diff --git a/scalar.c b/scalar.c
index 55b8542770..aeebea41fa 100644
--- a/scalar.c
+++ b/scalar.c
@@ -135,9 +135,6 @@ static int set_recommended_config(int reconfigure)
 	struct scalar_config config[] = {
 		/* Required */
 		{ "am.keepCR", "true", 1 },
-		{ "core.FSCache", "true", 1 },
-		{ "core.multiPackIndex", "true", 1 },
-		{ "core.preloadIndex", "true", 1 },
 #ifndef WIN32
 		{ "core.untrackedCache", "true", 1 },
 #else
@@ -157,7 +154,6 @@ static int set_recommended_config(int reconfigure)
 #endif
 		{ "core.logAllRefUpdates", "true", 1 },
 		{ "credential.https://dev.azure.com.useHttpPath", "true", 1 },
-		{ "credential.validate", "false", 1 }, /* GCM4W-only */
 		{ "gc.auto", "0", 1 },
 		{ "gui.GCWarning", "false", 1 },
 		{ "index.skipHash", "true", 1 },
@@ -166,7 +162,6 @@ static int set_recommended_config(int reconfigure)
 		{ "merge.stat", "false", 1 },
 		{ "merge.renames", "true", 1 },
 		{ "pack.useBitmaps", "false", 1 },
-		{ "pack.useSparse", "true", 1 },
 		{ "receive.autoGC", "false", 1 },
 		{ "feature.manyFiles", "false", 1 },
 		{ "feature.experimental", "false", 1 },
diff --git a/t/t9210-scalar.sh b/t/t9210-scalar.sh
index 923c243c13..009437a5f3 100755
--- a/t/t9210-scalar.sh
+++ b/t/t9210-scalar.sh
@@ -202,15 +202,15 @@ test_expect_success 'scalar clone --no-... opts' '
 test_expect_success 'scalar reconfigure' '
 	git init one/src &&
 	scalar register one &&
-	git -C one/src config core.preloadIndex false &&
+	git -C one/src config unset gui.gcwarning &&
 	scalar reconfigure one &&
-	test true = "$(git -C one/src config core.preloadIndex)" &&
-	git -C one/src config core.preloadIndex false &&
+	test false = "$(git -C one/src config gui.gcwarning)" &&
+	git -C one/src config unset gui.gcwarning &&
 	rm one/src/cron.txt &&
 	GIT_TRACE2_EVENT="$(pwd)/reconfigure" scalar reconfigure -a &&
 	test_path_is_file one/src/cron.txt &&
-	test true = "$(git -C one/src config core.preloadIndex)" &&
-	test_grep "preloadIndex = true # set by scalar" one/src/.git/config &&
+	test false = "$(git -C one/src config gui.gcwarning)" &&
+	test_grep "GCWarning = false # set by scalar" one/src/.git/config &&
 	test_grep "excludeDecoration = refs/prefetch/\* # set by scalar" one/src/.git/config &&
 
 	test_subcommand git maintenance start <reconfigure &&
@@ -234,14 +234,14 @@ test_expect_success 'scalar reconfigure --all with includeIf.onbranch' '
 		git init $num/src &&
 		scalar register $num/src &&
 		git -C $num/src config includeif."onbranch:foo".path something &&
-		git -C $num/src config core.preloadIndex false || return 1
+		git -C $num/src config unset gui.gcwarning || return 1
 	done &&
 
 	scalar reconfigure --all &&
 
 	for num in $repos
 	do
-		test true = "$(git -C $num/src config core.preloadIndex)" || return 1
+		test false = "$(git -C $num/src config gui.gcwarning)" || return 1
 	done
 '
 
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ test_expect_success 'scalar reconfigure --all with detached HEADs' '
 		rm -rf $num/src &&
 		git init $num/src &&
 		scalar register $num/src &&
-		git -C $num/src config core.preloadIndex false &&
+		git -C $num/src config unset gui.gcwarning &&
 		test_commit -C $num/src initial &&
 		git -C $num/src switch --detach HEAD || return 1
 	done &&
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ test_expect_success 'scalar reconfigure --all with detached HEADs' '
 
 	for num in $repos
 	do
-		test true = "$(git -C $num/src config core.preloadIndex)" || return 1
+		test false = "$(git -C $num/src config gui.gcwarning)" || return 1
 	done
 '
 
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ test_expect_success 'scalar supports -c/-C' '
 	git init sub &&
 	scalar -C sub -c status.aheadBehind=bogus register &&
 	test -z "$(git -C sub config --local status.aheadBehind)" &&
-	test true = "$(git -C sub config core.preloadIndex)"
+	test false = "$(git -C sub config gui.gcwarning)"
 '
 
 test_expect_success '`scalar [...] <dir>` errors out when dir is missing' '