What is an effective way to tun off Windows 10 updates until YOU want them back on?

Q: What is an effective way to tun off Windows 10 updates until YOU want
them back on?

There may very well be multiple answers, each of which may be frought with
risk that we should explore for the team.

*METHOD 1: dual boot to Linux and rename wuaueng.dll*
For example, one method is to dual boot to Linux and while on Linux, to
rename or remove the Windows 10 wuaueng.dll WOF contraption which resides
in the Windows System32 directory.

However, that method may suffer from this reputed ill effect, in practice:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ection-feature

*METHOD 2: disable Windows Update Service & related Task Scheduler Services*
Instead of changing a protected file, another method might be to disable
the Windows Update service in Services.msc as long as it's shown that other
services haven't been designed to turn it back on.

However, that method appears to have been circumvented by Microsoft
recently, according to a post by Bob_S in this thread:
http://www.pcbanter.net/showthread.php?t=1103450

*METHOD 3: disable Windows Update Service & change the LOA for wuauserv*
Another method might be to disable the Windows Update service in
Services.msc and then changing the Log On account for wuauserv.

The main question is what anyone would ask who hasn't done it, which is:
Q: Which methods actually work, long term, with the least ill effects?

Am Mon, 26 Mar 2018 09:58:17 -0700, schrieb Ragnusen Ultred:

*METHOD 3: disable Windows Update Service & change the LOA for wuauserv*
Another method might be to disable the Windows Update service in
Services.msc and then changing the Log On account for wuauserv.

The main question is what anyone would ask who hasn't done it, which is:
Q: Which methods actually work, long term, with the least ill effects?

How to turn off Windows update from Windows Update Service.
(This is copied verbatim from a post by Bob_S on the topic.)

1. Stop the Windows Update service
2. Set it to Disabled
3. Select the Log On tab on that same window and click the button for "This
account:" and then enter .\Guest (period backslash Guest) and make
sure the password is blank. Apply.
4. Acknowledge the message that .\Gust has been assigned to the logon
credentials.

That stops the service from starting because the account to start it has
been changed.

Now when you try to manually force an update you will get a
message in the Windows Update status window that "There were some problems
installing updates, ....etc.." When it also tries to Auto Update, an error
message will be logged in the system logs and that lets you know it's
working if you want to look in the logs.

To reset this so windows updates again, change the Startup type back to
Auto, go to the Log On tab and select the button for Local System account,
Apply and then start the service. The update service is back to normal.

Try it - you'll like it and it's a way safer and easier way then applying
some Linux tricks to circumvent a protected file.

Update: My test system just finished updating and it's rebooting and
installing. As soon as it's done I'll apply the above to turn off the
update and see what happens. We know it stopped the latest update from
downloading because I had to re-enable the service to get it.
Waiting......

Okay my test system is up and running and I'm manually checking for updates
and it says I'm up to date as of 8:26pm.
Performed the steps above to disable the service and rebooted. Tried to
force a manual update and get the error message noted above.
Did a cold start and tried another manual update - same error message.
Another warm start, again tried to do a manual update, same error message.

My OS build is 16299.334, Win10 Pro x64 ver 1709

So its working and only 4 steps.

Am Mon, 26 Mar 2018 10:02:12 -0700, schrieb Ragnusen Ultred:

How to turn off Windows update from Windows Update Service.
(This is copied verbatim from a post by Bob_S on the topic.)

This is my first attempt, as an acknowledged noob, so if I can do it,
anyone should be able to do it following in my noob footsteps (where I
don't skip steps and where I explain where a noob may go off track since
I'm a noob myself).
http://i.cubeupload.com/HQprPF.jpg

1. Make a note of your current version:
CMD winver (mine says Version 1709 Build 16299.248)
2. Make a note of your current update schedule:
Settings Windows Update Update status
"Your device is up to date. Last checked Yesterday."
Settings Windows Update Advanced options
[_]Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows
[Semi-Annual Channel]
[365] deferred days
[30] security deferment
[off] Pause Updates
3. Stop the Windows Update service
control+alt+delete Task Manager Services

Oh oh ... here is the first noob question.
Q: Which one is the Windows Update Service?
http://i.cubeupload.com/HQprPF.jpg

Guessing, I guess it's "wuauserv" but, as a noob, I'd like to confirm
before I start disabling stuff.

Am Mon, 26 Mar 2018 10:13:50 -0700, schrieb Ragnusen Ultred:

Guessing, I guess it's "wuauserv" but, as a noob, I'd like to confirm
before I start disabling stuff.

Assuming that the Windows Update Service is "wuauserv", I move on...

1. Make a note of your current version:
CMD winver (mine says Version 1709 Build 16299.248)

2. Make a note of your current update schedule:
Settings Windows Update Update status
"Your device is up to date. Last checked Yesterday."
Settings Windows Update Advanced options
[_]Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows
[Semi-Annual Channel]
[365] deferred days
[30] security deferment
[off] Pause Updates

3. Stop the Windows Update service
control+alt+delete Task Manager Services
Oh oh ... here is the first noob question.
Q: Which one is the Windows Update Service?
http://i.cubeupload.com/HQprPF.jpg

4. Assuming that the Windows Update Service is wuauserv then
Right click on "wuauserv" & select "disable"....
Ooops. Disable isn't one of the options. Hmmmmm...

5. Assuming that the Windows Update Service is wuausesrv, then
Right click on "wuauserv" & select "Open Services"???

6. In Services (Local), expand the results and find "wuauserv"
http://i.cubeupload.com/15pnm5.jpg

7. Doubleclick on wuauserv and you'll see this popup form:
"wauserv Properties (Local Computer"
http://i.cubeupload.com/OlKA4n.jpg

8. Change the "General" tab "Startup Type" from "Manual" to "Disabled"
http://i.cubeupload.com/hUZI8J.jpg
Press "OK".

9. Select the "LogOn" tab of that same
"wauserv Properties (Local Computer" form
where this is what you see:
http://i.cubeupload.com/4pcROJ.jpg

10. Select the radio dial for "(o)This Account" which fills out
a password field with dots like this.
http://i.cubeupload.com/jTJ6Cu.jpg

11. Enter in ".\Guest" (period backslash Guest)
and then clear both password fields
and then press "OK".
http://i.cubeupload.com/jaynUU.jpg

12. You should see a form pop up saying:
Services:
The account .\Guest has been granted the Log On As A Service right.
http://i.cubeupload.com/96R5jl.jpg
Press "OK" to that form.

That should stop the Windows Update Service from starting because the
account to start it has been changed from your account, to that of Guest (I
think). http://i.cubeupload.com/EILERz.jpg

We should probably put up a "doublecheck" method to independently check
whether all the settings 'took' and whether they work, over time.

We should probably also explain how to "undo" the changes, if it's not
simply the reverse process in the same order.

For example, how do you undo the change to Guest?
(Is it as simple as clicking the "Local System account" radio button?)

On 03/26/2018 11:58 AM, Ragnusen Ultred wrote:
Q: What is an effective way to tun off Windows 10 updates until YOU want
them back on?

There may very well be multiple answers, each of which may be frought
with risk that we should explore for the team.

*METHOD 1: dual boot to Linux and rename wuaueng.dll*
For example, one method is to dual boot to Linux and while on Linux, to
rename or remove the Windows 10 wuaueng.dll WOF contraption which
resides in the Windows System32 directory.

You don't need to install Linux (although you might want to). You can
run it from the CD.

[snip]

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Skepticism is the highest duty and blind faith the one unpardonable
sin." -- Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895)

Am Mon, 26 Mar 2018 10:41:11 -0700, schrieb Ragnusen Ultred:

We should probably put up a "doublecheck" method to independently check
whether all the settings 'took' and whether they work, over time.

We should probably also explain how to "undo" the changes, if it's not
simply the reverse process in the same order.

For example, how do you undo the change to Guest?
(Is it as simple as clicking the "Local System account" radio button?)

I realized only belatedly that we should probably "stop" the service before
we mess with it, although I do note that the sequence used does seem to
stop the service on its own volition.
http://i.cubeupload.com/3KVX3D.jpg

As a doublecheck, I tested the "update" button, which seems to indicate
that the update is no longer working (which is the desired effect).
http://i.cubeupload.com/0uqUw7.jpg

Another thing I only realized belatedly is that we can probably dispense
altogether with the task manager GUI since we could just run "services.msc"
(which I only realized Bob_S mentioned after I wondered what the next step
was).

So we should probably re-write (and streamline) the steps for a noob, using
"services.msc" directly instead of the Task Manager.

Start Cortana services.msc Enter

On 3/26/2018 9:58 AM, Ragnusen Ultred wrote:
Q: What is an effective way to tun off Windows 10 updates until YOU want
them back on?

There may very well be multiple answers, each of which may be frought
with risk that we should explore for the team.

*METHOD 1: dual boot to Linux and rename wuaueng.dll*
For example, one method is to dual boot to Linux and while on Linux, to
rename or remove the Windows 10 wuaueng.dll WOF contraption which
resides in the Windows System32 directory.

https://www.sordum.org/9416/powerrun...st-privileges/
may let you do that without rebooting.

However, that method may suffer from this reputed ill effect, in practice:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ection-feature


*METHOD 2: disable Windows Update Service & related Task Scheduler
Services*
Instead of changing a protected file, another method might be to disable
the Windows Update service in Services.msc as long as it's shown that
other services haven't been designed to turn it back on.
However, that method appears to have been circumvented by Microsoft
recently, according to a post by Bob_S in this thread:
http://www.pcbanter.net/showthread.php?t=1103450

*METHOD 3: disable Windows Update Service & change the LOA for wuauserv*
Another method might be to disable the Windows Update service in
Services.msc and then changing the Log On account for wuauserv.

The main question is what anyone would ask who hasn't done it, which is:
Q: Which methods actually work, long term, with the least ill effects?

What is it about windows update blocker wub.exe that makes it
unsuitable for this task? I'm counting the author to track MS changes
so I don't have to.

The elephant in the room is, "what happens when you actually want
to install an update?"

My experience has been that, when you turn updates on by any method,
you get them ALL. You have zero control over WHAT happens, only WHEN
it happens. You can back out of an update, after the fact,
but only if it didn't crash your computer.

Windows update minitool gives you the option to select what gets
installed BEFORE it happens. And you don't have to go searching
for manual updates.

I've been playing with that method for a month. So far, so good...

Am Mon, 26 Mar 2018 11:37:29 -0700, schrieb mike:

https://www.sordum.org/9416/powerrun...st-privileges/
may let you do that without rebooting.

Thanks for this suggestion for changing protected system files using
PowerRun.

I found the download button near the bottom of that page:
https://www.sordum.org/downloads/?power-run

What is it about windows update blocker wub.exe that makes it
unsuitable for this task? I'm counting the author to track MS changes
so I don't have to.

I'm sure others have heard of "windows update blocker", but I haven't,
since this is a new quest for me.

Googling for the canonical site for the tool, is this the site?

Windows Update Blocker v1.0
https://www.sordum.org/9470/windows-...-blocker-v1-0/
https://www.sordum.org/downloads/?st...update-blocker

The elephant in the room is, "what happens when you actually want
to install an update?"

Yup.
Whatever we come up with should allow us to choose what updates we want.

My experience has been that, when you turn updates on by any method,
you get them ALL. You have zero control over WHAT happens, only WHEN
it happens. You can back out of an update, after the fact,
but only if it didn't crash your computer.

Hmmm... is there a way to manually download & install specific updates?

Windows update minitool gives you the option to select what gets
installed BEFORE it happens. And you don't have to go searching
for manual updates.

I've been playing with that method for a month. So far, so good...

Where is that "Windows update minitool" located?
It's not he https://www.sordum.org/8098/some-small-tools/

Am Mon, 26 Mar 2018 12:45:32 -0500, schrieb Mark Lloyd:

You don't need to install Linux (although you might want to). You can
run it from the CD.

This is a great point.

It would be far faster to just download an ISO of Ubuntu or whatever, and
then boot off the DVD instead of going to the trouble of setting up dual
boot Linux with Windows.

Thanks for streamlining the process for all to benefit.

On 3/26/2018 4:04 PM, Ragnusen Ultred wrote:
Am Mon, 26 Mar 2018 11:37:29 -0700, schrieb mike:

My experience has been that, when you turn updates on by any method,
you get them ALL.Â* You have zero control over WHATÂ* happens, only WHEN
it happens.Â* You can back out of an update, after the fact,
but only if it didn't crash your computer.

Hmmm... is there a way to manually download & install specific updates?

It's my experience that in Windows 10, you never have the choice to
install specific updates -- it's all or nothing.

Earlier versions do allow you to pick-and-choose updates.
--
Fran

On 27/03/2018 6:04 AM, Ragnusen Ultred wrote:
Am Mon, 26 Mar 2018 11:37:29 -0700, schrieb mike:

https://www.sordum.org/9416/powerrun...st-privileges/
may let you do that without rebooting.

Thanks for this suggestion for changing protected system files using
PowerRun.

I found the download button near the bottom of that page:
https://www.sordum.org/downloads/?power-run

What is it about windows update blocker wub.exe that makes it
unsuitable for this task?Â* I'm counting the author to track MS changes
so I don't have to.

I'm sure others have heard of "windows update blocker", but I haven't,
since this is a new quest for me.

Googling for the canonical site for the tool, is this the site?

Windows Update Blocker v1.0
https://www.sordum.org/9470/windows-...-blocker-v1-0/
https://www.sordum.org/downloads/?st...update-blocker

The elephant in the room is, "what happens whenÂ* you actually want
to install an update?"

Yup. Whatever we come up with should allow us to choose what updates we
want.

My experience has been that, when you turn updates on by any method,
you get them ALL.Â* You have zero control over WHATÂ* happens, only WHEN
it happens.Â* You can back out of an update, after the fact,
but only if it didn't crash your computer.

Hmmm... is there a way to manually download & install specific updates?

Windows update minitool gives you the option to select what gets
installed BEFORE it happens.Â* And you don't have to go searching
for manual updates.

I've been playing with that method for a month.Â* So far, so good...

Where is that "Windows update minitool" located?
It's not he https://www.sordum.org/8098/some-small-tools/

Can be found here --
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/deta..._minitool.html

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maurice Helwig
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ragnusen Ultred wrote:
Am Mon, 26 Mar 2018 11:37:29 -0700, schrieb mike:
[...]
The elephant in the room is, "what happens when you actually want
to install an update?"

Yup.
Whatever we come up with should allow us to choose what updates we want.

My experience has been that, when you turn updates on by any method,
you get them ALL. You have zero control over WHAT happens, only WHEN
it happens. You can back out of an update, after the fact,
but only if it didn't crash your computer.

Hmmm... is there a way to manually download & install specific updates?

There's always:

http://catalog.update.microsoft.com [1]

N.B. It was quite funny to see that with Internet Explorer, the
Microsoft Update Catalog (MUC) did not allow me to 'Add' any updates to
its 'basket, nor to view said basket, but with Google Chrome, it was
perfectly willing to let me 'Download' the updates! :-)

[This is probably a momentary quirk, because I have used the MUC in the
past.]

[1] Reminder to MUC courtesy Paul

Am Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:21:58 -0000 (UTC), schrieb Maurice:

Which of the approaches mentioned in here will work on W10 Home, please?

Paul and Bob_S,

Maurice's question is apropos in that I have Windows 10 *Pro*, where
Maurice is asking about Windows 10 *HOME*.

These are the proposed methods for Windows 10 *Pro*.
1. Rename wuaueng.dll using linux boot dvd
2. Disable Windows Update Service & related Task Scheduler Services
3. Disable Windows Update Service & change the LOA for wuauserv to Guest
4. WUB https://www.sordum.org/9470/windows-...-blocker-v1-0/
5. WIM http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/deta..._minitool.html

Which of those will work with Windows 10 Pro & which with Windows 10 Home?

"Ragnusen Ultred" wrote in message news

Am Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:21:58 -0000 (UTC), schrieb Maurice:

Which of the approaches mentioned in here will work on W10 Home,
please?

Paul and Bob_S,

Since there was some confusion before, I've included steps for stopping and
re-starting the Windows Update service.

This works for Home and Pro versions whether they are 32 or 64 bit, Retail,
OEM or an Upgrade:

Steps to *Stop* the Windows Update service:

1. Enter services.msc in the Search box to get to the Services window
2. Scroll down to "Windows Update" entry and double-click on it.
3. In the Service status section - click on Stop to stop the service
4. In the Startup type: Set Windows Update entry to "Disabled"
5. Select the "Log On" tab on that same window and click the radio button
for
"This account:" and then enter .\Guest (period backslash Guest) and
make
sure the password is blank. Click Apply.
6. Acknowledge the message that .\Guest has been assigned to the logon
credentials.
Done

Steps to *Start* the Windows Update service:

1. Enter services.msc in the Search box to get to the Services window
2. Scroll down to "Windows Update" entry and double-click on it.
3. Select the "Log On" tab on that same window and click the radio button
for
"Local System account" and then click on the "General" tab
4. In the Startup type: Set Windows Update entry to "Automatic"
5. In the Service status section - click on Start to start the service
Done

--


Bob S.

On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 11:37:29 -0700, mike wrote:

The elephant in the room is, "what happens when you actually want to
install an update?"

Awaiting delivery of a desktop with W10 Pro installed, I've learned it's
level as
pre-installed on it is "the 1709 deployment".

Is there a way I can find out in advance how many more updates I am
likely to be
landed with when I first start it up?

Ideally, I would delay until finished for the day and then hand it over
to the
Windows Update machinery, though I really don't know if it lends itself
to
unattended updating or whether the user has to be be sitting there
answering
questions at intervals...

--
/\/\aurice
(Replace "nomail.afraid" by "bcs" to reply by email)