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

[Mussels]

as an update for everyone:

the latest build(s) of 10 have a lot more control over windows updates, so i dont even use these tools any more.

once every 2 weeks/once a month is a lot less annoying than 'whenever the PC feels like it'

we also have bandwidth control buried away a few settings deeper

 

[Ahhzz]

as an update for everyone:

the latest build(s) of 10 have a lot more control over windows updates, so i dont even use these tools any more.

once every 2 weeks/once a month is a lot less annoying than 'whenever the PC feels like it'

we also have bandwidth control buried away a few settings deeper

Nope. I'll keep squelching the hell out of it until I have easy control over them and the ability to block individual updates, or all of them.

 

[rtwjunkie]

as an update for everyone:

the latest build(s) of 10 have a lot more control over windows updates, so i dont even use these tools any more.

once every 2 weeks/once a month is a lot less annoying than 'whenever the PC feels like it'

we also have bandwidth control buried away a few settings deeper

As an update, despite the latest version of WUMT being a year old, it still works perfectly with the newest update to latest W10 version.

 

[Athlonite]

I like to leave updates on but for everything else that can be turned off O&O shut up 10 is great only problem is you'll need to rerun it after most updates as shit gets turned on again

 

[erpguy53]

a combination of WUB [windows update blocker] and WUMT (windows update minitool) will do the trick.
Get the WUMT Wrapper script from either Majorgeeks or Softpedia.

 

[Athlonite]

I can whole heartedly agree that O&O Shut up 10 is a great little program I've used it since it came out thanks to it's turning off of all the telemetry garbage and reporting crap it's a handy dandy little gem that's updated regularly to keep up with win10 updates

@Mussels thanks for the post mate good stuff

 

[lexluthermiester]

O&O Shut up 10 is a great little program

Agreed. It's a great little utility that has become better over time.

 

[sixor]

what i use:

wumt wrapper to disable updates
DWS destroy windows spy to delete all metro crap and telemetry and other annoying things, this app is a gem
regfiles to disable win def after a fresh boot and tons of regfiles for more fixes

 

[John Naylor]

One other thing not oft mentioned that makes sense on 7 or 10

Turn off Windows ability to install Hardware drivers
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials...iver-updates-windows-update-windows-10-a.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/82137-drivers-turn-off-automatic-driver-installation.html

 

[Ahhzz]

One other thing not oft mentioned that makes sense on 7 or 10

Turn off Windows ability to install Hardware drivers
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials...iver-updates-windows-update-windows-10-a.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/82137-drivers-turn-off-automatic-driver-installation.html

I can't count how many times I've had to go out to clients and fix their Ethernet drivers because a MS update screwed them up....

 

[lexluthermiester]

One other thing not oft mentioned that makes sense on 7 or 10

Turn off Windows ability to install Hardware drivers
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials...iver-updates-windows-update-windows-10-a.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/82137-drivers-turn-off-automatic-driver-installation.html

This! In my experiences, it creates many more problems than it solves.

I can't count how many times I've had to go out to clients and fix their Ethernet drivers because a MS update screwed them up....

Exactly.

 

[Athlonite]

I can't count how many times I've had to go out to clients and fix their Ethernet drivers because a MS update screwed them up....

Yeah I'll agree with that I don't know what MS does to drivers when they get them but boy do they know how to screw them up completely and not just the NIC drivers either it's everything that requires a driver they even screw over Creative SB X-FI drivers to the stage where the software for the card either doesn't install or won't run also no Dolby Digital of any sort, AMD GPU drivers are a shit yes they work fine on the desktop but horribly in anything 3D also AMD chipset drivers from MS are just nasty and under perform

 

[neatfeatguy]

Hide Windows Updates or driver updates

Your Windows 10 PC gets the latest updates automatically. In rare cases, a driver or update might cause issues with your PC. To keep the update from reinstalling automatically, download this troubleshooter, it will let you hide the problematic updates.

Looking through I found your link and handed it off to the IT guy. He didn't want to utilize a 3rd party software at work for blocking updates. So far the tool offered by MS seems to work on keeping that crap-tastic update KB4524149 that's preventing several people from printing from downloading.

 

[phill]

Brilliant thread @Mussels and thank you If only Windows 10 came with all of this stuff to begin with....

 

[biffzinker]

Windows Privacy Dashboard is another all in one Windows 10 telemetry, privacy blocker, and app uninstall.

WPD

Privacy dashboard for Windows

wpd.app

 

[Mussels]

Brilliant thread @Mussels and thank you If only Windows 10 came with all of this stuff to begin with....

via Imgflip Meme Generator

I honestly dont disable or tweak much with modern builds of 10, i find the more i leave it alone the less issues i have.
That said, having info in one location to come back to is always helpful for everyone.

 

[Theliel]

I have completely disabled Windows Update Service and my PC is unplugged offline 99% of the time. Is that good enough or should I use any of these apps too?

 

[Deleted member 194470]

I found that disabling updates didn't work anymore so there is a workaround, you can 'pause' updates but infinitely, mine are paused until 2099 lol. Windows 10 has a ton of spying features in it, but you can disable most of them. i would recommend a firewall as well to block 'system' which constantly connects to the internet as well.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I found that disabling updates didn't work anymore

Then you are doing it wrong. It can be disabled.

i would recommend a firewall as well to block 'system' which constantly connects to the internet as well.

This can be done though. You have to have the right firewall.

 

[Deleted member 194470]

It doesn't really matter as long as it is off. I forget the difficulty I had with it, I disabled it and then it came back on so I did a different work around. I use simplewall. Also windows firewall is imo not that secure because it doens't always ask you to let programs through, so programs besides windows have gotten through that shouldn't

 

[lexluthermiester]

Also windows firewall is imo not that secure because it doens't always ask you to let programs through, so programs besides windows have gotten through that shouldn't

True. This is why alternate firewalls are so important.

 

[Dirtdog]

I have an HP laptop running Windows 10 Home. Last year Windows saw fit to perform a forced laptop firmware update, which I was appalled by. I then googled and found it was a common problem with laptops from various manufacturers. I then researched how to ensure this couldn't happen again. I did the usual things people advise, like telling Windows Update not to perform hardware driver updates etc. I also installed HP's own software just so I could make sure the updates options were all disabled.

So even after doing all that, last night it did it AGAIN. A message came up telling me to restart so it could install HP firmware. Upon restart there were options to postpone or cancel. I chose cancel. I rebooted but those two options were back again. Apparently 'cancel' is not true, the two options are actually postpone or postpone. I let it do it and it was successful. But if it had failed, it would have made my laptop a paperweight.

I've now used O&O's ShutUp10 software to completely disable updates but whether this will work the next time a BIOS update is available, I don't know yet. But I don't really want to disable ALL updates, just the hardware ones. Is there any 100% definitive way to do this? One which definitely works and won't become disabled again?

I am so fed up with this garbage OS that I am seriously considering putting Windows 7 on the laptop, which apparently even though it's modern, you can do if you follow a few steps. But how crazy that I would have to do that, just to save my machine from being damaged from a failed BIOS flash.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Yeah win-7 rules frankly still
z490 I haven't bothered installing 7 yet seeing I have many other machines that do so I use linux mint more on it than 10.

 

[lemonadesoda]

I have an HP laptop running Windows 10 Home. Last year Windows saw fit to perform a forced laptop firmware update, which I was appalled by.... Is there any 100% definitive way to do this? One which definitely works and won't become disabled again?

I am so fed up with this garbage OS that I am seriously considering putting Windows 7 on the laptop, which apparently even though it's modern, you can do if you follow a few steps. But how crazy that I would have to do that, just to save my machine from being damaged from a failed BIOS flash.

Same issues. Options are:
W7
W10 LTSC

Until you make the OS change, then my advice is never leave your laptop plugged in when you walk away (e.g. overnight), or laptop will not auto sleep and W will see an inactive system plugged in and automagically force update download and install. Also, consider using wifi setting on "Metered Connection".

However, do try again with latest O&O shutup and latest WPD (Windows Privacy Dashboard). After running, reboot, check settings are "fixed" and relax. After any Windows Update that you do allow, you need to rerun O&O shutup and latest WPD, because Windows Update does not respect all the Policy settings you changed, and resets them, so that Windows is back in charge. So you need to beat Windows into submission by rerunning those tools after any Windows Update.

 

[AsRock]

I have an HP laptop running Windows 10 Home. Last year Windows saw fit to perform a forced laptop firmware update, which I was appalled by. I then googled and found it was a common problem with laptops from various manufacturers. I then researched how to ensure this couldn't happen again. I did the usual things people advise, like telling Windows Update not to perform hardware driver updates etc. I also installed HP's own software just so I could make sure the updates options were all disabled.

So even after doing all that, last night it did it AGAIN. A message came up telling me to restart so it could install HP firmware. Upon restart there were options to postpone or cancel. I chose cancel. I rebooted but those two options were back again. Apparently 'cancel' is not true, the two options are actually postpone or postpone. I let it do it and it was successful. But if it had failed, it would have made my laptop a paperweight.

I've now used O&O's ShutUp10 software to completely disable updates but whether this will work the next time a BIOS update is available, I don't know yet. But I don't really want to disable ALL updates, just the hardware ones. Is there any 100% definitive way to do this? One which definitely works and won't become disabled again?

I am so fed up with this garbage OS that I am seriously considering putting Windows 7 on the laptop, which apparently even though it's modern, you can do if you follow a few steps. But how crazy that I would have to do that, just to save my machine from being damaged from a failed BIOS flash.

Yeah i had it some time ago, not used the system that has windows home on it for a hell long time now. But this only happens with our systems with windows Home the ones with Pro it's a none issue.