Have an idea, not sure if anyone’s already tried this.
Most of the ‘control’ ideas around Win10 updates relates to either outright disabling the WU service, or changing the WU setting (via GP or registry) to Notify for Updates (instead of leaving it on the default which installs automatically). The ‘Notification’ aspect at least prompts you when it finds updates, and then you have to click to download them which gives you some leeway.
Disabling the service itself works, but I believe doing so renders Windows Update completely unusable and for most, I think that removes it from contention as a solution.
(Obviously there are also the methods that delay the updates for x period of time, and the ones that change your connection to ‘Metered’, but as we’re seeing with the verbiage changes coming with the Creator’s Update, that may no longer work going forward.)
My new idea, after digging around further for registry/GP related stuff, is to instead, disable Automatic Updates, and then use wushowhide to find updates, and – truthfully – you can stop there, or, you can hide the ones you don’t want and run Windows Update which will of course automatically grab and install any that aren’t hidden by wushowhide.
The process of this is simple, and should affect any version (since you can do it by GP or registry). https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/328010/how-to-configure-automatic-updates-by-using-group-policy-or-registry-settings
(Link does not mention any compatibility with 10, but so far, VM testing has shown me that it does indeed also work in 10.)
Via GP (ie Pro SKU):
Computer Configuation > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Configure Automatic Updates, set this policy to Disabled. (which means you are disabling Automatic Updates)
Via Registry (ie Home SKU):
From Command Prompt (as Administrator), or PowerShell (as Administrator) –
REG ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU /v NoAutoUpdate /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU /v AUOptions /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
(“NoAutoUpdate”, value of 1 = disabled; “AUOptions”, value of 1 = “I’ve disabled Automatic Updates”)
Obviously at this point, you will have to use Windows Update from the Settings menu to grab updates because Win10 will not do this in the background for you automatically.
If you want to pick and choose your updates, you need to use wushowhide to hide the ones you don’t want – which is basically your only option for flat out refusing a particular update.
Ideally, at this point, your system won’t auto-update, and you can follow Woody’s advice and the DEFCON rating on when to update your machine. I’d say the ‘smart’ idea would be to use wushowhide to find out what updates your machine WANTS to grab, and then you decide if you want to let it grab them. (Because once you fire off Windows Update, you have no control, short of unplugging your ethernet cable.)
I’m just curious if anyone’s tried the above, and what your findings were (and if it’s indeed a legitimate method of control). Again, from a quick VM test, it appears that it is indeed a way to control 10’s updating.
