Microsoft is eating all of my bandwidth

Hi, assuming for a moment that's not due to Windows system updates then it might be due to
a. Regular universal app updates (by default, a scan is done 4 hourly)
b. Background app data updates (which you can control in Settings)

This free MS tool should give you more information:


Besides that, you can try a clean boot for comparison- should one of your startups happen to be responsible, if you don't then experience the problem, you can proceed to identify which it is.

deepskydiver said:

And of course it's MS IP addresses. I have no App store apps installed since new.

Windows auto-downloads some store apps, so the user can choose to use them.

Here are a few things, you might want to disable, run CMD as admin and copy/paste:

Auto-downloading of store apps.

Code:

reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent" /v "DisableWindowsConsumerFeatures" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager" /v "ContentDeliveryAllowed" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager" /v "OemPreInstalledAppsEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager" /v "PreInstalledAppsEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager" /v "PreInstalledAppsEverEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager" /v "SilentInstalledAppsEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager" /v "SubscribedContentEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager\SuggestedApps" /f

Windows Store Automatic App Updates

Code:

schtasks /Change /TN "Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\Automatic App Update" /Disable
reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsStore\WindowsUpdate" /v "AutoDownload" /t REG_DWORD /d "2" /f

Sharing Windows updates

Code:

reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DeliveryOptimization\Config" /v "DODownloadMode" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f

Malicious Software Removal Tool offered via Windows Updates (MRT)

Code:

reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MRT" /v DontOfferThroughWUAU /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f

Driver updates in Windows Update

Code:

reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v "ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching" /v "SearchOrderConfig" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Device Metadata" /v "PreventDeviceMetadataFromNetwork" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f 
schtasks /Change /TN "Microsoft\Windows\Device Setup\Metadata Refresh" /Disable

Windows Updates, you have to check manually, but it might disable Defender updates as well.

Code:

schtasks /Change /TN "Microsoft\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator\Schedule Scan" /Disable
ren "%WinDir%\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator\Schedule Scan" "Schedule Scan.bak"
md "%WinDir%\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator\Schedule Scan"
schtasks /Change /TN "Microsoft\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator\Schedule Scan" /Disable
schtasks /Change /TN "Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\Scheduled Start" /Disable
ren "%WinDir%\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\Scheduled Start" "Scheduled Start.bak"
md "%WinDir%\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\Scheduled Start"
schtasks /Change /TN "Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\Scheduled Start" /Disable

1. Process explorer lets you see what's going on in the process tree for a given instance of svchost.exe. If it's downloading, there'll be other activity to help you identify the relevant process.

2. The 'standard' apps are frequently updated whether or not you use them. There's a scheduled task to do that- which you could try disabling.

And there's the background data.


Update sharing (mentioned by TarikuOkami):


& driver updates:
Enable or Disable Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Windows Update Activation Tutorials

Defender: If you disable Windows updates, you disable Defender updates. You can establish your own scheduled task for that if you need to.

You could also try setting your connection to metered - at least for test purposes. (That disables updates- Windows updates at least. Not seen a comment about the various others).
Note this option for driver updates:

You can also set ethernet connections as metered. See the relevant tutorial in the - you guessed- Tutorial section.