MicroShaft strikes again...

Just started my biennial rebuild with a fresh install of Win 10 Pro 2004.

As part of the new install I tried to set a 365 day delay in the feature updates as I have in my previous Win 10 builds and, to my shock and surprise, beginning with release of 2004, M$ has removed it from the advanced options page in the settings.  Being as that one feature was the sole reason for buying the Pro version in the first place, it gave me a major case of the beak.

After some more research, I found that you can still use the group policy editor to defer updates as before.

Enter gpedit.msc into the search box.  There select Computer Configuration → Admin Templates -> Windows Components → Windows Update →

Windows Update for Business → Select "when preview builds and feature updates are received"

There you select the Enable button, then semi-annual channel from the drop-down box, then a delay period up to 365 days and click "apply" This only works with the Pro and Enterprise versions of Win 10.  Home version users are stuck with whatever unhappy surprises M$ leaves floating in the punchbowl.

I stopped doing all the Service nuking and gpedit_ing exercises some time ago... tired of wasting my time on the experts from Redmond.  I use Windows Update Blocker now.  It's small, lightweight, portable, quick, and easy to use.  Every couple of weeks I use it to turn on the update stuff, see what's available, and then check the 'Net to see what I can find out about those updates the nice folks at MS are offering me (for free, too ).  WUB has become one of the most important tools I have for Windows... and let's face it, the product requires a lot of "tools".  Be sure to add additional services to shut down/start up by using the "Menu" tab.

Greg

Hi Bob,

Strange as I have 2004 and have the option to defer?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14wJn9WKp410F0IMkmjE4N85bW1-v_QiZ/view?usp=sharing

 

Edited July 21, 20205 yr by pedwards

Sneaky word not alloweds. I usually use the group policy editor as well for stubborn settings like that.

10 hours ago, pedwards said:

Hi Bob,

Strange as I have 2004 and have the option to defer?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14wJn9WKp410F0IMkmjE4N85bW1-v_QiZ/view?usp=sharing

 

That's for up to 35 days starting when you pause updates.  If a bad one comes along on the day before your pause period ends, you'll get it the next day or as soon as you unpause updates, whichever occurs first.  It won't let you unpause and pause again without running through an update cycle.  Maddening.

The previous option (still available for Pro/Enterprise Edition users via gpedit) runs for 365 days--starting when the update is released to the general public.  That way you have time to see what issues the beta testers...errr, I mean Home version users...got clobbered with and can wait for M$ to run through their usual cycle of denying the problem exists, getting hit by thousands of complaints, grudgingly admitting there's an issue, and then fixing the problem in time for the next, or one after next, monthly update.

@lownslo--every update blocker I've used has been rendered useless in subsequent Windows updates.  I'll have to look at that one.

 

Thanks Bob, understood. Not wanting to 'start' anything, this is another reason why I've not been following MSFS2020 too closely, and why I'm not planning on buying.

Regards

Edited July 21, 20205 yr by pedwards

2 hours ago, w6kd said:

every update blocker I've used has been rendered useless in subsequent Windows updates.  I'll have to look at that one.

Been using WUB since shortly after moving to Win10 when we built our original ASUS Z390/8086K systems in late 2018.  Always works... although I'm sure at some point in time MS will target it too.

Greg

On 7/21/2020 at 12:33 AM, lownslo said:

I stopped doing all the Service nuking and gpedit_ing exercises some time ago... tired of wasting my time on the experts from Redmond.  I use Windows Update Blocker now.  It's small, lightweight, portable, quick, and easy to use.  Every couple of weeks I use it to turn on the update stuff, see what's available, and then check the 'Net to see what I can find out about those updates the nice folks at MS are offering me (for free, too ).  WUB has become one of the most important tools I have for Windows... and let's face it, the product requires a lot of "tools".  Be sure to add additional services to shut down/start up by using the "Menu" tab.

Greg

I have a different problem with Windows updates.  My system was last updated in April of 2019.  A feature update.  It was on the date I created a bootable clone to replace my four year old boot SSD.  Now I read in the MSFS minimum specs that an W10 update from Fall of 2019 is the minimum spec.  So am I screwed? 

Windows will also not update that previous SSD.  I have tracked down the error code and followed the scattered recommendations I found nauseam with no success.  I suspect a driver problem is the cause, but identifying it is fleeting....

2 hours ago, fppilot said:

I have a different problem with Windows updates.  My system was last updated in April of 2019.  A feature update.  It was on the date I created a bootable clone to replace my four year old boot SSD.  Now I read in the MSFS minimum specs that an W10 update from Fall of 2019 is the minimum spec.  So am I screwed? 

Windows will also not update that previous SSD.  I have tracked down the error code and followed the scattered recommendations I found nauseam with no success.  I suspect a driver problem is the cause, but identifying it is fleeting....

To clarify, Windows will not update if your system uses "that previous SSD" is its boot drive?  What drive is it?

Greg

"C drive"

One one of them is in the system at a time after the cloning process.  Both boot properly.

Edited July 24, 20205 yr by fppilot

Yes it`s amazing the same company that`s going to release next big flight sim and push out regular updates, we users be blocking that. 

On 7/21/2020 at 12:22 AM, w6kd said:

 

This only works with the Pro and Enterprise versions of Win 10.  Home version users are stuck with whatever unhappy surprises M$ leaves floating in the punchbowl.

Hi,

I'm a Win10-Home user, and since I use one PC for Flightsimming as well as many other applications,  I really detest the Win10 'uncontrollable' auto-update feature.
For obvious reasons; just read the many examples on where Microsoft goofed up with updates suddenly causing something not to work anymore.

How I deal with this:
I set the properties of my Internet connection to "metered" (i.e. 'connection with a data-limit'); meaning that when Win10 tries to auto-download an update, this will fail so my PC is not affected.
This gives me the oppertunity to move to another Win10 version/built when I am ready for it; after carefully following the Internet forums on potential problems that might affect my PC configuration.

For me, this way-of-working with Win10-Home worked flawlessly for 4 years now. Upto/including the latest Win10 2004 version.
The only disadvantage (for me): the standard Windows Defender (I don't use third-party anti-virus/malware programs) warns me that the protection libraries are out-of-date (after a week or so).
But that's easily corrected by initiating that download manually every week, when asked to.

Rob

 

Hey Rob -- great idea. Will try it!