Question Windows applies Updates on Reboot/Shutoff despite Automatic Updates disabled

[Michael24]

I have disabled Automatic Windows Updates in the registry using the method described here:
https://www.ubackup.com/windows-10/disable-windows-10-update-registry-8523.html
I have also tried the group policy method.

Thing is it also says "Managed by your organization" and "Automatic updates have been turned off" and it also does not reboot on its own in order to install updates (at least until now)

BUT

When i need to reboot or shutoff the machine it automatically installs updates without my consent.
This is extremely annoying and already cost me up to 30 minutes / always happens when you really dont have time for that crap.

How can i stop that from happening?

Ideally using the registry since i built a nice script to easily enable/disable automatic updates (using registry tweaks) and i would love to add this functionality aswell.

 

[rgd1101]

windows enterprise?

 

[Michael24]

windows enterprise?

Yeah im running Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 to be precise.

 

[35below0]

I'm not sure that you can. Simplest solution that would work is to reboot the machine yourself when you *do* have time for that. But you know this.
While you can disable automatic restarts, there will be some updates that cannot be blocked forever afaik. Windows will collect and install them, then sort itself out once you restart.

...it should not really take that long. Was ~30 minutes normal for updates before you disabled them?

 

[Michael24]

windows enterprise?

To avoid being misunderstood i want to make clear that "Managed by your organization" and "Automatic updates have been turned off" only did pop up after i applied the registry tweaks and is NOT a result of me running Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 instead of regular Windows 10.

...it should not really take that long. Was ~30 minutes normal for updates before you disabled them?

It's an old machine and 30 min was after avoiding rebooting / updates for a long time.

 

[Michael24]

Check out the nice tool that i built.
Just need need to figure out how to prevent windows from forcing updates on reboot/shutdown...

 

[rgd1101]

can you check the log and see what was the update?

 

[Michael24]

can you check the log and see what was the update?

Here you go...

I haven't applied many updates because that system is just for testing.

 

[Michael24]

AI recommended me doing this, so i did. Hopefully that fixed the problem:

Yes, you can also disable the Windows Update service through the registry. Here's how:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type "regedit" and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv

4. In the right pane, look for the "Start" DWORD value.
5. Double-click on "Start" and set its value to 4 to disable the Windows Update service.
6. Click OK to save the changes.
7. Restart your computer.

Disabling the Windows Update service through the registry should prevent Windows from automatically installing updates.

Note that modifying the registry can have serious implications if done incorrectly, so it's recommended to create a backup before making any changes. Also, it's important to regularly check for and install updates manually to ensure system security and stability.

The "Start" DWORD value in the registry can have different values that define the behavior of the Windows Update service. Here's an explanation of the possible values and their meaning:

- Value 2: Automatic start - The Windows Update service starts automatically. This is the default setting on most systems.
- Value 3: Manual start - The Windows Update service needs to be started manually by the user or another process.
- Value 4: Disabled - The Windows Update service is disabled and will not start automatically or manually.

Setting the "Start" value to 4 (disabled) will prevent the Windows Update service from automatically installing updates. However, keep in mind that it's important to regularly check for and install updates manually to keep your system secure and up to date.

Note: Modifying registry values can have unintended consequences or cause system instability if done incorrectly. It's recommended to create a backup of your registry before making any changes and proceed with caution.

 

[jeffy9987]

disabling Windows Update service wont work windows will set it back to 2 after a while you could set your network as metered and restrict downloading updates on metered connections there is a way in group policy to make every update fail but i cant remember how i did it