My Windows PC is only for gaming. That said, I found a simple way to avoid the worst of the Windows update problems: Always stay at least one major version behind.
That means lagging on Windows 7 or 8 when 10 was current, and lagging on Windows 10 until Windows 12 comes out. Microsoft puts most of their offensive junk on the latest Windows, but still back-ports useful features to Windows 10, like WSLg.
It's not a perfect system, and I may get malware someday from missing security updates if Windows 10 goes EoL before Windows 12 comes out, but having the occasional ransomware hit a gaming PC seems almost less annoying than the current nasty Windows updates. I wish I were joking. I have enough stress in my life where I don't want to fight with my OS as well.
I run linux/NixOS on all my important machines, including work.
That means lagging on Windows 7 or 8 when 10 was current, and lagging on Windows 10 until Windows 12 comes out. Microsoft puts most of their offensive junk on the latest Windows, but still back-ports useful features to Windows 10, like WSLg.
It's not a perfect system, and I may get malware someday from missing security updates if Windows 10 goes EoL before Windows 12 comes out, but having the occasional ransomware hit a gaming PC seems almost less annoying than the current nasty Windows updates. I wish I were joking. I have enough stress in my life where I don't want to fight with my OS as well.
I run linux/NixOS on all my important machines, including work.