Win10 Metered Connection changes

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So many of you have written to me about this, I figure it’s time to chime in on the changes in the “Metered connection” setting in the next version of
[See the full post at: Win10 Metered Connection changes]

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We don’t plan to send large updates over metered connections, but could use this for critical fixes if needed in the future.

Corporate speak translation:

“Users have found a way to block our glorious updates.  This cannot be allowed.  We must immediately disable this feature under the guise of “critical” updates, and then at some later time push a large cumulative update.  We can always claim this was done by “mistake” later.  Once the users have become accustomed to this behavior, all patches will be marked as “critical” going forward.”

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Karlston, fp, HiFlyer

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Woody:

This is the current status of my Update History in Settings (the status messages are in blue, not black, which is shown below).  The computer is an original Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga S1:

Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool for Windows 8, 8.1, 10 and Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2, 2016 x64 Edition – March 2017 (KB890830)

Successfully installed on 3/24/2017

Update for Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems (KB4013418)

Successfully installed on 3/24/2017

Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems (KB4013429)

Requires a restart to finish installing

Security Update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows 10 Version 1607 (for x64-based Systems) (KB4014329)

Requires a restart to finish installing

Security Update for Microsoft Silverlight (KB4013867)

Successfully installed 3/24/2017

Intel Corporation – Bluetooth – 1/9/2017 12:00:00 AM – 19.40.1702.1059

Successfully installed 3/4/2017

I remember that earlier this week, I went to a new location with its own WiFi and forgot to turn on the Metered Connection right away so I might have left it open 5-15 minutes.

I am hoping that == Update for Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems (KB4013418) — is a servicing stack update, or something similar, that went through.

I know that I have an Intel 7260 dual band wireless with Bluetooth module, so the device driver makes sense.

If I understand your message correctly, it seems to me that Microsoft has followed the quoted policy, in spite of my trying to keep all of my WiFi locations as Metered Connections and only failing to cut it off before it downloaded the Cumulative Update because I was slow establishing the Metered Connection at the new spot.

Also, I believe that Microsoft has started to send only “deltas” in its software updates.  This would help explain why the Cumulative Update was not more effectively blocked.

Hope this helps.

Jonathan

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I think yo’re right on all accounts.

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Even worse is the Windows Defender scareware version Microsoft ships with Windows 10 CU. Users who are not willing to subscribe to Microsoft’s SpyNet (a.k.a. cloud-based protection), get a permanent warning badge on Defender’s notify icon and a tooltip stating that the PC is potentionally unsecure. So, Microsoft claims that Defender is uselesss and Windows 10 not secure if not connected to SpyNet?

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I’m surprised they haven’t put an asterisk on everything in the OS and then in tiny print at the bottom, *subject to change.

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The most important thing to remember in all of this is that the Metered Connection Trick works best when combined with a preemptive strike with wushowhide. (There’s also a Group Policy setting or two to change.) As long as my connections remain metered and I run wushowhide before opening the Metered Connection, MS Updates does not download any hidden updates. Never had this fail yet, as long as I catch all the potential MS Updates (except maybe the ones I really want, like Flash Player) and make very sure I have them hidden before opening up the connection.

The only side effect has sometimes been that MS Updates gets confused if there is frequent hiding and unhiding of the same MS Updates. Then there may arise a situation where MS Updates needs to be reset, or at least the updates cache needs to be cleared and the logs reset.

I do not anticipate this combination becoming any less effective with the Creators Update. The words have changed, but the tune and the dance remain the same.

-- rc primak

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OK, my mother has W10 installed and luckily she’s on Wi-Fi dongle. I visit her from time to time, so I won’t be there when CU hits. And I am a bit worried to leave the updated entirely up to MS. But I will be there this weekend. If I set the connection to metered, am I safe that CU won’t be installed indefinitely (i.e. until my next visit that may be in few weeks)?

Fractal Design Pop Air * Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 750W * ASUS TUF GAMING B560M-PLUS * Intel Core i9-11900K * 4 x 8 GB G.Skill Aegis DDR4 3600 MHz CL16 * ASRock RX 6800 XT Phantom Gaming 16GB OC * XPG GAMMIX S70 BLADE 1TB * SanDisk Ultra 3D 1TB * Samsung EVO 840 250GB * DVD RW Lite-ON iHAS 124 * Windows 10 Pro 22H2 64-bit Insider * Windows 11 Pro Beta Insider

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The metered connection should hold it off. If you are really worried, you might disable WU Service temporarily (ahem….not recommended, of course)

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radosuaf

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I like the automatic update options that Win 10 Pro has in the Group Policy Editor.

For example: Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > “Configure Automatic Updates”

“If the status for this policy is set to Disabled, any updates that are available on Windows Update must be downloaded and installed manually. To do this, search for Windows Update using Start.”

This works nicely hand in hand with “wushowhide”.

Each month, when the MS-DEFCON “all clear” is given (and a fresh image is taken):

1.  I run “wushowhide” to see what updates are available to me, and hide any drivers or anything else that I don’t want.

2.  Then I check for updates at Start > Settings > Update & Security > Check for Updates.

I only get the updates that are not hidden this way.  🙂

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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rc primak

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For those of you using Windows 10 v1703, what have your experiences been with using a metered connection to control Windows 10 updates?

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I found these posts at another site about alleged problems using a metered connection in v1703:

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/90827-cumulative-update-kb4034674-windows-10-v1703-build-15063-540-a-5.html#post1106331

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/90827-cumulative-update-kb4034674-windows-10-v1703-build-15063-540-a-5.html#post1106347

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/90827-cumulative-update-kb4034674-windows-10-v1703-build-15063-540-a-5.html#post1106349

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/90827-cumulative-update-kb4034674-windows-10-v1703-build-15063-540-a-6.html#post1106458

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/90335-cumulative-update-kb4032188-windows-10-v1703-build-15063-502-a-8.html#post1101331

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/86920-windows-update-stuck-downloading-updates-1-a-4.html#post1055605

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/86875-windows-10-1703-updating-over-metered-connection.html

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woody

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I logged into Update Status today and saw the following message:

“We couldn’t find a good time to install updates outside of your active hours and need you to restart your device to finish up.”

I am very happy to see this message because it means that right now I should have control of when the next update hits my Windows 10 Pro v1607 Build 14393.1480 system.  I have set Windows 10 Pro to “Defer Feature Updates” (to hold off v1703) and this option was a big part of the reason that I had upgraded from Windows 10 Build 14393.1480 to Windows 10 Pro Build 14393.1480 at the end of July.

The next updates are:

2017-08 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems (KB4034658)

and

2017-08 Security Update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems (KB4034662)

Both of these updates were downloaded earlier this month when I was in a wifi location that I had previously forgotten to set to Metered Connection.  When I saw that they were downloaded (which I had not wanted), I checked the network settings for that wifi network and immediately changed it to Metered Connection.

I should also add that when I upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 10 Pro, I already had used WUSHOWHIDE to hide Windows 10 version 1703 on this system.

I am hoping that Microsoft will now quickly fix 2017-08 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems (KB4034658) so that I can manually install it and the Adobe Flash update.

Once this is done, I will be looking to Woody for the timing to upgrade to Windows 10 Version 1703.  I should be able to wait because of my investment in the Windows 10 Pro upgrade.

I hope that this message is not confusing to anyone.  Metered Connections are generally working for me.  I do not like to be limited to 12 working hours per day but I am putting up with it right now.

Hope this helps some people.

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MrBrian

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