Windows 10: I really need to literally stop automatic windows updates.

It's eating my internet quota. Let me update this damn Windows when I'm at work (unmetered connection). Any idea how before I throw in the towel and send hate letter to Microsoft?

My situation:
This is Windows 10 SL upgraded from Windows 8.1.
At home I'm using 3G modem attached to wireless. This IS metered connection - notice the 3G part.
At work I'm using dedicated connection from ISP so no need to worry.

:)

 

Need Help to Stop Automatic Windows Updates

In general , you may turn off the Windows Update Service (because there is no turn off option in Windows 10) but I am
NOT recommending this method.

Update only will install once a month and it is very weird that you are receiving this everyday and it should only appear during shutdown and restart and not after sleep.

So I recommend you run Windows Update and install all updates and restart your PC and check for update again until all updates installed and then see whether problem persist.

You may also schedule the restart so it only restart during the time you are not using your PC.

 

Need Help to Stop Automatic Windows Updates

Hello again!

I've come across
"Active Hours" feature that probably can help you.

The Anniversary Update comes with the new feature, using it, you can instruct the operating system when not to restart your computer.

To set the hours, go to Start Menu=> Choose Settings => Update and Security=> Windows Update category=> Change active hours. That's it.

Hope this helps,

Marco

 

By default, wehn you use mobile Internet over the router, your PC connecting to a router which has the mobile modem connected to it, Windows sees that as non-metered connection. Connecting the mobile modem directly to PC is seen as metered connection.

To manually change your home network to metered give this command in an elevated command prompt:
Code: netsh wlan set profileparameter name="NetworkName" cost=Fixed[/quote] The parameter NetworkName is the name of your network. Notice that it is case sensitive; if your network is called MyHomeNet, giving the parameter as myhomenet won't work.

You can toggle the connection type with above command:

• Metered connection: cost=Fixed
• Non-metered connection: cost=Unrestricted

See the tutorial: Wireless Network Metered Connection - Set in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

 

Go into Services and find the Windows Update service and set it to manual so it won't start. When you want updates, go into Services and Start the service Manually.

 

A working solution but it would need to be done every time OP takes the laptop to work to get updates, then again when home to stop them. A single command to switch the home network to metered is much more practical.

 

I think it's a matter of preference. Setting the update service to manual would simply make it so it only gets started when you manually start it, the default will be for it to be off. When the OP is at work AND wants to get updates, he can start the service and get the updates, then when the system is rebooted the service will not restart.

 

Not wanting to start an argument but you are missing my point: setting the home network to metered needs to be done once. No need to start the service manually each time when OP wants to check for updates, Windows makes the switch between the metered home network and unrestricted work network automatically.

My previous post was not meant to say your approach is wrong. It's not. I just cannot understand why any user should need to manually do something every time a certain thing like the service here is needed, when the alternative is to do it once and forget.

 

Not arguing either as I got your point but think it is less flexible. What if the OP is at work but DOESN'T want updates or it at home and DOES want them?

Neither way is wrong, one method is automatic while the other offers more control.

MS decided to make updates automatic and look at the uproar that has created!

 

It might be that we read OP's needs differently:

For me that looks quite clear: OP don't ever want to get updates when home, but updates are welcome and OK always when at work. Two networks, OP wants both work differently, getting updates when at work, never getting updates when at home.

I give up now. The OP has been offered a completely automated "do it once and forget" solution to do exactly what he / she wants to and was asking, or a more complex manual solution to do the switch manually every time the network has been changed from home to work or work to home.

 

Thanks Kari. I'll do it shortly - I'll get back to you to report. Gonna go to office right now.

Edit: screw it, I'm doing it now.

Please see: Screenshot and tell me if I did anything wrong. AC30_zeroxxx is indeed my network at home name.

 

Command syntax is correct and Windows tells the network profile is updated successfully. Should be OK.

You can check it with command netsh wlan show profile name="AC30_zeroxxx" on an elevated command prompt. In my case the Cost setting is showing Unrestricted for my home network, in your case it should now show Fixed:

 

Yes it says 'FIXED'. Thank you, much appreciated Kari!

 

And I applied the same settings (changed the network name) to my several other personal (metered) wifi. I'm happy now. ^^

 

Good to know you got it. When you have set a network to be metered, you can always easily change it from the Settings app.

In Settings > Network & Internet > Wifi, select your network and connect to it. Now select Advanced options:




You can now toggle metered connection ON or OFF as you wish: