How can I prevent automatic updates?

Barman58 said:

@stonefly

The native Windows 10 Calculator is a little more than a one trick pony - It has various additional versions accessed by the Burger icon as highlighted ...

Yes I see they moved reciprocal 1/x to the standard view. I often use cube root and sometimes y root of x. They are missing from the 10 calc.

Well I have Ethernet connection marked as metered, and they're still doin' it. MAKE 'EM STOP! MAKE 'EM STOP!

I think the approach going through "services.msc" is the ticket. I have two of these cheapo computers, well $149 anyway, more expensive than a couple eggs over easy. On the first, I did both. I set Ethernet to metered, and by going through services.msc in the run box, I double clicked Windows Update, clicking "disabled" for startup type: in the properties box.

Both computers have Ethernet set as a metered connection, but only the first has "disabled" set for startup type. I've been using it longer, and Microsoft has yet to kidnap it. The second computer just got kidnapped for a half hour of my time. Apparently, Microsoft does not consider my Verizon connection as Ethernet.

I need two computers, now that I've built my trucking business communications on computers, I need to have one working at all times or it could cost me a load, or loads, or worse. I always keep a backup laptop in the truck. Microsoft isn't reliable enough for my liking. Having two of them is the way I've been dealing with the problem.

stonefly said:

Well I have Ethernet connection marked as metered, and they're still doin' it.

I have all connections marked as metered, and they can't do anything without my permission.

SonicBlue said:

You can but it won't work.

I confirm that the addition of Group Policy Editor does not work in my Home Edition, but metered connections do.

I have a computer I use Kodi on 24/7. I don't want Windows update bugging things up. I set the ethernet as Metered and it seemed to work for a while. Then strange things went on with the computer as the HD light kept blinking and internet activity was still going on, but it was going very slowly, in the Kbit range. I also had used O&O ShutUp10 to disable all the reporting from Win 10.

But in the end the thing that really worked was to set the permission of \Windows\SoftwareDistribution directory to deny all access from everyone. Now there's no Windows updates and no crazy HD access either. I may make a script to automate the permissions to enable/disable updates.

I'm hoping the registry method works for the Verizon VZ Access Manager. I have a Windows 10 customer that uses a Verizon USB modem and it's just leaching bandwidth and causing very slow internet in the browser.

AnonVendetta said:

Go to Windows Update service, right click, go to Properties, set to disabled.

There is no need to disable Windows Update. Disabling autoupdate suffices, and then you don't have to do the following:

AnonVendetta said:

set the service status back to either Manual or Automatic.

And I don't have to manually check for updates because I have scheduled VBScript to do it automatically.

MrTom said:

I may make a script to automate the permissions to enable/disable updates.

Do you mean this Start, Stop, and Disable Services in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials?