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Patch reliability is unclear. Unless you have an immediate, pressing need to install a specific patch, don't do it. |
In the 1803 release Microsoft made some changes in the Windows update section to make it more streamlined and simple. Bottom line that entire section
[See the full post at: Patch Lady – Simplification in the GUI]
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
More M$ ‘Salami Tactics’ to gradually turn Pro into Home”Premium”?
Quality!!!!!
Well its a path well trod for the last few years to find the setting(s) in GPOL and it was like a breath of fresh air when they moved it in to settings, purely for convenience.
Now its gone back to where, truth be known, many Pro users wont or don’t know where to set it, thus rendering the Pro version really less value for Money than it would appear or no better than Home to the uninitiated. I am glad I have no plans at present to embrace the charms of 1803 or is that 1804? Wondering if this is a prelude to future removal altogether in 1809 or would that be 1810 depending on when it shows up? 
Errrrmmmm… Now I feel a bit confused:
Are you sure the WinCentral image is the Pro edition? Looking at the Collection Book (which has an image gallery of all Windows builds), I still see the options:
Group policy is not 100% ignored. On these settings (at least in my use in the past) the group policy is respected.
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
Try the trick @mcbsys used. Turn off the network (think he used Airplane mode – see Woody’s article). When you turn it back on, it should search for updates (without you doing it) and it should be gone since you have it hidden – well, not any more since it installed. You’ll have to wait till next time.
My deferral settings which do show up in the GUI have been moved in the registry. What used to be in key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate are now in HKLM\SOFTWARE\PolicyManager\default\Update\DeferFeatureUpdatesPeriodInDays and \DeferQualityUpdatesPeriodInDays.
In addition to these settings now under the “default” key, there are identical settings under a similar “current” key. However, the deferral settings there are both 0 (zero). I wonder which will take precedence!
Also, in the two new “default” deferral keys and two new “current” deferral keys there is a binary value named GPBlockingRegKeyPath with value set to “Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate” which is the old, now missing key. I’m wondering if those whose GUI no longer show the deferral settings still have that key.
Finally, as noted in Susan’s article, the new GP setting is called “Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received.” I wonder if since we’re evidently on the 17134.1 preview build due to MS rush to release whether the confusion with multiple deferral settings will clear up once the Cumulative Update is released.
Guess we’ll have to wait and see. Never a dull moment!
Actually I checked this again, using RegShot.
The keys are in the same spot.
The new keys you reference I believe are only visual and do nothing. They’re basically placeholders to tell the GUI what to display.
If I run my script which includes:
# Select the Windows readiness level for the updates you want to receive:
# 4. Semi-Annual Channel
REG ADD “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate” /v BranchReadinessLevel /t REG_DWORD /d 32 /f
# After a Preview Build or Feature Update is released, defer receiving it for this many days:
REG ADD “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate” /v DeferFeatureUpdatesPeriodInDays /t REG_DWORD /d 365 /f
# Select when Quality Updates are received
REG ADD “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate” /v DeferQualityUpdates /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
# After a quality update is released, defer receiving it for this many days:
REG ADD “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate” /v DeferQualityUpdatesPeriodInDays /t REG_DWORD /d 30 /f
# Do not include drivers with Windows Updates
REG ADD “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate” /v ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
# Turn off auto-restart for updates during active hours
REG ADD “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate” /v SetActiveHours /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
# Active Hours
# Start:
REG ADD “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate” /v ActiveHoursStart /t REG_DWORD /d 1800 /f
# End:
REG ADD “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate” /v ActiveHoursEnd /t REG_DWORD /d 1200 /f
Those settings are shown in the GUI after I hit “Check for updates”.
False alarm, for once. 
Susan et. al. – with 1803, once you have the group policy settings or the registry equivalents, do you see “Some settings are managed by your organization” and the link to “View configured update policies”?
I blogged in February about using group policy to manage Win10 updates, and posted the equivalent registry changes for a sample setup. Sure like being able to confirm the changes in the GUI, though.
https://www.mcbsys.com/blog/2018/02/managing-windows-10-updates-using-group-policy/
I do see it after applying changes to Group Policy.
I wonder how they decide on those changes. Microsoft meeting about Windows update:
-What should we change for the next version?
-Well the latest changes have been used a lot by users. It seems lots of them defer updates.
-Shoo. We won’t get our bonus for the year if too many people stay on older version.
-Any idea?
-Move the thing back to GP and let’s plan a “sorry, we forgot to honor your preference” type of mistake later and blame it on the transition.
-Great! Let’s do it.
Also spracht zero2dash:
“Now I get to update my scripts, which is totally what I want to do.”
I am 101% with you. That is precisely one very big reason why I am sticking with Windows 7 until one of us dies.
Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).
MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV
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