Windows 10: Best Options to Control Update Process with Windows 10 Pro

Hello all, have been a user with old Windows 7, now learning Windows 10 Pro x64 version 1709 (fully updated at this time as a new computer) and I am slightly confused with all the ways to stop, delay, or interrupt Windows 10 Automatic Updating.

This site has been exellent in explaining the vars ways but now they seem redundent and conflicting, so please help distinguish amoung them.

There is the main Setting>Update & Secuity> Windows Update>Advanced Options
I read (somewhere Woody's?) to set this for branch rediness - Semi-Annual Channel
For Feature update - 365 days
For Quality update - 30 days
Pause - leave Off

Reading through these excellent Forums, there is this advice:
Disable Automatic Updates using Group Policy - Configure Automatic Updates>Enabled>Select Item 2
Disable Including Drivers with Windows Updates using Group Policy
Turn off Device Driver Automatic Installation under Devices an Printers in Control Panel
Disable Windows Update Service under Services

Finally? There is the Hide or Show Windows Update Utility "wushowhide"

Can someone (Brink?) shed some light on which one(s) of these to use to best control the updating process to allow new feature and monthly update bugs to be worked out before allowing Windows to install?
Also helpful would be screen images of the changes to windows screens that these various options do.
Finally after implementing these or some combination of these, how does one obtain the updates when you finally want to install them?

Thank you very much.

:)

 

How do I stop Windows 10 popups?

Controlling Windows updates is somewhat difficult in Windows 10, but you can see the options here:

https://www.askvg.com/fixing-windows-10-automat...

If you have Windows 10 Pro version, Methods 4 and 5 are the best way to resolve this as Windows would always ask you to before downloading updates.

 

How do I set my laptop to only download updates when on a wifi connection?

Controlling Windows updates is somewhat difficult in Windows 10, but you can see the options here:

https://www.askvg.com/fixing-windows-10-automat...

If you have Windows 10 Pro version, Methods 4 and 5 are the best way to resolve this as Windows would always ask you to before downloading updates.

 

Hi,
Build 1709 is no prize
I welcome 1803 possibly released next month
But MS usually somehow finds a way to make prior builds look better than new ones
Easiest yes switch away from Targeted
365 yes again and 30 if you wish too pause would do the same thing.

 

ThrashZone thanks for the reply, but I was hoping for a much more robust discussion of how the Group settings duplicate or compliment the Main settings - which as far as I can tell do nothing to stop driver updates (unless they are considered the same as Windows updates - but then that is what I was hoping to hear about)

Also pls explain the other important aspects of what changes (if any) show on the (which) Windows screens, and how are the delay settings changed IF you decide to update before the delay periods end.

Can you or any other member be more specific on item by item and put the pieces together?

Thanks

 

Hi,
Driver updates come with other products setting if one has office installed
If one does have office drivers can not be denied through the update system
Enable or Disable Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

 

I still would like to see an indepth discussion on each and every item I show.
Are any redundant with any others?
How many of them need to be set?
Do they change the update screen(s) in any way? How?
If some combination is successful in stopping updates until wanted - how does one go about getting them?
What if you want some but not others?

So far people throw out these things with no explanation of why one over the other, or even if they know of or considered an alternative - we could use a detailed discussion on this very important topic.

Thanks

 

Hi, doubt you'll get a profound personalised write-up...

'Best' could well be what's best in a given working environment- different for different people.

Here's what I've done for a very long time- and I have posted this before.
My objective has been
a. No unexpected restarts
b. Control when updates are applied
c. Delay upgrades until a certain 3rd party program becomes compatible.

1. Set updates to Notify. That means you get an Action Centre notification, then can see what it is in Settings.
Easy way: Use Windows Update Minitool (free), option bottom left.
(Notify is mentioned in the tutorial on enabling and disabling Windows updates).
Why? Gives you control over when to apply Windows updates.



2. The easy one: set Active Hours in Settings - so you should not get a restart during a specified period (up to 18 hours).
And note:




3. As you mention, defer upgrades:




4. Delay applying updates (30-35 days)




I don't see any conflicts between them, except for overlap from one point of view between Notify and 30 day pause.

So there's a useful tool (Windows Update Minitool) which includes further options on scanning for, hiding, disabling, scheduled, and more options, and some of the features you may use.

That addresses 2 of your questions to some extent.

- in general, no.

- your choice.

- no longer a viable way to disable Windows updates. MS has made this harder. See:
Stop Windows 10 Updates Properly and Completely Solved - Windows 10 Forums

 

Dalchina, thanks for you reply and detail.

OK so for 3 weeks now I have had my Windows 10 Pro set for Notify in Group Policy, defer feature updates for 365 days, defer quality updates for 30 days, and Pause Updates to Off.

Almost daily I receive a notice to download and install a Defender definition update, which I do.

However surely there are the March quality updates waiting to come down. Do they not show up in the Settings Update Notify area until the 30 days are up? If so where are they waiting at?

I also use wushowhide.diagcab and there is nothing pending there either except the occasional Defender update.

What would happen if I removed the 30 day defer number? Would the March quality updates come down and notify me asking to be installed?

Thx

 

Yes, you will be notified of Defender updates. Someone posted a script to automatically download that, but I found it didn't always prevent the notification- not quick enough I guess.

Clearly if you delay updates, they will be delayed. So you could remove that.

You can cross-check for updates using Windows Update Minitool (free).