How to stop Windows Update completely?

Bluecube · 4 Mar 2019 at 19:38

I run several Windows 10 VMs that are used solely for to run single piece of old yet absolutely vital software. Updating Windows completely breaks the software so obviously I don't want this to happen. Yet despite being completely isolated from the internet, every single one of the VMs insists of trying to update, producing massive warnings that it's doing so. The update fails of course as there's no net access.

The question is, how do I stop this constant update attempt? Somehow Windows Update Assistant is persistently installed despite being equally persistently removed. Where the hell it's hiding I don't know... I've tried stopping the Windows Update service to no effect. Help!

jpaul · 4 Mar 2019 at 20:13

there are several current posts already answering this

Dirk · 6 Mar 2019 at 07:56

There's a new one not mentioned here before. See Option 1, here:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials...e-automatic-updates-windows-10-a.html#option1

Deleted member 77746 · 6 Mar 2019 at 09:29

There seems to be more and more people disabling windows updates on 10. That's not a good sign for Microsoft.

Bluecube · 6 Mar 2019 at 09:57

Dirk said:
There's a new one not mentioned here before. See Option 1, here:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials...e-automatic-updates-windows-10-a.html#option1

Thanks. I found a script on MajorGeeks which will hopefully sort the problem out.

MrBell - for the record, it's only these particular VMs that I need to disable updates. I have another Windows machine in the house which I let update as and when required as I like to live dangerously

Also for the record, I loathe Windows and think MS have to seriously revamp the way they roll out updates especially. For a multi billion dollar company, it's shockingly amateurish.

andy_mk3 · 6 Mar 2019 at 10:01

Windows 10 LTSB might be beneficial for your use case. Theres no major feature updates, and I believe it's just monthly security patches although I could be wrong there.

Deleted member 77746 · 6 Mar 2019 at 10:06

andy_mk3 said:
Windows 10 LTSB might be beneficial for your use case. Theres no major feature updates, and I believe it's just monthly security patches although I could be wrong there.

LTSB is a licensing option for Windows 10 Enterprise and is available only for customers with a Volume License agreement. Each LTSB release receives standard monthly security and reliability updates for an extended 10-year support period. No new features are added over its servicing lifetime.

footman · 6 Mar 2019 at 22:10

It's the driver updates that caused my problems ,since I've stopped those but still allowed security and other updates my system is stable.

Rroff · 6 Mar 2019 at 22:25

Bluecube said:
I loathe Windows and think MS have to seriously revamp the way they roll out updates especially. For a multi billion dollar company, it's shockingly amateurish.

Wish more people would voice this hah. (I don't actually loathe Windows personally but I find Windows 10 very amateurish in too many areas and shockingly short sighted in implementation in others).

Like you there are systems where I'm not so bothered about automatic updates, not ideal as I prefer to be control but can live with it, but other use cases where it interferes with my usage to an unacceptable level and unfortunately it isn't just a case of just using another OS.

craigyhay · 7 Mar 2019 at 09:13

you could stop windows update with something like simplewall with blocking everything as the default and then whitelisting/allowing apps that need web access