Windows 10: Skip the Anniversary Update?

You've set Ethernet as metered, I presume? I use a (no registry hack needed) WiFi metered connection. I can confirm that Windows Update does indeed try (and fail) to download over a standard metered connection before offering the 'Download now' option. It's even recorded as a failed download in Update History.

 

that's for sure , sad enough.
the weirdest thing is that even they cannot create a backup of settings of their own products.
[Dreaming ON] imagine run a tool : all office settings being saved as a kind of .exe on OneDrive.
Install office, run the exe, settings are restored.
[Dreaming OFF]

they can't!

I have really no idea...

I just gave it a try again, twice in fact.
Just check for updates run the installer
the 2nd try is to run the "Reset_Reregister_Windows_Update_Components.bat" again.
didn't work

both cases end up with 'We couldn't finish installing update' (in the action centre)

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Well, I'm out of ideas. Perhaps a clean install is all that will work in your case.

 

My update history recorded 10 failed attempts to install the Anniversary Update. Maybe those were actually download failures, though. Other needed updates were showing up as available, and I wanted those, as they were security updates, but I couldn't get those without AU. So last night I set my internet connection to not metered and let it download overnight. By this morning the download was done and I cringed and then had it update and restart. And then I just walked away, coming in to the office from time to time to see if things were progressing. They were. In less than 2 hours, I had a log in screen (looks different, no more blue window). I logged in, and so far things seem OK. I noticed some apps are slow to start up, but once they do, they seem to be working fine.

I imagine all of you savvy folks know this already--Restore gets turned off and all the restore points are gone, so you'll need to re-enable that.

 

Well, they would be. You have just installed a new operating system called 1607. You previous restore points were for 1511. You wouldn't want keep the Windows 7 restore points after an upgrade to 10, would you? The same principle applies when you upgrade from 1511 to 1607.

For the next 10 days there's one very big 'restore point' (of sorts) - it's the ability to roll back to the previous version (including all its old restore points).

You are correct in saying it's worth checking System Protection is still turned on. Sometimes it does get turned off, though not for me, apparently.

 

System protection had been turned off, Bree. I recall that being the case when I upgraded from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 as well.

 

"They" say that one needs to keep the system updated, so as to avoid vulnerabilities. Then again I read that many folks are having difficulties to update their system and the many workarounds are failing.
Sadly Microsoft is failing to fulfill their obligation to keep their product as safe as possible.

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