Pause Updates or Resume Updates for Windows Update in Windows 10

devnull · 24 Feb 2018

Bree said:

It's worth noting that at the end of a Pause (7 or 35 days) you cannot pause again until you have got the latest updates.

Right, but you can still defer, and then there's always "Procrastination" mode.

Bree · 19 Mar 2018

Brink said:

In some older builds of Windows, it was 35 days for pause while the newer ones are only 7 days by default now. I'm still not sure why some newer ones are still showing 35 days though...

I've still found no clear explanation (or any, really) for this. I have 35 days on a 10 Pro system (now at build 16299.309) that was upgraded from 1703 to 1709. As an experiment I have just done a clean install of 1709 on that same machine using the install media that was used for the upgrade - that too says 35 days.

The install media was made on usb using the MCT downloaded from Microsoft just after the release of 1709 in October. The usb media is for both 32/64 bit and is the English International version. The upgrade and the clean install were both 32-bit.

If this is a bug, it's not one anybody is likely to report - who'd want it fixed? :)

Lexus45 · 21 Mar 2018

Regarding use of the Pause button:

I have Window 10 Pro x65 1709 - if say a quality update deferral period has lapsed or you decided to manually reset it to allow the updates, but then by watching you note an update that has been reported to cause problems to begin downloading; can the Pause button (not previously set), stop (pause) that download in progress?

BTW, I have a new system with fresh install of Windows 10 Pro 1709. The Pause is up to 35 days.

Thx

devnull · 21 Mar 2018

Lexus45 said:

Regarding use of the Pause button:

I have Window 10 Pro x65 1709 - if say a quality update deferral period has lapsed or you decided to manually reset it to allow the updates, but then by watching you note an update that has been reported to cause problems to begin downloading; can the Pause button (not previously set), stop (pause) that download in progress?

BTW, I have a new system with fresh install of Windows 10 Pro 1709. The Pause is up to 35 days.

Thx

I appreciate this question, but I'm wondering, what are the chances that a user will be watching the WU screen at the same time that the download is occurring? Is there some way of monitoring for WU downloads other than having the WU screen open and watching it?

Lexus45 · 21 Mar 2018

May be presumptuous of me since I am new to Windows 10, but via Group Policy I have set Updates to Notify for download and install.

Enable or Disable Windows Update Automatic Updates in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

Based on exhibits for this setting within this forum and others, this should show on the Windows Update screen in Settings the updates that are waiting to download but won't, along with a Download button.
So far this is how the Defender updates come down almost daily.

I assume for the other updates that once notified and reviewed, and the Download button is pressed that the pending updates will show being downloaded then installed.
One needs to be present to push the button.

Once pressed, can an update or install be paused via the Pause button?

devnull · 21 Mar 2018

Thank you, I didn't know there was a Group Policy setting for that. I'll want to configure the setting that way myself. I'll be interested to see what it does.

Bree · 21 Mar 2018

Known problem updates can be hidden, see this tutorial.

Hide or Show Windows Updates in Windows 10

Lexus45 · 22 Mar 2018

The question still remains unanswered:

"Can the Pause button (not previously set), stop (pause) a download in progress?"

Thx

devnull · 22 Mar 2018

Don't know the answer to your question, but are you interested in any alternative solutions? For example, some sites say that stopping the Windows Update service will do it (if only temporarily).

Lexus45 · 23 Mar 2018

Thanks, but I think I have most of the typical preventative options collected.

Was just trying to see if this could be a "last chance" option to add to the arsenal.