Steve,
Fingers crossed.
Telemetry, data usage, location and all those other wonderful spying, pinging, sending data "tools" which are pre installed by default on "reputable" brand machines is not a joke. Especially when resources are being sabotaged.

There are some tools I have tried in the past to stop computer sending out data... One stands out. It was called Shut Up Windows. It got renamed, but should come up in the search. Just make a note of it. Might come handy one day.