Export (clone) as much Windows 10 preferences as possible

dalchina · 16 Nov 2023

Disable WU: Some struggle by using trivial methods. If you have Pro - you mention group policy- you can
a. set target feature update (to stay on the same major build). Note: this is probably irrelevant give there will probably be no major build upgrade for '10 until its retirement. Tutorial available. (Also blocks upgrades to Win 11).
b. set updates to 'Notify'.
That means that until you approve it, no W. update is downloaded.

The Store is still available.

See too:
Enable or Disable Windows Update Automatic Updates in Windows 10

and
Using CMD script and VBScript to control Windows Update

There are other 3rd party approaches.
I used Sledgehammer for a year or so whilst MS messed things up with 1909, but that disables the Store and is a bit clunky. Effective. Overtaken - see 2nd tutorial above where it's used as a basis.

hroldan · 16 Nov 2023

@dalchina, so cool. I didn't know about that tutorial or tools for WU. I took my time for research in the past, but stopped as what I found worked for me so I didn't need anything beyond it. It's only know that I'm seeing that the methods I adopted and used to work, don't seem to work anymore (it works, it's just the store that is not), but it's ok, I'm fixing it already.

This reminded me of the days of using W10 on my old (now gone) Surface RT(2), the Store would work for a while, then it would stop and some trick would be needed (due to updates outside the machine blocking previous versions).

Very much appreciated the info shared here.

Regarding the original goal, I'm almost finishing the details on the iMac with all my software, configurations, and settings for look and feel. CPU usage stays at 1% on idle. I'm keeping this new W10 Iso (created using NLite).