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Yes I do … every month.  But first you have to make sure MS doesn’t push all the updates out to you automatically without your consent.

The only time I unblock and re-enable these services and programs is when Woody sets the MS-DEFCON level to 4 or higher. And I keep them enabled just long enough to run wushowhide and install whatever updates I decide I want or need.

In version 1903 (either Home or Pro), using an administrator account, click Start > Settings > Update & Security. At the top, click the Pause updates for 7 days button. That button changes so it says Pause updates for seven more days. Click it two more times, for a total of 21 paused days. That defers all updates on your machines until 21 days after you click the button. You can’t extend the deferral any longer unless you install all the outstanding cumulative updates to that point. Historically, 21 days has sufficed to avoid the worst problems.

That’s the problem I have with 1903.  You’re forced into guessing in advance just how long you’re going to need to pause those updates.  And, if you happen to guess wrong — and you find that you needed a longer pause — well, too bad for you.  Once that countdown clock expires, MS forces you into installing all the outstanding updates whether or not you want them, and whether or not they may be known to cause problems.

Even though 1903 is a small step in the right direction for returning some small measure of control to the user, it’s just not enough.  I also don’t trust MS to continue respecting the Metered Connection trick for avoiding updates.  My solution is to disable all the tasks and services involved in the automatic updating process.  That includes stopping and disabling all the following services and/or scheduled tasks on my 1903 systems:

• Windows Update service (wuauserv)
• Update Orchestrator service (UsoSvc)
• Windows Update Medic Service (WaaSMedicSvc)
• All tasks in the Windows\UpdateOrchestrator folder
• All tasks in the Windows\WindowsUpdate folder
• All tasks in the Windows\WaaSMedic folder
• All tasks in the Windows\InstallService folder

For added safety, I also created and enabled outbound Firewall Rules that block the following services and programs:

• Windows Update service
• Windows Update Medic Service
• Update Orchestrator Service
• WaaSMedicAgent.exe program
• SIHClient.exe program

By stopping, disabling and/or blocking the above items I feel like I’ve been finally able to get back control over the updating process on my Win 10 systems.  I started using this method back with version 1709, and it worked to keep 1803 at bay until I (not MS) decided I was ready to upgrade.  And I used the same method to stay on 1803 until once again I decided to upgrade to 1903.

The only time I unblock and re-enable these services and programs is when Woody sets the MS-DEFCON level to 4 or higher.  And I keep them enabled just long enough to run wushowhide and install whatever updates I decide I want or need.  Once I get the updates installed, I disable and re-block those services and programs until the following month, when I re-evaluate whether or not to allow the next set of updates onto my systems.

Yes, it’s a little extra work to have to re-enable and un-block these components whenever I want to install the latest updates. But it’s worth it (to me) to take back control of the Windows 10 updating process — and to not be at the mercy of a 21-day countdown clock.

PK,

Is this advice here still valid for Win 10?  I’m asking because the link that you provided for downloading wushowhide doesn’t go to that utility anymore.  The link goes to an MS page for their “Windows Update Troubleshooter” — which doesn’t appear to function the same as  wushowhide.

Is wushowhide still supported on Win 10?  If so, where would someone go to download a current copy of it?

KB4522741 (2019-10 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8) isn’t listed anywhere in the Master Patch List; and there’s almost no mention of the update here in the Lounge.  Does anyone know if that update is covered by the current DEFCON 4 status?  Is it considered safe to install for Win 10 Home 1903?

I have a Win 10 Home system that I just updated from 1803 to 1903.  No problems noted — at least so far (after a few hours).  I followed that update by running wushowhide; and among the updates listed as available today is KB4522741 (2019-10 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8).

I’m choosing to hide that update for now; since Susan makes no mention of such an update in her Master Patch List.  But I’m wondering why this particular October update is missing from the MPL.  Does anyone know why KB4522741 was omitted?  Is it safe to install or not?

@Pointedly: Having a dark mode “available” is perfectly fine.  I’m all in favor of more options and choices.  I think where Susan has a problem — and where I have a problem also — is where apps and websites start making dark mode the default or (worse yet) the only choice.

In your case it’s apparently light-colored backgrounds that trigger your migraine headaches.  Well in my case, it’s the bright white fonts on a dark background that trigger my sparkly ocular migraines.  As much as you might like dark mode because of migraines, I dislike dark mode for exactly the same reason.

To all those developers out there: Go ahead and provide a dark mode option for users.  But just stop trying to force everyone into accepting dark mode as the new normal.

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rc primak, Carolunits, dononline, Charlie, Wheel_D, ve2mrx, abbodi86, doriel, Mele20, WildBill

Woody, in light of this sudden unexpected (and unexplained by MS) development, shouldn’t the DEFCON level be bumped back to 1 or 2?

Microfix, I just saw this also when I did a Check for Updates on a Win 8.1 system a few minutes ago.  Woody, I think you really need to update the DEFCON level back to 1 or 2 until we know what’s going on here.  I’m not about to install KB4524156.

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jburk07, Marty, Microfix

… like finishing the transition away from Control Panel.

Personally, I’d prefer to see MS abandon that “transition”.  Control Panel had all the system settings together in one single window (at least when viewed by icons, not categories).  A single click took you to whatever setting you wanted to view or change.   With their Win 10 move to “Settings” instead, MS forces users to mouse around from one window to another just to locate the setting that’s needed (assuming that they haven’t removed it altogether).  Control Panel was much more intuitive and straightforward.

But of course, for MS to justify their “Windows as a Service” concept they feel the need to keep screwing with the GUI, regardless of whether or not it makes any sense, or helps make life easier (or harder) for the user.  Maybe if they left the GUI alone and focused more on the underlying nut and bolts of the OS they’d end up with a more stable and secure product — one that didn’t need dozens of updates each and every month.

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geekdom

[Tom-R]

Joe, thanks for the link; but that Ghacks article is kind of old — from 2015.  It even includes a link to a follow-up article from 2018: Microsoft broke ‘disable web search’ in Windows 10 version 1803

So those articles aren’t much help with my issue in version 1903.  On the other hand, there was a suggestion towards the end of that first article about how to “Disable Web Search using the Firewall“.  The programs and rule names have changed somewhat over the past 4 years; but it gave me an idea to just block outbound connections for both Cortana and Edge in the firewall — neither of which I use or want on this system.  By doing that I’m effectively crippling Web Search on this system.  So now if I type in something like “gpedit” even though I still see a section titled “Web Results”, there’s nothing showing up — no previews or anything.  Yet I still get results from my local system.  So that sort of accomplishes what I need. 

I guess I can consider this kind of an inelegant brute force workaround of the issue.  But I really would prefer some way of simply disabling the Start Menu Web Search without having to entirely block Cortana and Edge completely like this.

If you have any other suggestions how to do that let me know.

• This reply was modified 4 years ago by Tom-R.
• This reply was modified 4 years ago by Tom-R.

It’s OS Build 18362.329, Home Edition 1903.

[Tom-R]

Have you re-logged or re-booted after the changes ?

Yes to both.   Logged out and back in.   And re-booted.   Once I make the registry changes to both values being zero I stop getting any search results.

Try GPEdit.

I don’t think GPEdit will help here.   This is a Win 10 Home system; not Pro.  I’m thinking that any changes I make in GPEdit won’t be recognized or honored in Home edition.

• This reply was modified 4 years ago by Tom-R.

If you stop by the concession stand and buy something, be prepared to plunk down another $12 to $15 or more.

And that’s why when the wife and I have a movie night, we always have dinner out somewhere nice before the movie.   Sure, a restaurant meal costs more than the $15 (or more likely $20 or more) that you’d spend at the concession stand.  But at least that way we’re getting a good quality meal that’s sure to be way healthier than the overpriced junk food at the theater.  (Apologies for the rant.)

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Charlie

A question for anyone out there who might know about this.  I just added a brand new system this week to my collection that came preloaded with Win 10 Home version 1903.  If I decide to pause updates on this system for the maximum of 35 days (to Oct. 14th), does that force me to wait until Oct. 14th before I can download and install any updates?  What if I change my mind and decide that I want to get updates say on Sep. 30th?  How would I go about doing that after I’ve paused the updates until Oct. 14th?

Also, another question about 1903.  In the scenario above where I want to un-pause updates on Sep. 30th, does that mean I would get all the updates available on that date — including not just the Patch Tuesday updates, but also any additional ones issued after Patch Tuesday up to and including Sep. 30th?

Anonymous, you didn’t mention what o/s you have; but if it’s a recent version of Win 10 then just disabling the Windows Update service likely isn’t good enough.  MS tries to defeat those kinds of measures now by “fixing” Windows Update if they find that it’s “broken” (in their opinion).  So you may not be quite as protected against updates as you think.