Blocking Windows 10 Updates

[Mike Daniell]

This is not specifically SCS-related, but anyone with Windows 10 knows the frustration of having Windows updates being applied without asking you if they are to be applied now or later. This can be annoying if you are getting ready for a rehearsal or performance Windows decides to spend about 20 minutes applying updates.

However, you can prevent Windows from downloading updates from specified network connections. To do this (under Windows 10) go to Settings / Network & Internet / Manage known networks. Then for any 'known network' that you want to prevent downloading Windows updates, click on that network name, then click on Properties, and select 'Set as metered connection'.

I have applied this setting for all of my 'known networks' apart from my business network and few others. If you're on a cruise or anywhere else that has a slow internet connection, then I recommend you apply this setting to that network connection.

[Mike Daniell]

It has been brought to my attention that marking a connection as 'metered' will not block all Windows updates. This is confirmed by the the comment under Windows Update Settings which states that on a metered connection "we'll automatically download only those updates required to keep Windows running smoothly."

[Buyaicia]

Hi Mike,
I have disabled "windows update" service in "services.msc" (be careful, disabling wrong services may make the computer unable to restart).
If I check for updates in setup window I get an error message.
This could work, maybe.
I've done this in W7 and Wxp and it worked.

Regards,
Lluís

[Bruce Asher]

I prefer the bit-more-fiddly-but-definitely-works approach by going through local/group policy:

• on any Windows machine, run gpedit.msc
• browse to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Updates
• enable/disable appropriate policies at your discretion/leisure

Some larger workplaces can do this centrally (e.g. I do it here), so might be worth checking with your respective IT guys if they could create a group (in Active Directory or similar) that applies the WinUpdate policies you want and populate it with any and all show computers.

[sjwicks]

Please note that The Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) is only available in Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, Education and Windows 10 Pro for Workstations.

For those of us that only have the Home edition, gpedit is not installed.

[Criterion_Earlsdon]

I normally don't allow internet access on our SCS PC. That would stop unexpected updates, surely? Or might Windows still try to implement a previously downloaded update??

[SilverTech]

Windows 10 Update now has the option to Pause Updates for a number of days.
The only slight drawback is, if you are involved in a long run, that once that time is up you have to run update before you can pause again.