Starting with Windows XP, Microsoft has been releasing a host of updates for its operating systems with enviable constancy, motivating this by improving its functionality. In fact, the installation of almost all released updates is aimed at eliminating security holes.
Even after the release of the tenth modification of the system, for which the initial release of updates was not supposed due to the fact that Windows 10 is supposedly the most advanced OS and does not need updates, updates are issued to this day. And it is not always appropriate to use them, and in some cases it is better not to install them at all to avoid a failure in the operability of the system itself.
We will talk about how to disable the Windows update. But first, let's see how this can affect the system and what you can get rid of completely painlessly.
Why do I need system updates?
The development and installation packages of updates themselves, as already mentioned, are mainly associated with the system's system of protection against external intrusion. However, this is not always the case, since some updates contain updates for other important components of Windows, which mostly concerns related platforms, without which new equipment or installed software may not work (DirectX, .NET Framework, etc.). Due to their updating, some device drivers can also be partially updated, which is directly related to graphics accelerators and virtual devices built into the system.
What is affected by the updates and is it necessary to disable the automatic update completely?
And it is precisely for the above reason that installing updates completely is not worth deactivating. In addition, it is worth mentioning separately that for the same Windows 10 installation of some critical updates is provided, which change the assembly, adding new and eliminating unnecessary system capabilities, which somewhat reminds us of installing service packs. And still, very often, installing updates in automatic mode leads to sad consequences.
If earlier the complaints were mainly caused by the seventh version updates, then after two major updates for the tenth modification all over the world computers based on AMD processors failed, and the recent April package generally excluded user participation in the process of canceling the installation. When I tried to turn off the computer from the menu, this item disappeared and was replaced by agreement with the installation and subsequent reboot.
But you can disable the Windows update. True, for the most part this applies only to versions below the tenth. The same modification is so unpredictable that it works by itself, not paying attention to user actions. So even with seemingly complete deactivation of the search and installation of updates in the background, these processes still remain active. But their activity can be minimized, to begin with, at least by disabling the installation of updates for other Microsoft software products (we will dwell on this later).
How to disable Windows 7 updates by the simplest method?
As you know, in any version of the system for which installation of updates is provided, you can find a special section responsible for these processes (in versions below the eighth, this is the āUpdate Centerā). By default, the search and installation of packages are in an active state.
To disable the Windows update, just select the appropriate item from the drop-down list. After that, the available updates can be checked independently using the manual mode. But you donāt always know when they can appear. Therefore, it is better to establish a mode in which the system will offer the user a choice by issuing an appropriate notification.
How to disable automatic updates in Windows 10: preliminary steps
The same procedures as described above in Windows 10 can also be performed, but for this you need to use not the āControl Panelā, but the parameters section with the transition to the corresponding menu. It is noteworthy in that here you can set the desired installation time (for example, when the computer is idle) or pause the automatic installation.
As mentioned above, along the way, itās desirable to remove the item from the installation of updates for other products of the corporation, which will significantly reduce the installation time of the main packages, and also eliminate problems if pirated, hacked or activated using third-party software are installed on the computer (for example, KMSAuto Net ) office suites.
Setting a limit connection
Another focus that allows you to disable the Windows update on a laptop or desktop PC is to trick the system using its own tools, setting the current Internet connection as a limit. What does this mean? Itās just that the system will think that incoming and outgoing traffic is paid, and the user does not want to bear the additional costs associated with downloading the update package files. Installation of updates in this case will be suspended until the connection is returned to its original state or the user does not specify a manual search.
Configure service settings
Despite the above actions, itās not worth it to deceive yourself. Itās impossible to permanently disable Windows 10 updates using this method (this, by the way, applies to the modifications below). The fact is that even with this deactivation, the service itself, which is responsible for finding and installing updates, is still in an active state and works in the background. It should be deactivated using the appropriate section (services.msc).
However, itās not enough to disable only the āUpdate Centerā itself, first stopping the process and then selecting the disabled startup type, you still need to deactivate the related components - āWindows Installerā and āModule Installerā (TrustedInstaller). Only then will a shutdown occur.
Group Policy Editing
In order to disable Windows updates forever, you can also use the group policy settings (gpedit.msc), where through the administrative templates you need to find several automatic update settings (usually this is the automatic update itself, setting automatic updates and allowing immediate installation).
Having entered the editing of parameters, it is necessary to set the disabled state for these processes. But to prohibit the use of any means of the "Update Center" you need to set the on state. You can also change some additional parameters, but the average user usually suffices and described above.
Actions in the registry
Speaking about how to disable the Windows 10 update on a laptop or a regular terminal, we should also mention the registry. By and large, group policies and the services settings section duplicate precisely its settings, but the registry has the highest priority.
In the editor (regedit), go to the HKLM branch and in the Policies setting go to the Windows Update section where there is an AU folder (if there is no section or folder, you need to create them yourself). On the right is the NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers key, which needs to be assigned a value as a unit. Again, if there is no key, you need to create the DWORD parameter yourself, and then assign the specified name and value.
Note: for all the described actions, starting from the services section and ending with the registry, you can disable Windows updates only when the system is restarted after saving the options that have been set (saving is not required for the registry). Re-enable the update by setting all the parameters to their original state.
Third-party software methods
But even the described actions may not give the proper effect for the simple reason that not all related components related to updates will be deactivated. It will be quite difficult for an ordinary user to deal with the intricacies of their settings. To simplify your task as much as possible, you can try to disable Windows updates (all versions) by using third-party utilities.
As one of the simplest and most proven in practice, you can advise a small program Win Updates Disabler, in which you just need to check the box next to the update installation ban item and click the button to apply changes (if necessary, you can also turn off Windows Defender and the firewall ) Windows Update Blocker is also a good option, but it is paid.
Note: for all such programs to work, the user must have administrator rights.
Total
What to use to deactivate system updates, of course, everyone decides for himself. However, the simplest is the use of third-party programs. Despite the fact that they will use system resources, constantly working and preventing the launch of a particular service in the background, the load on the system will not significantly affect performance and speed.
It remains to say that most of the above actions can be performed on the command line, but for ease of use such methods have not been considered. As for disabling updates themselves, it is still better to use the issuance of notifications with a proposal to install, because some packages may contain important updates for these platforms and other system components, without which user programs may work incorrectly.