Newsletter Archives

• Michael Horowitz: Killing Windows Update on Win10

  Posted on December 5, 2018 at 14:05 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Horowitz has a fascinating “cheat sheet” reviewing various methods of blocking Win10 updating.

  With Windows 10, there are three aspects to disabling Windows Update: shutting down multiple Services, disabling many Scheduled Tasks and preventing the parts of Windows Update that can not be shut down from phoning home. Microsoft has limited the first two options, some services and started tasks can not be disabled, even by Administrative users. And, like the Walking Dead, some services and tasks that we can disable, get re-enabled over time.

  It’s a very thorough look at a very tough — and timely — topic.

  Windows Patches/Security Block Win10 updates

• Win10 v1709 “Preview Builds/Feature Updates deferral” Group Policy blocks Security Updates

  Posted on November 20, 2017 at 11:22 CST by PKCano • Comment in the Forums

  This came in from Klaasklever

  FYI:

  The Win 10 v1709 “Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received”
  Group Policy (located under Computer Config –> Admin Templates –>
  Windows Components –> Windows Update –> Windows Update for Business)
  incorrectly blocks all Cumulative Security Updates.

  If enabled and set to anything greater than 0 days, not only feature updates
  (i.e. upgrades to a new semi-annual Windows Version) are blocked,
  but all cumulative security updates are wrongly blocked as well!

  This might cause some headaches for admins…

  See my following post on Technet:

  https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/16172050-6cec-4e5d-b0fb-884b79571de0/win-10-v1709-preview-buildsfeature-updates-deferral-group-policy-incorrectly-blocks-cumulative?forum=win10itprosecurity

  Cheers!
  Klaasklever

  Is anyone else seeing this behavior?
  Other, Windows Patches/Security Block Win10 updates, group policy, Win10 1709, Windows Update

• Woody’s Win10Tip: Apply updates carefully

  Posted on November 18, 2016 at 06:55 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Here’s an easy, step-by-step approach to applying blocked Win10 updates.

  InfoWorld Woody’s Win10Tip

  Windows Patches/Security Block Win10 updates, Win10 updates

• Using GPedit on Win10 Home doesn’t block updates

  Posted on November 9, 2016 at 13:54 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Just got a definitive answer from JC:

  The TweakHound Win10 patching block only works with the Pro version  in conjunction with gpedit.msc.

  I have Win10 Home. I downloaded and installed gpedit into my system, then set the windows update\”Configure Automatic Updates” to: “Notify for download and notify for install”

  It didn’t work. Last night, the Win10 Home patch KB 3200970 installed itself automatically.  Microsoft bypassed my tweak and did the update last night when I rebooted. It took nearly 40 minutes to do the update..

  As I see it, I have two choices:

  Upgrade to the Pro version

  Or

  Turn Off windows updates manually.

  It looks like metered connection is still the best way to block automatic updates on Win10 Home machines.

  Windows Patches/Security Block Win10 updates, gpedit

• Woody’s Win10Tip: Block forced updates in Windows 10

  Posted on November 3, 2016 at 05:19 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  “They” said it couldn’t be done, but it can.

  If you have Windows 10, there’s a straightforward set of steps you can take to turn off Automatic Updates. It isn’t easy, but it’s doable.

  As far as I know, this is the first time the procedure’s been documented in its entirety for Win10 1607 – the Anniversary Update.

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows, Woody’s Win10Tip

  UPDATE: From the comments (the AskWoody comments are always great)…

  There’s another GPedit setting that may work. Details from Michael Pietroforte at 4sysops. You can turn Automatic Update in the Anniversary Update to “Notify for download and notify for install.” That puts a toaster notification on your machine when an update is available – but you have to run over to Windows Update (Start > Settings > Update & security, click the box marked Check for Updates) before anything gets installed. Once you click Check for updates, the update is installed – you have no recourse.’

  The method I mention in the article (“Select when Quality Updates are received”) apparently blocks the updates, even if you click Check for updates.

  Much more experimentation – and real-world results from all of you! – would be most helpful.

  Windows Patches/Security Block Win10 updates, Notify for download and notify for install, Select when Quality Updates are received

• Microsoft’s Win10 beneficence continues next year with a strong-arm upgrade for Windows 7 and 8.1

  Posted on October 30, 2015 at 14:04 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Resistance may not be futile, but it’s sure getting tougher.

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows

  Windows Patches/Security Block Win10 updates, Win10 updates