What, off the dongle? No, it's not doing that. The Logitech Download Manager only gets installed when the PC is online, and it's WU that's doing it. On a Windows 7 machine Logitech Download Manager will appear in the WU list waiting to be installed.
Yes, I never install Nvidia Updater/GFE.
Is that also going to stop it from installing drivers already contained within Windows (like every time I plug in a new mouse or flash drive, will I have to undo it)? 
That's why I don't use the blanket gpedit 'not described' method - it's a daily pain in the arse.
At this point I'm thinking this is too much trouble all for the sake of using an OS that I don't even like. I keep coming back to Windows 10 with the vain hope that it'll be better, but now it seems to be actually getting worse. This new driver bullshit is a step too far.