Time to make sure Windows Automatic Update is turned off

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With Patch Tuesday arriving tomorrow, now’s a good time to triple-check and make sure you have Automatic Update turned off. Details coming in Computer
[See the full post at: Time to make sure Windows Automatic Update is turned off]

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Fmorrow, Mele20, Pepsiboy, SueW, WildBill, Chris B, Elly, walker, Microfix, geekdom, abbodi86

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Link to Woody’s article: Computerworld-August2018-Patch-Tuesday

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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SueW

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It looks like a DEFCON < 3 is now a fixture. Well, maybe it is not such a bad idea to start checking out those Chromebooks… And those Macs… And those etc., etc.

Particularly for those that have Windows 10 pre-installed, so never had a chance to Just Say No to 10, and where patches are sometimes installed by diktat whichever way they may have configured their machines to prevent that from happening. And those who have Win 7 and are waiting for it to be marched to the chopping block in less than 18 months from now… or maybe not?

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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A funny thing, but on 10th August, I was offered KB4338826 – cumulative taking 1703 to 15063.1206. THis was over the ’30 days’ I had set for Quality Updates. I was offered KB4338832 – Flash and KB890830 – MSRT too!

All this and I had followed Woody’s advice, and had set my WiFi and my Ethernet to Metered.

I used wushowhide to hide the cumulative but it went ahead and installed it anyway.

Fortunately, it installed OK but I guess I’m going to hit the same problem on the 16th and the 24th too.

I’m kinda lost now – what action can I take to prevent untimely  updates?

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 Core Ultra 7 155H 32GB Win 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.5189)
Dell Inspiron 15 7580 i7 16GB Win 11 pro 24H2 (26100.3775),
Microsoft 365 Version 2502 (18526.20168)
Location: UK

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If it’s been less than 10 days since that happened, you should be able to restore to the previous version. Some MVP’s here will probably chime in, too.

Bought a refurbished Windows 10 64-bit, currently updated to 22H2. Have broke the AC adapter cord going to the 8.1 machine, but before that, coaxed it into charging. Need to buy new adapter if wish to continue using it.
Wild Bill Rides Again...

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woody, Microfix

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@barcud: How about unplugging the ethernet cable (or turning off wifi). I have an old Dell Inspiron (threw in a T6500, but only 1.5gb ram) happily running Ubuntu Mate 18 for lolz but seems this month it’s become the primary internet machine while these problems continue. The Chromebooks are pricey for what you get but a ressurected Core2Duo with a light Linux distro works great for cheap.

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wdburt1

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Maybe a dumb question, but for the July 2018 Windows 10 updates, I got caught in August once the max 30 day defer option for cumulative updates (Win 10 Pro 1709) went by. Normally not expecting to skip an entire month. Is the ONLY protection to set the network connection as metered?

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Microfix

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Certainly not a dumb question, I’m sure there will be others concerned about this also.

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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BobbyB

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@anonoymous you can use metered for sure and I would even recommend on Win10 Pro and above, coupled with WUMT or M$ wushowhide. Your only deferring the inevitable as theyre Cumulative in nature but it gives you some breathing space for M$ to get its act together. Just hide as you Req. The metered setting effectively saves M$ Win10 from springing surprise on you but every boot up or resume from Hibernate etc you must run WUMT or wushowhide before Windoze gets in to its search for updates alas, its advisable to prevent any unwanted surprise’s and we are not far off yet from another new Version of Win 10, so as they say in fencing “en garde”

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woody, Microfix

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Win10 Pro 1709’s July updates turned up last night, Hmmmm could this be the eve of the infamous Patch Tuesday? “Batten down the hatches” folks last month was the “Perfect Storm” does not bode well for August. Dare I say “a month that will live in infamy” in the annuls of patching.

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BobbyB wrote:

you can use metered for sure and I would even recommend on Win10 Pro and above, coupled with WUMT or M$ wushowhide.

I’m puzzled (not unusual). What exactly does ‘Metered’ do? It certainly doesn’t prevent Quality updates being offered, so what?

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 Core Ultra 7 155H 32GB Win 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.5189)
Dell Inspiron 15 7580 i7 16GB Win 11 pro 24H2 (26100.3775),
Microsoft 365 Version 2502 (18526.20168)
Location: UK

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@barcud Metered stops Win10 from downloading unwanted updates, it will still grab the updates but wont download and begin to install them until you say, its a “dodge” based on Win10’s inate desire for Data usage where many people have Data limits for how much they can use in any given Billing cycle with their ISP and therefore charges may be incurred.
As a Typical Update is almost 1 GB its huge if your only allowed 4 GB a month for example. So for Win 10 Home it will get the list of updates but wont download or try to install before you click on the Button to do so. Giving you time to intercede with any counter measures such as hiding with WUMT or wushowhide. The other good things about Metered is that it will limit data usage for other Win10 apps UWP etc as they update automatically in the background and don’t always do so satisfactorily like say Windows Mail/Outlook desktop App, it still works but I use it in conjunction with Office 2016 to display any incoming Mail without necessarily opening Outlook 2016 or running with it open all the time. No real downsides to speak of save one “Nag” message when you open Office Outlook 2016 it asks if you wish to download over Metered connection and that’s it, no worries with Outlook 2010 glad to say and that’s about it hope it clarifies it for you.
OBTW you can find in Settings->Network and Internet->Ethernet set connection as Metered (slider)

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Microfix, John

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Thanks @bobbyb that makes sense. Not sure what I did t get the Quality UPdate downloaded but I’ll certainly be more careful now.

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 Core Ultra 7 155H 32GB Win 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.5189)
Dell Inspiron 15 7580 i7 16GB Win 11 pro 24H2 (26100.3775),
Microsoft 365 Version 2502 (18526.20168)
Location: UK

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@BobbyB: For my 10 “Pro” 1709, I have all the delay settings and metered on ethernet, just not using WUSHOWHIDE since up till now it wasn’t necessary. Since people are getting force updated even with WUSHOWHIDE and the other settings the only guaranteed way is no internet until August updates get >DEFCON2, while I have the Linux alternative.

I’ve been pretty patient with Microsoft. 1607 and 1703 worked pretty well apart from aggravating driver issues that Win7 never had, then one of the 2018 updates to 1703 broke my “Modern” side of things completely including menus, and even an in place upgrade to 1709 didn’t fix it- only then did a 1709 ‘reset’ work, so far. I’m getting too lazy to do a clean Windows 10 install anymore, even using ‘Ninite’, since things break anyway so often in Win10. I help several friends with their computers and the forced Win10 upgrades have been poorly received for them as well. Win10 has convinced me to wean over to Linux completely. The deadline is in MS hands as whatever upgrade completely botches my machine past the point of my tolerance will be the turning point. And here we are and I’m using Linux on the Net only for August. Tick tock.

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John, BobbyB

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My settings are holding so far and I am still on 1709.  However, I got on the computer today to see that Microsoft has left me a “present” on the Settings/Update and Security Window.  i have a bright, new, shiny video in the upper right corner of the screen where I used to just have text (from when Microsoft tried in the past and the server believed it was successful but it was NOT) saying I had a new version of Windows 10 (I did NOT as my settings held then too).

This new video claims I now have:

Timeline, Focus Assist, Continue on PC and Dynamic Lock.

I have NONE of the above and am, thankfully, still on 1709 (with no July patches).

 

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Wow, M$ is just continuously evil with their unwanted advertisements. I also have v1709, but have not seen the ads yet, and hope not to ever see them in the Settings – Updates app. Maybe the advice at one of these 2 websites may help some of us (?): =

https://www.filecluster.com/howto/guide-disable-ads-windows-10-settings-app/

https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windows/remove-ads-windows-10-3669292/

Lars220

 

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Microfix

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anonymous wrote:

Maybe the advice at one of these 2 websites may help some of us (?): =

I did both methods in those articles when I set up Windows 10 Pro last December.  Neither method has stopped these.  I even made sure to  turn off showing suggested content in Settings in the Registry as well as in Privacy settings.  I just checked the settings and they are holding so a video like this is getting through I suppose because it is not considered an ad.

I don’t really consider them “ads” as they are informative about new things in the new version of Windows 10 that, in my case, Microsoft just THINKS I have (but I don’t).  I watched the video and if I did have 1803, I’d like to know about the new features even though I would probably turn them off as they look irrelevant to me.

What I’d like to know is how to do is to get rid of the video after I have watched it!

I have Tips uninstalled so Microsoft telling me to look at Tips for more information is irrelevant.  The Learn More link on the Windows Updates page is also irrelevant even though it works as it takes me to a Microsoft website page all about 1803 that I don’t have.

What I’d particularly like is for Microsoft to stop treating me like a second class citizen simply because I chose a local account when setting up Windows 10.  I did the smart thing and Microsoft should respect that.

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Lars220

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How is it that there is not a single mention of the “pause updates” functionality? Combined with deferral, you can delay quality updates for up to 65 days by flipping the switch at the right time.

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I have only just learned about this site, and I will be sure to follow and support it. Unfortunately I had automatic updates set on, and I’ve just installed an “update” for Microsoft Office 2016 that, according to the KB number, is from June 27 of last year.

What is Microsoft playing at?

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the August 2018 updates are out now.

the new Aug. 2018 updates for Win10 v1703, v1709 & v1803 do NOT resolve the .NET problems in MS KB article 4345913. MS has not yet figured out how to fix the .NET access denied problems for the 1703, 1709 & 1803 versions of Windows 10, even with the newly released August 2018 cumulative updates.

keep the MS-DEFCON level at 1, even past today, woody.

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Updates have been chaotic lately. If this keeps up-I AM Not adding new updates UNLESS there is defcon3. And I am only installing antivirus software for the month, adobe player and um…..thAT other one that’s supposedly safe. BUT I WAIT FOR DEFCON3. BUT I will not PUT UPDATES FOR win10- Windows probably hid something inside to try to force us onto 1803.

And the day I update to 1803 IS WHEN we are given the greenlit to install it AND THERE IS NO BSOD or anything.

Also Chromebooks needs to upgrade their GB to TB or higher than 2-4gb. We need 500gb-1tb on those boys

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John wrote:

Thanks @bobbyb that makes sense. Not sure what I did t get the Quality UPdate downloaded but I’ll certainly be more careful now.

I’ve downloaded WUMT as suggested and checked out what is sees installed on my PC.

Strange that the Quality Update that I hid using wushowhide (KB4338826) is listed on WUMT as hidden, but NOT as installed, despite WU Update History telling me it was installed on 10th August. Wushowhide does NOT show it as hidden.

So, still puzzled!

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 Core Ultra 7 155H 32GB Win 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.5189)
Dell Inspiron 15 7580 i7 16GB Win 11 pro 24H2 (26100.3775),
Microsoft 365 Version 2502 (18526.20168)
Location: UK

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Microfix

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@barcud wmic qfe list normally shows what’s actually installed from the CMD prompt, the M$ blurb is here:https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/4338826. silly me here was looking in 1709 and 1803 vers any ways there’s nearly always a few inconsistancies with WUMT I have found mainly with size and it has the check box’s with what Windoze update recommends and what’s available. I am currently currently lurking on a 1803 Home Machine machine right now with both in comparison but the wmic qfe list command generally gives a better picture I find if your not averse to the CMD prompt. It would appear your right that WUMT doesent display previously installed Windows Cummulative updates, strange it does on 1709 but not on this one even though all the installed Office 2010 UD’s are there, the latest yesterdays hidden update shows up as hidden in wushowhide and WUMT. Sure way to check is to go to uninstall updates page if its listed there and WMIC CMD then you can take it as installed. Hope that works for ya

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Microfix

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Thanks @BobbyB,

WMIC and ‘Uninstall’ list agree on my system too.

Just counting the days (or is it weeks or years) when M$ gets it right!

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 Core Ultra 7 155H 32GB Win 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.5189)
Dell Inspiron 15 7580 i7 16GB Win 11 pro 24H2 (26100.3775),
Microsoft 365 Version 2502 (18526.20168)
Location: UK

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Microfix

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@BobbyB and @barcud, nice work there, I’ve learned a few thing too

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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Doesn’t matter what I do. I have a Win 10 Home and a Win 10 Pro and both just update anyway – whether I set to metered, use WUSHOWHIDE, change my delivery channel, set delays to 90 days, yadda. MS gonna update what MS wanna update it seems. Wouldn’t be bad if they worked, I guess (although I honestly haven’t had any issues so far). Just sucks sitting around waiting for the axe to eventually fall.

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