If all the Windows updates takes ages to install then you really have a issue with your pc. 
It's true about the disk usages. You recieve a lot of useless aps like the Xbox one and you can't delete it and I don't have a Xbox.
Registery is something for pro users. Do not change something in the registery. Today I resolved a issue with Windows updates and needed to change something in the registery.
And spyware....it depends what you are installing or whatever. I never had a virus or spyware on my Windows pc.
But I also need Linux knowledge for my job for a large application (with CentOS as a layer) that i'm administrating.
and eat it too!