Stopping the Annoying Forced Updates

Noninvasive · 06 Mar 2021

Hey ya' all.

I've been trying to stop these annoying updates. I think I've managed to whip office off the system (so maybe word wont open itself for no reason in a few months). Next, I'd like to stop these forced updates. I find them kind of invasive and would prefer things to work like they did 20 years ago. So far I've uninstalled updates back to some random previous date, then they always try to make themselves come back as soon as the internet's back on. Never mind the complaint, here's what I want to prevent:

Stopping the Annoying Forced Updates-settings-forced-updates.jpg

It wont let me stop it for more than a few days, yet I've been uninstalling updates backward for years into the past.

Stopping the Annoying Forced Updates-settings-forced-updates-clicked.jpg

I've tried using services.msc to prevent these:

Stopping the Annoying Forced Updates-disabling-updates-services.jpg

Then there's this MoNSTer which refuses to allow its settings to be set to disabled:

Stopping the Annoying Forced Updates-windows-fo-ced-update-disable-can-not-applied.jpg

Hints, tips, tricks, tactics, solutions? How do we nuke this demon.

Ghot · 06 Mar 2021

Hello @Noninvasive , welcome to Ten Forums

Most of us use one of these methods. Personally I use Option Seven.

Enable or Disable Windows Update Automatic Updates in Windows 10

Paul Black · 06 Mar 2021

Hello @Noninvasive,
Welcome to TenForums.

I personally also use Option 7 from the above Tutorial.

TairikuOkami · 06 Mar 2021

There are sooo many ways to stop windows updates, but people usually go for the easiest ones, like stopping windows update services and tasks. That will not do, MS made sure of that, those services will start, even when disabled. There are various tools you can use, but lets be creative, like if you disable services, WU depends on, like DHCP. Another example, creating a nonexistent download folder for WU, easily reversible.

Code:

rd "%WINDIR%\SoftwareDistribution\Download" /s /q
mklink /d "%WINDIR%\SoftwareDistribution\Download" "X:\Download"

Noninvasive · 06 Mar 2021

I was hoping for a manual method as other peoples utilities freak me out. Ya'all's option 1 might be the one, as it's simple and the opensource community should assist in ensuring that it is safe; though if I was going to use a utility, we might add an additional option Winaero Tweaker which happens to have a bunch of other sweet customization tools in it. I'm not sure which one I'll go with.

Thank you for the support, I appreciate it.

In my next post, I'll be begging for help on how to restore the Windows Explorer self awareness so that it can tell when I've deleted files from search listings and auto refresh their status, thus saving me from having to try twice and then click through the files not found "skip" buttons. It might be as simple as restoring some of those disable or manually abled services, or possibly some other internal WE disconnects, as I'd been ~~fugitively~~

figuratively pulling wires out left and right hoping to kill Cortana.

dalchina · 06 Mar 2021

Bear in mind that if you wish to
a. Prevent upgrade to the next Windows build even beyond end of service life for the current build then you have to disable Windows Update
b. Be able to manually scan for updates having done so, you need a 3rd party utility.
c. The manner of disabling Windows Updates ideally still allows the Store to work and Defender to be updated.

Note also this question has been asked many times and there are 2 or 3 other ways to do it as well- utilities which have been around for some years.

To achieve all of a,b,c is non-trivial.

Windows 10 Pro allows you to specify that you are notified by Windows Update, giving useful control.

There's no point hacking the O/S to kill Cortana. Simply disable 'Hey Cortana' in Settings, and it uses no resources and won't bother you if you don't bother it in normal use.

Noninvasive · 06 Mar 2021

Store? I don't need their stinky store. I deleted all the apps, and tore out the tiles! Though I wish I still had the calculator, and MS Paint "friendly name" is gone...

What I want is nice stable offline electronic devices such as had in the 1990's with Windows 98, or even 2000.

It's almost like none of the people in today's world ever saw Terminator, or movies about tech totalitarian invasion's. Didn't anyone have history class in school. This power you call convenience will eventually be used to kill nearly everyone. That's natural law. If you don't defend yourselves, no one else can.

I hope to see you in my killing Cortana post (it sure sounds like a weapon doesn't it.), or restoring Win

Explorer.

TairikuOkami · 06 Mar 2021

Noninvasive said:

and right hoping to kill Cortana.

Killing Cortana is easy, but it might have consequences, last time I was unable to unpin icons from taskbar.

Code:

takeown /s %computername% /u %username% /f "%WINDIR%\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy\SearchApp.exe"
icacls "%WINDIR%\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy\SearchApp.exe" /inheritance:r /grant:r %username%:F
taskkill /im SearchApp.exe /f
del "%WINDIR%\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy\SearchApp.exe" /s /f /q

dalchina said:

There's no point hacking the O/S to kill Cortana. Simply disable 'Hey Cortana' in Settings, and it uses no resources and won't bother you if you don't bother it in normal use.

Cortana uses about 100MB RAM, even when it is disabled. On a laptop with 2GB, that is a lot.

dalchina · 06 Mar 2021

Noninvasive: Thank you for your kind reply.

The best way to ensure stability is to refrain from hacking the O/S.

I believe I read that the Store is required to download language packs at some point. Just a thought in passing.

dalchina · 06 Mar 2021

TairikuOkami said:

Cortana uses about 100MB RAM, even when it is disabled. On a laptop with 2GB, that is a lot.

Stopping the Annoying Forced Updates-1.png

@TairikuOkami Hi, just wondering what uses the 100Mb?