Windows 10: Disable Delivery Optimization via Group Policy or Registry Editor in Windows 10

Delivery Optimization is basically a client update service that uses both local and non-local […]

This article Disable Delivery Optimization via Group Policy or Registry Editor in Windows 10 first appeared on TheWindowsClub.com.

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Disable Windows Update Delivery Optimization through Group Policy or Registry

Couldn't find this consolidated information elsewhere so I wrote up this straight-forward tutorial to limit or disable Windows Update Delivery Optimization using Group Policy.

Preface:

Windows Update Delivery Optimization is a system introduced in Windows 10 that downloads Windows Updates in parts (or pieces) from multiple hosts that already have the updates Windows is seeking. The system is very similar to Peer-2-Peer file sharing
network systems. For more information on WUDO, see Windows Update Delivery Optimization and privacy.

Windows Update Delivery Optimization is enabled by default. This means it will seek update pieces from both LAN and WAN hosts. The problem is that this can cause massive traffic overhead—especially WAN traffic.

The good news is that you can limit WUDO to only seeking LAN hosts to obtain updates from, or disable it altogether, and the process is relatively simple.

Here’s how.

Process Overview:

1. Move Group Policy to Central Store (optional but recommended).

2. Obtain and install Windows 10 Group Policy Administrative Templates.

3. Configure Group Policy to limit or disable WUDO.

Steps:

1. Download the Windows 10 Group Policy Templates (ADMX) .MSI from here (choose version 1511).
Download Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 10 from Official Microsoft Download Center

2. Run the .MSI and install them into the default directory of C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Group Policy\Windows 10 Version 1511.

3. Copy the entire PolicyDefinitions folder within C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Group Policy\Windows 10 Version 1511 to any domain controller’s Sysvol\Policies folder. For example
L: \\DC1\SYSVOL\<domain_name>\Policies\. You should then have a folder called
L: \\DC1\SYSVOL\<domain_name>\Policies\PolicyDefinitions that contains all the Group Policy folders and
files.

4. Open Group Policy Management. Create a new policy for Windows Update Delivery. Edit the policy and drill down to Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Delivery Optimization.

5. Edit the Download Mode policy. Set the policy to Enabled, then set the Download mode to either LAN or None. This is your choice. LAN will force Windows to only update parts for downloads from other host on the LAN and not the WAN, and None will
completely disable WUDO altogether.

6. Link the Windows Update Delivery GPO to an OU containing the
computer objects you want to apply the policy to.

Process complete!

Summary and Tips:

We first downloaded the Windows 10 Group Policy Administrative Templates. The Windows 10 Administrative Templates also contain all the latest Windows Server policies as well—not just the policies for Windows 10.

We then copied the PolicyDefinitions folder to the domain’s (a domain controller’s) Sysvol\Policies folder. This essentially killed two birds with one stone by both configuring the Windows Server Central Store
and updating the Group Policy Administrative Templates to the latest version.

To confirm you are using the Central Store, when editing any Group Policy the Administrative Templates node will say “Administrative Templates: Policy definitions (ADMX files) retrieved from the central store.” If it doesn’t say that or you can’t
find the Delivery Optimization policies, something is wrong.
If something goes wrong with this process, you can simply delete the PolicyDefinitions folder in the Sysvol\Policies folder and the DC will once again start using its local Group Policy Administrative Templates it was using prior to moving to the Central Store.

Using the new Group Policies contained within the new Administrative Templates, we then created a new computer configuration to limit or disable WUDO. The policy was linked to an OU containing Windows 10 computers. If there are other non-Windows 10
computers also in the OU, that is okay, as the policy will only affect applicable (Windows 10) computers.

Optionally, you may want to configure multiple policies for Laptops and Desktop computers. For example, if a user works from home it might be okay to have WUDO enabled for them, however for in-office Desktops you might want it completely disabled.

If any further assistance is needed, feel free to contact me. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-lundy-ross-79240734

 

Disable Windows Update Delivery Optimization through Group Policy or Registry

Take a look here:

How to use Group Policy to configure Windows Update Delivery Optimization in Windows 10

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3088114

 

Disable Windows Update Delivery Optimization through Group Policy or Registry

You can find the group policy admx templates for all versions here:

Download Group Policy Settings Reference for Windows and Windows Server from Official Microsoft Download Center

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeliveryOptimization!DODownloadMode



Set this policy to configure the use of Windows Update Delivery Optimization in downloads of Windows Apps and Updates.

Available mode are:

0=disable

1=peers on same NAT only

2=Local Network / Private Peering (PCs in the same domain by default)

3= Internet Peering