…Look for “Select the target Feature Update Version.” Click to enable it and enter Windows 10 in the box, “Which Windows product would you like to receive feature updates for? E.g. Windows 10.”…

Just for added clarity, once you find that exact policy, you will probably need to double click the name of the policy in order to bring up the options and settings shown in the screenshot. Once that is open, then you can click on the circle labeled “Enabled” and proceed with the remaining instructions.

For me, with Windows 7 Pro and Windows 10 Pro, I’ve always had to double click on the name of the policy to bring up the box/es with the settings options.

…You can then leave the feature release version blank.

Did you mean to say the “Target Version for Feature Updates” box??  😉

Seriously, must’ve been a long night, especially for those caught up in the Exchange server debacle created by an update from MS as detailed by the post on the main blog page here (“Okay Microsoft this is not how to start off 2022”).

Susan:

Thanks for the key. Stay safe.

BluezMan

Clicking the link merely downloads a .reg file.   According to this article from How-To Geek, it’s necessary to double-click the file to modify the Registry:

https://www.howtogeek.com/382727/what-is-a-reg-file-and-how-do-i-open-one/

To allow Windows 11 to install, presumably the Registry must be edited to delete the Key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate]
“TargetReleaseVersion”=dword:00000001
“ProductVersion”=”Windows 10”

Ed

I understand Ed’s post about installing the Registry Key – < Windows stay on 10.reg >.

Later, however, when you might want W11, then what do you do?

Myron

I still don’t see my post, but I did look further and found this webpage from ASKWOODY and Susan B:

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/6000005-registry-keys-and-group-policy-info-to-keep-windows-10-from-going-to-11/?mc_cid=8d4291179c&mc_eid=5583484da6

It tells you what to do, but that means you have to open the Registry yourself.

Susan said on that page:  ”

Hi Susan
I am looking for a confirmation on this topic. Your initial text January 2 at 1:22am last paragraph after entering Windows 10 in the box, you state “you can then leave the feature release version blank. This implies it is optional.
You earlier issued an Ask Woody Plus Alert Issue 18.37.1 2021-09-28 and under Consumer and home users, 2nd para, Last sentence, Click on Enabled, fill in the product version in the first box (“Windows 10”) and then the feature release version you want to keep.
I have no interest in Windows 11 at this stage and will probably stay with Win 10 until 2025. I have recently used entering the Target Version for Feature Updates and letting Microsoft tell me when ready for download.
I am ready to go for 21H2 now. So I enter Windows 10 and then 21H2 and wait?. I am not the impatient type when It comes to Microsoft/Windows.
Thanks in advance for any guidance.
Bryan Booth(bsqrd)
Dell Inspiron 15-3567 laptop 8GB memory, 1TB HDD Win10 Pro, Version 21H1 Build 19043-1415

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate]
My registry does not have the “WindowsUpdate” option.
What am I missing?
Thanks
Marnolla

WindowsUpdate DOES NOT exist in this Registry string (Win10 Home 21H2) on my machine — [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate]

when i execute Windows stay on 10.reg i get the error Cannot import C:\users\downloads\Windows stay on 10.reg” Error accessing the registry.

any suggestions.

Thanks Susan

Toda Raba is Many Thanks in Hebrew, so toda raba for Windows stay on 10(1).reg
laksi, ISRAEL

regarding Steve Gibson’s InControl app, he has posted updated versions around mid-February 2022. download & run the newest version of InControl from his web site.

Version History of InControl listed here:
https://www.grc.com/incontrol/details.htm

Hi, I have:

Edition: Windows 10 Home
Version: 20H2
Installed: 08/18/2020
OS build 19042.1348
Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3920.0

When I check on the ‘Updates’ to my system, it says it’s up to date.

Do / should I update to Version 21H2?  If so, HOW?
I'm pretty good with computers, but this has me baffled.
Do I also need to iinstall this regedit?  It says that I 
can't upgrade to windows 11 anyway.
TIA,

I am a Windows Desktop technician with corporate experience for about 35’ish years). I have some personally experience running Windows Servers at home (Windows NT/2000/2021R2 and 2016). I only ever had my own “home” domain for about 2 years on Widows 2012R2 – it was just to learn and over kill for a home network server so I got rid of it after about two years.

I find the best combo to ensure no non-controlled updates occur is GPO for targeted version and Windows Update Blocker for prevention of Microsoft’s aggressive update pushes to avoid “accidental updates installed by Microsoft even when you have precautions in place to stop this from happening” that Microsoft will deny they ever did.

In earlier versions of Windows 10, when I had windows updates waiting to install for a day or so but never installed them, eventually I would wake up one morning and everything would work perfectly except I could not run an *.exe file — I would click start menu and it all looked like it was working, but I click to open an app (any non windows app that is) and the mouse would go busy like it as opening something but nothing would ever open. SO, I would restart (thereby installing the waiting updates) and after the updating everything worked as per usual once more.

I questioned this behaviour on an MS forum and was always told it was me or my mistake or something like that but always I was told, “Microsoft does not force reboots for installs and certainly wouldn’t cripple running apps for an update reboot”. However, it happened twice to me, so I invested in Macrium Reflect, a backup software (I take 4 backups per day each to a separate drive on my storage / media server) and I use Windows Update Blocker to just turn of windows update until I am ready to do it. It sets permissions on the Windows update registry keys that basically remove system and user permissions to them so they can’t be turned on by the system or a user “accidentally” AND oddly enough with those two combinations set, Windows 10 has been a pure pleasure to use.

With the above settings I can completely control Windows Updates at no financial cost.

My updates are always set to to download but let me chose when to install them, so when I decide it is time to do an update I re-enable windows updates and do them.

Any security update that feels like it applies to me gets installed, other than that I couldn’t care a less about new features (most of the time) as my PC is generally used for play not work – although the PC was used for a combination of work / play for the first 3 years of it’s like with me for the past 3 years it has been 99% play only, my employer pays all of my work PC needs now 🙂

Susan Bradley wrote:

I never recommend keeping a machine unrebooted.  Once it installs the update, reboot soon.

How can one update without rebooting afterwards ?
The process of downloading and installing isn’t complete without reboots.
My PC reboots twice. After first reboot the update process goes to 30% then it auto reboots and continues from 30% to 100% and boots into Windows (I have no password or pin).

Susan,

Do I need to be concerned with this process if Microsoft has informed me that 2 of my Windows 10 machines do NOT qualify for upgrade to Windows 11?

Thanks for the always great articles.

Bookman wrote:

2 of my Windows 10 machines do NOT qualify for upgrade to Windows 11?

You don’t need to worry.

I have set the Windows 10 registry keys/values as described here, but when I go to Settings -> Windows Update, I still see a message telling me that my PC is able to run Windows 11.  Is there a way to stop Windows Update from even detecting eligibility and “offering” Windows 11?  I’ve had some weird experiences with Windows Update not honoring the settings I give it; so far, nothing egregiously bad has occurred, but I don’t trust Windows to respect those settings either, even if they are in the registry.  Is there a way for a Windows Home user to not have Windows Update remind them about Windows 11 every time they need to check for and install current Windows 10 patches?

Thank you, and good to “see” you again, Susan (CQ here)!  Mid-June 2022 suggests the game is escalating as Microsoft sees Win11 as ready for general roll-out.  My main objection is forced online sign-in, which binds the user to a unique ID as coughed up via TPM.  The inferior Start Menu (plus inability of adding Toolbar to point to to the legacy Start Menu subtrees via NTFS links) is a functional regression, but at least without exploitable overtones.

I expected a bun-fight from China and Russia, as those markets forbid TPM in favor of their own solutions, with everyone assuming everyone else will enjoy back-door access to their own <shrug>.  However, it looks like “qualifying” Intel and AMD (ARM?) processors have built-in TPM 2.0, reducing CMOS Settings etc. potentially little more than “security theater”.

On disabling TPM; all depends on whether this also disables TPM within “approved for Win11” CPUs, and whether Windows can reach into UEFI and turn it on again.  May only serve to select between motherboard TPM (as a discrete device) vs. CPU TPM support, and such changes may invalidate anything already relying on TPM.

A client with a new laptop complained he couldn’t save to external storage (USB hard drive and flash drives). Turns out his Windows Home edition had automatically encrypted the laptop’s internal storage following OOBE, with the key held in his online Microsoft Account (yes, he fell for Cortana’s “a little WiFi here, a little sign-in here” vendor UI pressure). That meant he can only save to similarly-encrypted storage, with everything thus dangling on validity of TPM, etc.

It was up to us to figure that he was encrypted (he didn’t know) and that we could get his key from is online account (which he didn’t intend to have). Certainly forces vendor dependency, and 100% trust in the vendor’s services, etc.  Nasty++, IMO