W10 Grp Policy vs InControl

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[CraigS26]

via a current W11 24H2 Block Thread (“InControl works with Home & Pro”) ….. Although my W10 Pro Grp Pol has been working for a 22H2 freeze (Select the target Feature Update Ver page), InControl shows I have Only Partial Control with just 3/6 Registry settings in place. It would be great if someone could clarify IF InControl is just being Overly-Prepared with 3 extra Reg settings, OR might they be important and the App really necessary Even for W10 Pro. Thanks as always!

W10 Pro 22H2 / Hm-Stdnt Ofce '16 C2R / Macrium Pd vX / GP=2 + FtrU=Semi-Annual + Feature Defer = 1 + QU = 0

• This topic was modified 4 months ago by CraigS26.

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opti1, windbg, castiel

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It’s being overly cautious.  The group policy works.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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flyingdutchgirl, opti1, castiel, CraigS26

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This question prompted me to check into exactly which registry entries InControl deals with.

Using Sysinternals’s Process Monitor filtered to only show Process Name = incontrol.exe and Operation = RegSetValue I found it modifies the following 6 registry values.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
   DisableOSUpgrade
   TargetReleaseVersion
   TargetReleaseVersionInfo
   ProductVersion

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore
   DisableOSUpgrade

HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup\UpgradeNotification
   UpgradeAvailable

FYI, the last three values in the WindowsUpdate registry key are the same ones controlled by the Select the target Feature Update version Group Policy.

That’s why, if you’ve used the Group Policy, InControl indicates Only Partial Control with just 3/6 Registry settings in place.

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opti1, windbg, CraigS26, Cybertooth, TechTango

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Did a bit more research and found the following:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
   DisableOSUpgrade

This registry entry was controlled by an old Windows 7 – 8.1 Group Policy (Turn off the upgrade to the latest version of Windows through Windows Update) that not longer exists in Windows 10 & 11.

According to numerous hits I found on the web, even though the Group Policy no longer exist, Windows 10 & 11 still honor this registry value if it’s set.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore
   DisableOSUpgrade

This registry entry is controlled by the Group Policy Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Store Turn off the offer to update to the latest version of Windows.

HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup\UpgradeNotification
   UpgradeAvailable

This entry is definitively not part of the current Group Policies and I couldn’t find any relevant info about it on the web.

Maybe it’s intended to prevent the Upgrade to Windows 10 pop-up from Windows 7 – 8.1 or maybe the full screen pop-up to upgrade to Windows 11?

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Cybertooth

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