Update to AKB2000016 Guide for Windows Update Settings for Windows 10

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For those of you that have upgraded to (or been pushed into without forewarning or your permission) Win10 v2004, there will not be much difference dea
[See the full post at: Update to AKB2000016 Guide for Windows Update Settings for Windows 10]

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jburk07, woody, GreatAndPowerfulTech, Steve S., abbodi86, geekdom, Cybertooth, Elly, Alex5723

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My gpedit settings remain unchanged (option 2) after updating to 2004. It still asks me before downloading anything.

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rontpxz81

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Group Policy settings were not changed. It was the deferral settings in the GUI  under Windows Update\Advanced options that were removed. They were not related to Group Policy.

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woody, Elly

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Didn’t this happen in a previous feature update and a couple months later it was “fixed”?

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It happened in v1809, but was later “fixed” by MS for 1809, 1903 and v1909.
I suspect it is gone for good this time.

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Why do say it’s gone for good?

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See the MS quote at the top of @AlexEiffel ‘s post #2275307.

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Thanks – but they admitted one can do the same thing via group policy.

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It doesn’t make sense to remove the GUI pulldowns if you can do the same thing in Group Policy.
I think that’s the very point @AlexEiffel is making.

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cyberSAR

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Extra clicks and aggravation if I want to jump in and do an update sooner than the delay.

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Does anyone understands this ?

“Update less: Last year, we changed update installation policies for Windows 10 to only target devices running a feature update version that is nearing end of service. As a result, many devices are only updating once a year. To enable all devices to make the most of this policy change, and to prevent confusion, we have removed deferrals from the Windows Update settings Advanced Options page starting on Windows 10, version 2004. If you wish to continue leveraging deferrals, you can use local Group Policy (Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business > Select when Preview builds and Feature Updates are received or Select when Quality Updates are received).”

My English is not so great, but if i try to make sense of it:

-Last year, we changed a windows update policy to only target devices running a feature update version nearing its end of service. So what, does it mean that you would only install feature updates on versions nearing end of service? Certainly not.

-This change had the effect that devices would only update once a year. What? This is bad? Maybe because that is what people wanted?

-We removed the ability to defer updates to “make the most of this policy change and to prevent confusion”. So in order to only update devices running a feature update version nearing its end of service, we removed the ability for casual users to defer updates???

-If you wish to continue using deferrals and not be updated only when your device is nearing its end of life, if we follow that weird logic that doesn’t make any sense, use group policy (so you can actually defer and reach that end of life milestone???).

Or, maybe they meant : well we realized that people are using this switch too much and don’t update often enough to have enough beta testers, so we will remove the feature and if you are feeling strongly enough about this and you are technically inclined enough, you know where to get what you want.

But as to lifting confusion, I am not sure those casual users who finally thought they could defer Windows feature updates for a long time will be less confused after they get updated even if they added a delay a few months ago, and then won’t be able to find that setting they know was there because their setting disappeared and they were not told about it (don’t tell me that posting about it on the web is a fair warning to those users).

But whatever you make out of this “explanation”, something remains: why remove a simple deferral setting that many people clearly asked for? What possible problem this would have caused at a user level (not at Microsoft’s level where they might have questionable motives)? I really don’t see any reason to do things this way even if I try to be charitable. Updating only once a year while that is not what you wanted? Wouldn’t that be fixable without removing the ability to defer feature updates? I am confused and happy I always used group policy to control updates.

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jburk07, woody, PKCano, rontpxz81, Elly

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@PKCano  Thanks for the testing you’ve done and the update to AKB2000016 – though I was a little confused at first until I realized the first screenshot in post #2275043 should be the same as the first screenshot in post #217750 , yes? Anyway, thanks for all you do!

Win10 Pro x64 22H2, Win10 Home 22H2, Linux Mint + a cat with 'tortitude'.

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jburk07

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Yes, both should be the same. The setting in Group Policy in Windows Update for “2” (notify download/install) is the same for all versions of Win10 through v2004. That keeps the updates from downloading automatically until you choose by clicking on the “Download” button.

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jburk07

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It seems that Wu10Man [aka “Declutter”] lets you pause feature and “quality” updates separately.

https://github.com/WereDev/Wu10Man/releases/tag/v4.0.0

Or does this pgm rely on functionality that was completely removed in 2004?  .  I don’t know if it works on home.

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The pulldown switches in the GUI to defer Quality and Feature updates (both of them), that were in the “Advanced options” section of Windows Update in Win10 Pro through v1909, have been removed from the GUI in v2004.

The controls referred to in AKB2000016 are all resident in Win10. It does not take into consideration the multitude of third-party software used to block/control Windows Update. So far, I have found the functions provided by the OS sufficient, and have not found the necessity to use third-party software (with the exception of MS’s own wushowhide.diagcab).

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georgea

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I guess I misinterpreted then

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PK I have my settings as you recommend for win 10 pro. Deferral 365 days for feature update and I’ve set quality to 30 days. Also have gpedit setting 2 – Notify for download and auto install.   This has been working fine for me.

I had seen an askwoody  post stating some were being forced without their consent to update.  My windows update says ‘ The windows 10 May 2020 update is on the way once it’s ready for your device you’ll see the update available on this page.’  Which makes me think MS  is going to send the update to my machine regardless of my settings.  Or should I not expect to see it until the expiration of the deferral days (365)?

I want to wait until everyone here says it is safe to install Win 2004. I have seen the post about how to keep updates from automatically downloading once I’m on the new version of windows.

I am hoping that Microsoft will listen to its users and add back the option to defer updates, as we have today. I remember a time when all of the updates would appear in the list and you could just check a box to hide the updates you didn’t want. They also provided a running list of all the updates that were hidden.

I’ve thought maybe I’ll just switch to a Mac,  but Apple comes with its own set of issues. Just so annoying, I think I’m finally up to date and informed on what I need to do and then, MS changes it again – to the detriment of its users.  I agree that it is extremely annoying and irritating how Microsoft keeps moving the goalposts on its users.  : (

thanks for your help

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I am not Microsoft, so what I say here is just my opinion.
The Feature Deferral = 365 days should hold off v2004, and the GP “2” should hang it up in the Update queue until you click on “Download” or hide it.

When I upgraded one of my v1909 to v2004 a bit over a month ago, I lowered the Feature Deferral days and that is what happened. I appeared in the queue and did not download until I said so.

I have updated AKB2000016 for v2004. The part about the Registry in Section 5 is speculative. It has worked through one monthly update (June’s). There’s no guarantee MS will leave it alone. I will post after July Patch Tues. The Group Policy settings should be good, though (as long as MS leaves them alone).

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Elly

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