Windows Update - Pause updates acting strangely

I am seeing the most bizarre problem with Windows 10, Settings/Update & Security/ Windows Update. I am on version 2004 19041.264, but I have seen this for several releases now and it has not gone away. I went to the latest that's not Fast Ring in order to see if some problem got fixed or at least reset properly, and it did not. This is a version of Window 10 running under Parallels v. 15.1.4 (latest version), if that makes a difference. Parallels has not updated in some time, maybe a month or two.

The problem is this - whenever I go into Windows Update, it says, "Updates paused". Today the message continues, Updates will resume on 5/21/2020." I click the resume Updates button, it checks for updates which there may or may not be any (like the anti-virus signature file), nd then it completes it's check. But if I go back later, "Updates paused" again shows! AND, the date it will resume - today, May 21 - is rolling out day by day! It's possible I have caused this by trying things, but for sure I cannot get "Updates Paused" to turn off.

Note too, I have never paused updates intentionally. Just one day, it appeared.

I have tried:
1. Restart Windows
2. Check for registry location and Policy where this is set, that I could change it (everything in the Windows Update section of gpedit.msc is set to 'not configured')
3. Tried clicking so it becomes "Check for Updates", and immediately restart
4. Done a reset of sorts from the Windows Support page:
net stop bits net stop wuauserv ren %systemroot%\softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.bak ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak net start bits net start wuauserv
5. Checked for failed updates that might be causing problems - none
6. Tried setting Advanced Options/Pause Updates, and pick tomorrow's date and see if it says at the day and then in a day the problem is cleared - it does not - it goes back to the day 7 days out!
7. I tried through gpedit to disable the ability to set Updates Paused through the UI - I did disable it, and then I re-enabled it after a restart - the problem immediately reappeared on a second restart after Updates Paused was enabled.
8. I have posted on Windows Insider - no response.

I am at a loss how to fix this. does anyone have any ideas, I would be eternally grateful! Thanks!

Wow thanks for your help and quick reply!

However, that looks a little too dangerous for me - hopefully there is another approach I might try. I saw that this was last edited November 2016, that was version 1607/Redstone. I am not sure I would trust that it's a safe accurate process now.

awalt said:

...that looks a little too dangerous for me - hopefully there is another approach I might try...

There's always the Windows Update troubleshooter in Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot.

Then if that fails, there's Brink's tutorial that does much the same as the windows update parts of the batch file that was suggested earlier. This one was published in 2015 but has been kept regularly updated since then.

Last Updated: 1 Week Ago at 15:42

Reset Windows Update in Windows 10

Thanks for your reply. I checked the Troubleshooter, and it said "No troubleshooters recommended at this time." I'll check out Brink's tutorial!

awalt said:

Thanks for your reply. I checked the Troubleshooter, and it said "No troubleshooters recommended at this time." I'll check out Brink's tutorial!

Just to let you know, this 'paused updates' problem seems to be specific to your machine. I haven't seen it on any of my machines, and that includes a VM running 2004 19041.264. I have at one time or another paused updates on all of them, without seeing your issue.

I ran Brink's tutorial batch file, and it finished successfully, and restarted. It is still set to Pause Updates until May 21, I unpaused, let it get to "You're up to date", with a Check for Updates button showing now (which is correct). I closed, restarted, and it's back to Paused until May 21. I repeated this whole process (update, close restart), and Pause keeps coming back. I checked Troubleshooter, and it say nothing needs to be run at this time Where is this coming from?

awalt said:

Where is this coming from?

When you pause updates a number of new REG_SZ values are created in Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings which should be deleted after successfully resuming updates. Maybe one or more of your is stuck? If so, try manually deleting any you find.

For reference, here is my registry (1909, 18363.836) with update pause for 7 days...



...and after successfully resuming updates.

awalt said:

...one difference I see - you have UxOption as 2, I have 0. I did some searching, I don't see the values explained. Do you know what they mean @Bree ?

Doesn't seem to be part of your issue, pause updates works normally on all my machines regardless of their UxOption value.

I checked on a couple of my other machines and UxOption is 0 on all of them. The default value seems to be 0. Not sure why one of mine is 2. Anyway, setting it to 0 makes no difference to how its pause updates functions.

Like you, I cannot find any MS documentation on this UxOption setting. The only relevant information I can find is that UX stands for User Experience.