have them reach out as they have been down for days!!!
For over a decade, the mortgage field services industry has relied upon a patchwork of technologies to document, transmit, and archive the labor performed by Field Service Technicians and Inspectors. What has remained constant throughout that time is the steady march of corporations to insert themselves between the labor on the ground and the ultimate client, whether that be a servicer, an investor, or a government-sponsored enterprise. Today, we see yet another layer of interference in the form of unwanted and unnecessary software baked into Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system. While many technicians and inspectors attempt to keep their costs down by running lean hardware and free operating systems like Linux, there is a growing frustration with the fact that when a Windows machine is used, it comes burdened with tools like OneDrive and OneNote that few in the preservation world asked for, and even fewer genuinely need.
For Field Service Technicians, the operating environment is already hostile enough. They are dispatched to cut lawns, secure broken windows, clean out properties overrun with debris, and document every action with hundreds of photos, all while fighting stagnant pay and unfair chargebacks. Inspectors, for their part, travel from address to address, completing occupancy checks, photographing exteriors, and generating reports that often net only a few dollars per order. Both roles are critical in the foreclosure supply chain, yet both are forced to battle with machines that divert their files and folders into Microsoft’s cloud services against their will. When a technician loses local access to photos because OneDrive hijacks the Desktop folder, or when an inspector cannot locate field reports due to forced synchronization errors, the damage is not theoretical. It means missed deadlines, unpaid invoices, and sometimes even termination of contracts.
The legal and ethical implications of this forced software bundling are profound. Microsoft, much like the order mills that dictate labor terms in the preservation industry, assumes ownership of user workflows without consent. By default, it redirects user data into cloud accounts that may or may not be controlled by the laborer. For independent contractors who bill per order and keep meticulous records for compliance and tax purposes, the idea that critical documents could be spirited away into a service they neither agreed to nor can fully control raises questions about liability. If an inspector’s occupancy photos are missing due to OneDrive’s sync errors, who absorbs the financial penalty? Certainly not the hedge fund that owns the order mill, and certainly not Microsoft. It is always labor that takes the hit.
The removal of OneDrive and OneNote, therefore, has become a small act of digital rebellion. It is the equivalent of a technician refusing to accept a grass cut at $12 because the fuel, time, and liability make it impossible to profit. Just as order mills attempt to enforce non-compete clauses and dictate payment terms, Microsoft attempts to dictate how users store and manage their own data. The pushback comes in the form of scripts and registry edits, circulated across forums and among independent laborers who refuse to cede control of their workflow. The code to remove these programs comes with no warranty, much like the work orders that come with no guarantee of fair compensation. It is “as is,” and those who deploy it do so because they see no other alternative.
What is remarkable is that many in the mortgage field services sector do not even rely upon Windows as their primary platform. Many laborers have turned to Linux, an open-source operating system that is lighter, faster, and above all, more respectful of user choice. The reality, however, is that some clients demand Windows compatibility, particularly when proprietary portals or compliance software will run on nothing else. In those cases, inspectors and technicians boot up Windows machines only when they must, treating them as disposable tools rather than reliable partners. The resentment builds when, on top of those requirements, laborers are further coerced into using Microsoft’s consumer cloud products.
There is also the ethical problem of informed consent. Just as mortgage servicers and national order mills obscure the fine print in contracts, Microsoft obscures the default settings that redirect user files. Laborers often find out only after the fact that their Desktop or Documents folder has been swallowed by OneDrive. This is the digital equivalent of a servicer quietly moving the goalposts after labor has already completed the work. The opacity is intentional, because transparency would result in refusal. No inspector willingly signs up to have their field notes scattered across cloud accounts. No technician knowingly chooses to entrust their work order photos to a service that might hold them hostage when an account lapses.
From a labor-first perspective, the most troubling part is how little choice exists in the matter. Independent contractors in mortgage field services are already forced to shoulder costs that were once absorbed by employers: liability insurance, vehicles, tools, and fuel. Now, through software bundling, they are forced to absorb the friction and lost productivity that comes from navigating unnecessary software ecosystems. The time spent disabling OneDrive or swatting away OneNote pop-ups is time that could have been spent on an order, generating revenue. In an industry where pennies matter, such wasted time is an unspoken tax on labor.
Critics will argue that OneDrive and OneNote provide value to those who want cloud storage and note-taking. The counterargument is simple: value requires choice. Just as technicians must be free to negotiate their rates without fear of blacklisting, users must be free to decide how their data is stored. Bundling is not choice, and coercion is not consent. The act of removing these programs through code is less about technical tinkering and more about reclaiming autonomy. It is a digital picket line, where laborers declare they will no longer accept imposed terms of engagement, whether they come from Microsoft or from the order mills.
In the broader scheme, the OneDrive and OneNote issue is symbolic of the same structural imbalance that plagues mortgage field services. Control flows upward, while risk and liability cascade downward onto labor. Those at the top—whether corporate executives, hedge fund managers, or software giants—dictate the conditions without ever swinging a hammer or photographing a foreclosure. Those at the bottom must scramble to protect their livelihood against forces that see them as expendable. The scripts and hacks to remove unwanted software are small victories in an ongoing war for dignity and respect.
Ultimately, the removal of OneDrive and OneNote is not merely about operating systems. It is about the right of labor to control its tools. It is about resisting a system where every move is tracked, every file is monetized, and every decision is preordained by corporations with no stake in the outcome of preservation work. As with every issue Foreclosurepedia.org has covered, the struggle here is not just technical but existential. The code is written, shared, and executed not because it is perfect, but because it is necessary. And like the labor it protects, it comes with no warranty other than the resolve of those who refuse to be dictated to any longer.
Here is the Windows 11 Home and Pro script. It is “as is” and without warranty or guarantee. Worked on my Windows 11 Pro system, although the One Drive folders remained behind. The icons are gone and there has been no attempt by Microsoft to reinstall them to date. I hate Microsoft and Windows, but some Clients require the bullshit code. As my profile says, I am an off grid Linux junkie!
Save As anyfilename.bat Execute as an Administrator and Restart after executed
@echo off
setlocal ENABLEEXTENSIONS
title OneDrive + OneNote Total Removal (Windows 11 Home/Pro)
echo =============================================
echo ONEDRIVE + ONENOTE TOTAL REMOVAL / BLOCK (Win 11)
echo Paul Williams Foreclosurepedia.org | IAFST.org
echo Fingerprint: 5F1D E9BC 1EEA 2FA5 A20A 7DF4 1391 9E5F 6EDB 9EEA
echo =============================================
echo Run this as Administrator, from the user you actually use.
echo.
REM ——– 0) Show who/where we are ——–
echo User profile: %USERPROFILE%
echo SystemRoot : %SystemRoot%
echo.
REM ——– 1) Kill processes that can hold files ——–
echo [1/9] Stopping OneDrive/OneNote related processes…
for %%P in (OneDrive.exe OneDriveStandaloneUpdater.exe FileCoAuth.exe OneDriveSetup.exe ONENOTE.EXE) do (
taskkill /F /IM %%P >nul 2>&1
)
REM ——– 2) Uninstall OneDrive stubs (ignore if not present) ——–
echo [2/9] Running Microsoft OneDrive uninstallers (if present)…
if exist “%SystemRoot%\System32\OneDriveSetup.exe” “%SystemRoot%\System32\OneDriveSetup.exe” /uninstall
if exist “%SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe” “%SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe” /uninstall
REM ——– 3) Remove Appx + deprovision (OneDrive + OneNote) ——–
echo [3/9] Removing Appx packages (all users) via PowerShell…
powershell -NoProfile -Command “Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *OneDrive* | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue”
powershell -NoProfile -Command “Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *OneNote* | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue”
echo Removing provisioned packages (image)…
powershell -NoProfile -Command “Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online ^| ?{ $_.DisplayName -like ‘*OneDrive*’ -or $_.DisplayName -like ‘*OneNote*’ } ^| %%{ Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -PackageName $_.PackageName ^| Out-Null }”
REM ——– 4) Remove autoruns and scheduled tasks ——–
echo [4/9] Removing autoruns and scheduled tasks…
reg delete “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run” /v OneDrive /f >nul 2>&1
reg delete “HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run” /v OneDrive /f >nul 2>&1
schtasks /Delete /TN “\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive Standalone Update Task” /F >nul 2>&1
schtasks /Delete /TN “\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive Per-Machine Standalone Update Task” /F >nul 2>&1
schtasks /Delete /TN “\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive Reporting Task” /F >nul 2>&1
REM ——– 5) Policy / Registry blocks (Home & Pro safe) ——–
echo [5/9] Enforcing policy/registry blocks…
REM OneDrive block (honored by Pro; harmless on Home)
reg add “HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\OneDrive” /v DisableFileSync /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f >nul
reg add “HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\OneDrive” /v DisableFileSyncNGSC /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f >nul
REM OneNote block (suppresses offers/nags)
reg add “HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\onenote” /v disableonenote /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f >nul
echo Applying policy if gpupdate is available…
where gpupdate >nul 2>&1 && gpupdate /target:computer /force >nul
REM ——– 6) Reset user shell folders to LOCAL paths ——–
echo [6/9] Resetting User Shell Folders to local profile (not OneDrive)…
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders” /v Desktop /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d “%%USERPROFILE%%\Desktop” /f >nul
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders” /v Personal /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d “%%USERPROFILE%%\Documents” /f >nul
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders” /v “My Pictures” /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d “%%USERPROFILE%%\Pictures” /f >nul
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders” /v “My Music” /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d “%%USERPROFILE%%\Music” /f >nul
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders” /v “My Video” /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d “%%USERPROFILE%%\Videos” /f >nul
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders” /v {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B} /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d “%%USERPROFILE%%\Downloads” /f >nul
REM ——– 7) Delete leftovers now; queue RunOnce if locked ——–
echo [7/9] Deleting leftover folders (and queuing removal on next boot if needed)…
set “OD1=%USERPROFILE%\OneDrive”
set “OD2=%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\OneDrive”
set “OD3=%ProgramData%\Microsoft OneDrive”
for %%D in (“%OD1%” “%OD2%” “%OD3%”) do (
if exist “%%~D” (
takeown /F “%%~D” /A /R /D Y >nul
icacls “%%~D” /grant *S-1-5-32-544:(OI)(CI)F /T /C >nul
rmdir /s /q “%%~D” 2>nul
)
)
set NEEDREBOOT=0
for %%D in (“%OD1%” “%OD2%” “%OD3%”) do (
if exist “%%~D” (
set NEEDREBOOT=1
reg add “HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce” /v Z_RemoveOD_%%~nD /t REG_SZ /d “cmd /c rmdir /s /q \”%%~D\”” /f >nul
)
)
REM ——– 8) Restart Explorer so changes are visible ——–
echo [8/9] Restarting Explorer…
taskkill /F /IM explorer.exe >nul 2>&1
start “” explorer.exe
REM ——– 9) Final notes ——–
echo.
echo ======================== SUMMARY =========================
if “%NEEDREBOOT%”==”1” (
echo Some protected folders will be removed at the next reboot.
)
echo OneDrive + OneNote removed and blocked.
echo User folders now point to local paths under %%USERPROFILE%%.
echo RECOMMENDED: Restart your PC now.
echo =========================================================
pause
endlocal
