How can i stop windows from....

hepme · 11 Jun 2021

controlling everything ! Ok, not everything, but i have so little control over this OS it makes me wonder if this PC is even mine. I cannot stop windows from updating, and then when it does so w/o my permission it starts installing things i don't want. You buy a car and it doesn't take you to the store when u were trying to go to the DMV for C sakes ! Ok, rant over.

But now i have some sort of app on the taskbar that has the weather and news feeds etc etc and i cannot seem to find a way to remove this garbage. Is there a way?

Brink · 11 Jun 2021

Hello,

The tutorial below can help show you how to remove the news and Interests icon on the taskbar.

Customization - How to Add or Remove News and Interests icon on Taskbar in Windows 10 | Windows Questions

Paul Black · 11 Jun 2021

Hello @hepme,

hepme said:

I cannot stop windows from updating, and then when it does so w/o my permission it starts installing things i don't want.

Here are a couple of favourite options here on TenForums to take control of Windows Updates.

[1] > OPTION SEVEN - To Enable or Disable Automatic Updates using WAU Manager

[2] > How to use CMD script and VBScript to control Windows Update in Windows 10

You might also want to consider STOPPING Driver Updates . . .

> How to Enable or Disable Including Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10

I hope this helps.

hepme · 12 Jun 2021

Thanks all. I didn't check back because i found how to eliminate the weather/news cr@p from the taskbar and that was my main concern. But i just checked back to see if anyone replied with a update disabler. I will try that WAU manager, thanks.

Lance1 · 12 Jun 2021

hepme said:

I just checked back to see if anyone replied with a update disabler.

Sledgehammer Is a well known method to control Windows Updates. I use it to control what updates I want and don't want or completely shut updates down and start it again when I want.

hepme · 12 Jun 2021

Thanks, but that WAU manager is dead simple and portable so it's perfect.

Callender · 12 Jun 2021

hepme said:

Thanks, but that WAU manager is dead simple and portable so it's perfect.

Not quite perfect.

WAU Manager

WAU Manager disables the automatic updates by setting up a group policy in the registry. Windows 10 does not respect this group policy completely. It will still search for mandatory updates regularly and eventually install them. Let’s hope that will change in the future when they realize that users want full control of the automatic updates.

Currently I have windows update enabled but in the past used Sledgehammer which works 100%

So does:

StopUpdates10 3.5.0.115 - Take your Control over Windows updates!

But Sledgehammer lets you choose which updates to install if any are available.

hepme · 12 Jun 2021

Thanks. I deleted WAU and will try yours, thanks.

Lance1 · 12 Jun 2021

Callender said:

Currently I have windows update enabled but in the past used Sledgehammer which works 100% But Sledgehammer lets you choose which updates to install if any are available.

Sledgehammer is the way to go IMO. You have complete control over Windows updates allowing in what you want. It's on all my systems.

Callender · 13 Jun 2021

Lance1 said:

Sledgehammer is the way to go IMO. You have complete control over Windows updates allowing in what you want. It's on all my systems.

Agreed but it can be problematic if you need to temporarily enable WU for Windows Updates cleanup. I personally prefer sledgehammer but StopUpdates10 does manage to disable updates completely.