Defer updates, Pause updates, Delay updates, and the big unknown of Win10 1909

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Yes,  there’s a difference between Defer updates and Pause updates. But that’s just the tip of the micro-plastic infused iceberg. The main sticking po
[See the full post at: Defer updates, Pause updates, Delay updates, and the big unknown of Win10 1909]

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CyGuy

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woody wrote:

Yes,  there’s a difference between Defer updates and Pause updates. But that’s just the tip of the micro-plastic infused iceberg. The main sticking po
[See the full post at: Defer updates, Pause updates, Delay updates, and the big unknown of Win10 1909]

Users are already testing Windows 10 20H1/2003. What are the settings under ‘advanced settings’ ?

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CyGuy

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Alex5723 wrote:

Users are already testing Windows 10 20H1/2003. What are the settings under ‘advanced settings’ ?

Insiders can’t tell you that, because Insiders on any version in any ring never get any defer options and can only pause for a maximum of 7 days. (IMHO that’s probably why the disappearing defer settings in 1903/1909 has never been resolved; Insiders don’t see it happen so they can’t report it via the Feedback Hub.)

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CyGuy, Alex5723, woody

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woody wrote:

Dig deeper into the Advanced Options pane and you see the ability to “Pause updates until a specific date.” This pause, though, maxes out at seven days — an odd limitation, considering the 5 x 7 multi-click option on the main page. (Note that earlier versions of Win10 Pro 1903 allowed date-by-date pause extensions for up to 35 days. That’s no longer the case, per a clean install yesterday of build 18362.356.)

Is that clean install opted into the Release Preview (or any other Insider ring)?

woody wrote:

Conflicts. Oy, we got conflicts.

So what happens when a Pause and a Deferral collide? Or when a Group Policy conflicts with something you can see in the Settings app?

Short answer: It’s complicated. Longer answer: The exact resolution seems to vary depending on which build of what version you’re using.

PKCano undertook an extensive testing of the conflicts between Group Policy, Settings app, and what actually happens back in July. The results are ugly, to say the least. Since then there have been numerous attempts to reconcile conflicting Defer, Pause, Settings app, GP settings and values in the Registry — and it’s an [awful] mess.

My main observation — not backed by any exhaustive research, but just from listening to the howls of patching pain — is that Windows Update tries to honor all five sources of settings, and usually opts to hold off if any of them say to block an update.

I don’t see any conflicts between Defer and Pause; they’re independent and can co-exist, on any version (although Insider builds don’t get Defer at all, and they get a 7-day maximum for Pause).

PKCano’s “extensive testing” to which you linked only concerned Feature Updates: the setting for deferral of Quality Updates was never changed from 0, and Pause updates was never used either. Apart from the disappearing defer feature update setting, I didn’t see any ugly or [awful] mess.

I disagree that there are five sources of settings. There are just two; Settings and Group Policy. Both get stored in the Registry (so direct registry changes could be an alternative to either).

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b wrote:

Is that clean install opted into the Release Preview (or any other Insider ring)?

Nope. Clean install, from ISO, to a local account.

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How does all this relate to updates that you’ve used wushowhide to “hide”. They seem to be neither delayed nor deferred, but just “not there”. ???

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Anything you hide with wushowhide doesn’t present itself to Windows Update.

At least, in theory….

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That’s correct! Some KBs can be hidden only for the current month and will be ignored on the next month’s update cycle. To keep them hidden, you have to unhide them and hide again. And, of course, you must not touch the check for updates button!

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It has worked that way for me [including a silverlight update that I put into the ghetto and it magically disappeared of its own accord].

Is the bottom line that all of the angst about pause/defer/delay and such is mostly made irrelevant by simple using wushowhide? Why mess and worry about all the settings when this “just works”??

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[Linda2019]

In Woody’s article he mentions a Servicing Stack update from September.  I havent done any updates yet in my new Windows 10 PC.  I got to pause for 35 days.  The winver says the build is 18362.175.  Sorry to see that ability to pause 35 days go away.. it was no fuss no muss.

Since I havent updated my PC at all yet .. would it be a good idea to download the Servicing stack update before I Install October cumulative updates?

Can it be installed without any prerequisites?

• This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by Linda2019.

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The Servicing Stack is installed through Windows Update when you install the Cumulative Update. You won’t see it listed in the install list, however.

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Messing with those settings is just a waste of time. Instead, tell Windows Update not to auto-download and auto-install updates via gpedit.msc (Configure Automatic Update => 2 – Notify for download and auto install) or registry as shown below.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU]
"NoAutoUpdate"=dword:00000000
"AUOptions"=dword:00000002
"NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers"=dword:00000001

Note that the last setting above (‘NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers’) disables auto-reboot.

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I could not figure why do you think 1909 delivery will not respect Defer or Pause settings? 🙂

if you are on 1903, you will get 1909 as an update through “Download and install now.” (if you are already on latest CU, only Enablement Package will be installed)

if you are on 1809 or 1803, you will also get 1909 through “Download and install now.”, but it will be full upgrade set of UUP files (which are 1903 base files + SSU + LCU + eKB)

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[brian1248]

Since I bought a new HP Omen with Windows 10 Home 1903, I’ve just used Wushowhide and a metered connection to control things.  I blocked the September (and October) updates, no problem, and I just blocked the new .Net and Window Autopilot updates released today.

My previous machine had Windows Pro, and I had been using the deferral option.  Using wushowhide seems to work well without needing to pause or defer anything.  When I am comfortable with the safety of installing the updates, I will unhide them or download them directly from the Microsoft catalog and install them manually, which is what I did with the updates prior to September.

I occasionally download something from the Microsoft catalog (such as the Flash update) if I have been convinced it is OK either from what I see on AskWoody or from my own research.  No problems so far.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by brian1248. Reason: add more info

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