[Guide] Disabling Windows 10 Automatic updates and "spyware"

[Jacky_BEL]

I use InControl from GRC , Gibson Research Corporation that you may know from the SpinRite software.

Here is the link to their page: GRC | InControl

 

[Athlonite]

Are you sure? Granted, it's been a while, but I know I've seen Defender update itself on it's own. Does that no longer happen? Guessing maybe I should run a test...

Yeah it gets them through win update now but they're auto install in the background even if you have custom group policies set for updates to ask first

 

[lexluthermiester]

This happened to me today. I was out. Desktop full of unfinished business. Had to run errands. Was gone 8 hours. On return, system had been rebooted. That’s it. Next rainy weekend I overinstall with W10 LTSC or hackintosh

Did you have the update services properly disabled? If you didn't, that was the problem.

Yeah it gets them through win update now but they're auto install in the background even if you have custom group policies set for updates to ask first

Yet another reason I don't trust Windows Defender and remove it completely from all of my systems.

 

[Ahhzz]

I use InControl from GRC , Gibson Research Corporation that you may know from the SpinRite software.

Here is the link to their page: GRC | InControl

GRC does some excellent, efficient work. good product.

 

[Dirtdog]

I use InControl from GRC , Gibson Research Corporation that you may know from the SpinRite software.

Here is the link to their page: GRC | InControl

Doesn't this only stop Windows performing major updates rather than all updates? I have been using this for a while to stop it forcing an 'upgrade' to Windows 11 but I've still been updating Windows as normal.

 

[next3r]

WPD

Privacy dashboard for Windows

wpd.app

this still work nice + contains all setup for windows
for updates > ip block

edit
or this for manual selective updates WUA-MANAGER

Windows Automatic Updates Manager

WAU Manager - A replacement for the Windows update interface. Get full control of the Windows updates

www.carifred.com

but works normal only on WIN-PRO versions "or where is gpedit"

 

[SomeOne99h]

Winaero Tweaker has the option to completely disable windows updates and IT ACTUALLY WORKS instead of O&O shut-up that would get its setting reset once the PC restarts.
I even tried to go to windows update to manually update but couldn't. Also, I wanted to install Japanese supplemental fonts from Microsoft but refused to install no matter what and I couldn't know the reason until I gave up, next day I said maybe the setting is the culprit then viola, it worked.

 

[Ahhzz]

Doesn't this only stop Windows performing major updates rather than all updates? I have been using this for a while to stop it forcing an 'upgrade' to Windows 11 but I've still been updating Windows as normal.

I believe it says it only stops the non-security updates. I personally prefer to lock it ALL down, but some of those security updates are actually useful... some of them anyway

 

[Athlonite]

Yet another reason I don't trust Windows Defender and remove it completely from all of my systems.

Why bother most every AV suit out now updates automatically when windows starts up any ways so I don't see much of a difference there and WD is as good as the others

 

[lexluthermiester]

Why bother most every AV suit out now updates automatically when windows starts up any ways so I don't see much of a difference there and WD is as good as the others

Not always, but again, Defender is much more intrusive.

 

[Athlonite]

Not always, but again, Defender is much more intrusive.

Pffft no it's not the only time I see anything from defender is a notification telling me it's run a scan and found nothing / something unlike any of the other free AV's that constantly try to upsell you to their Paid / Pro versions all the damn time

 

[lexluthermiester]

Pffft no it's not the only time I see anything from defender is a notification telling me it's run a scan and found nothing

Incorrect. Please review the following conversation;

Windows Defender can Significantly Impact Intel CPU Performance, We have the Fix

I turned my PC on today, and got "not used" from Counter Control. Previously, it has always been "Defender" until I reset the counters. Has Microsoft issued an update or something? I'll take it back. It's back to "Defender" now. :(

www.techpowerup.com

 

[Ahhzz]

Pffft no it's not the only time I see anything from defender is a notification telling me it's run a scan and found nothing / something unlike any of the other free AV's that constantly try to upsell you to their Paid / Pro versions all the damn time

Incorrect. Please review the following conversation;

Windows Defender can Significantly Impact Intel CPU Performance, We have the Fix

I turned my PC on today, and got "not used" from Counter Control. Previously, it has always been "Defender" until I reset the counters. Has Microsoft issued an update or something? I'll take it back. It's back to "Defender" now. :(

www.techpowerup.com

It's apparent that, like SO many things in Tech, in Software, in Life, some people have the problem, and some don't. Accepting that all things are not always black or white, absolutes, is a sign of intelligence. The forum is full of intelligent people. Please act accordingly.

 

[Athlonite]

Incorrect. Please review the following conversation;

Windows Defender can Significantly Impact Intel CPU Performance, We have the Fix

I turned my PC on today, and got "not used" from Counter Control. Previously, it has always been "Defender" until I reset the counters. Has Microsoft issued an update or something? I'll take it back. It's back to "Defender" now. :(

www.techpowerup.com

LOL sorry Lex but that's not a universal problem affecting all Windows PC's using Defender that's an intel specific problem that needs to be sorted by MS and Intel
I'd also like to see some proof of the "Intrusiveness" that you say is going on with Defender and that you say is not happening with "other AV suites"

if they have any sort of cloud scanning thing going on then they're all sending your data to someplace other than your PC and like defender you should be able to turn that off I'd be more worried about not being able to turn it off and being forced to use it

 

[lexluthermiester]

LOL sorry Lex but that's not a universal problem affecting all Windows PC's using Defender that's an intel specific problem that needs to be sorted by MS and Intel
I'd also like to see some proof of the "Intrusiveness" that you say is going on with Defender and that you say is not happening with "other AV suites"

if they have any sort of cloud scanning thing going on then they're all sending your data to someplace other than your PC and like defender you should be able to turn that off I'd be more worried about not being able to turn it off and being forced to use it

I think I may have misunderstood you. Just saying that Defender does intrude on user privacy and that should not be taken lightly.

 

[Ahhzz]

I think I may have misunderstood you. Just saying that Defender does intrude on user privacy and that should not be taken lightly.

Reasonable statement, Defender has raised flags for years in the security community! Ever since pundits insisted the telemetry in 8 would be "temporary", only applying to the early adopting/beta versions. Love every company out there trying to minimize how much data any technology company can collect from you.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Reasonable statement, Defender has raised flags for years in the security community! Ever since pundits insisted the telemetry in 8 would be "temporary", only applying to the early adopting/beta versions. Love every company out there trying to minimize how much data any technology company can collect from you.

Exactly! My efforts here are not to attack anyone, only to show what is really happening and suggest a course of action that results in a user better protecting themselves.

 

[DrCR]

Out of curiosity, has anyone tried just going with the cheap Win 10 Ent route (via the advertisements here at TPU), and does doing so mitigate a lot of the current WinOS drama?

(It’s been well over a decade at this point since I was a desktop administrator, and my personal machines are either vintage or Linux.)

 

[lexluthermiester]

Out of curiosity, has anyone tried just going with the cheap Win 10 Ent route (via the advertisements here at TPU), and does doing so mitigate a lot of the current WinOS drama?

(It’s been well over a decade at this point since I was a desktop administrator, and my personal machines are either vintage or Linux.)

Ah, you're just not aware. The answer is yes. LTSB/LTSC are very good ways to easily rope Windows in. However, there are ways to rope in Windows 11 too, which I had to figure out the hard way, but that's a very involved process and not for the faint of heart..

 

[mechtech]

Ah, you're just not aware. The answer is yes. LTSB/LTSC are very good ways to easily rope Windows in. However, there are ways to rope in Windows 11 too, which I had to figure out the hard way, but that's a very involved process and not for the faint of heart..

Tried installing before..........didn't work so used Pro

 

[Mussels]

Ah, you're just not aware. The answer is yes. LTSB/LTSC are very good ways to easily rope Windows in. However, there are ways to rope in Windows 11 too, which I had to figure out the hard way, but that's a very involved process and not for the faint of heart..

They've cut back a bit on them havent they?
Less updates or stopped doing them, i recall hearing something about that, but not enough to google it

I should use one of them for my bloatware VM.

 

[lexluthermiester]

They've cut back a bit on them havent they?
Less updates or stopped doing them

It's not that they've stopped intentionally, it that the LTSB/LTSC versions simply don't have as many flaws to fix as they are very mature, just like Windows 7 is. There's just not much left to fix because they've done most of the fixing.

I should use one of them for my bloatware VM.

Do! If you like Windows 10, they're the best, most stable and bloat free versions you can use.

 

[Mussels]

It's not that they've stopped intentionally, it that the LTSB/LTSC versions simply don't have as many flaws to fix as they are very mature, just like Windows 7 is. There's just not much left to fix because they've done most of the fixing.


Do! If you like Windows 10, they're the best, most stable and bloat free versions you can use.

I like 11 and wanted to keep things similar, which is the problem there - the small risk of compatibility issues (Test on VM, is fine, move to 11, not fine)

That's more laziness than anything else, wanting the VM to be similar to the host OS

 

[lexluthermiester]

I like 11 and wanted to keep things similar, which is the problem there - the small risk of compatibility issues (Test on VM, is fine, move to 11, not fine)

That's more laziness than anything else, wanting the VM to be similar to the host OS

11 isn't perfect. But with the proper effort tweaking(and some pounding it into submission), it works well. Win 10LTSC is as close to a debloat stock OS as you can get.

 

[Deleted member 57642]

Or, you could use the firewall to block the Windows Updates Connections. And disable all the Windows Update related services. Only to restart them again - temporarily disable the firewall - and do an update when you feel like it. This always worked for me.

The services part got simpler - by using this small app: Windows Update Blocker v1.8