Disable Windows 10 Updates? – That’s the Wrong Question! There are lots of articles and videos providing instructions for how to disable Windows 10 updates. Most of them admit the proposed fixes are not permanent even when the title of the article or video contains the word permanent. It’s enough to make you scream! Don’t you actually just want to stop the pain of Windows 10 updates? The way to do that is to understand how they work, why they are important and imperfect, then manage those updates.
Updates cause pain if…
Updates cause pain if they occur when you want to use the computer and when they cause a problem that makes your computer sluggish or breaks it. By learning these tips to manage updates you can stop the pain.
Updates install overnight. The second Tuesday of each month is a big one. It’s unofficially called “Patch Tuesday” even by Microsoft, Alexa and Siri. Go ahead, try it “Alexa, what is patch Tuesday?”. If you turn your computer off at night, or let it sleep or leave programs open the updates may not install. This article and the linked videos will provide you with strategic ways to manage updates to prevent the pain.
Updates…working perfectly
If Windows 10 updates were working perfectly then no one would be complaining of having trouble with them. They would never interrupt your workday. Would you still be trying to disable them if that were the case?
Spoiler alert… following the advice in this article will not actually stop the pain, but it will reduce the pain to lower levels. Imagine sitting around a dinner table with friends who are complaining about Windows 10 updates and they eventually ask why you aren’t upset. You will be able to give them the solution… can you say “HERO”?
bad news…
Here’s the bad news, the fix for this is not quick and easy. Just like there are lots of get rich quick schemes out there, the quick fix to anything complex is rarely successful in the long run. Consider the old story that ends with the moral ““You don’t pay the plumber for banging on the pipe. You pay him for knowing where to bang.”
quick and simple…
Once you understand Windows 10 updates the actions you need to take are quick and simple, but you first need to gain some knowledge. Gaining the knowledge is the actual fix. This article may be your first step in that direction.
better strategy…
Windows 10 updates will be a reality for a long time. Any quick fixes will often have unintended consequences that may cause you more pain than if you left it alone. Education is always a better strategy, but you must spend some time with it before you know where to bang on the pipe.
In the beginning
Before Windows 10 came into our lives Microsoft was fighting a loosing battle with all the variety of viruses, malware, software versions, hardware designs, device drivers, compatibility problems, upgrade cycles, user neglect and much more. It is apparent by Microsoft’s actions that Windows 10 is a major shift in operating system strategy. Microsoft has decided to take the bull by the horns and force all participants in the Windows universe to comply with a more focused way of doing things so the bad influences in the world will have less opportunity to mess with us.
bold change
Because this was such a bold and huge change of how to operate in a very complex environment there have been and will continue to be casualties, unintended consequences, winners and losers. Microsoft will continue to be hated by many but over time this will diminish.
forcing seat belts
I remember when lots of people complained bitterly and resisted authorities when laws were passed requiring that we wear seat belts in cars. There was of evidence and anecdotal stories about people being harmed by seat belts. I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone now who says that forcing people to wear seat belts was a bad thing. I think 20 years in the future we may look back on Windows 10 update strategies as having prevented catastrophic disasters.
alternate timeline
Some of you are thinking that last statement is a bit dramatic. But, wait… What if we could witness an alternative timeline where this new world of forced updates did not exist? In this alternate timeline all the divergent software, hardware, device drivers, avoided updates, expired anti-virus, click-bait, scam e-mails and hacker skills would have continued evolving unchecked.
bad actors
How likely is it that the bad actors whether they be terrorists or governments looking for ways to manipulate people would use those vulnerabilities to do their dirty work? There is plenty of evidence that is already happening. There is no effective way to hinder their progress without placing tighter controls at the top levels and educating users on best practices.
tighter controls
In that last sentence “tighter controls” refers in part to Windows forced updates. “Educate users” refers to things such as how to recognize a scam email that claims to be from someone you know or maintaining good passwords on your accounts and much more.
profit issue
“No, no, no” you may say. “Forced updates are just a profit issue for Microsoft and nothing more!” you say. It may be that forced updates help Microsoft profits by reducing the number of Windows versions they have to provide patches for. Microsoft is a business and they do make decisions with profit motives in mind. It was very expensive for them to try to keep so many varied versions and configurations safe to use. Updates will still be a very expensive pursuit for Microsoft but perhaps not as expensive as it used to be. They also made changes to how they test updates which saved them a lot of money. Many commentators criticize that move but I will show that criticism is probably not warranted.
reduced threats
My point is that a side effect of this improved method of keeping computers safe to use is the reduced threats for compromised computers to cause serious pain and harm in personal and business matters. You will never know what disaster in your personal life was averted because you are using an updated computer unless you discover a way to view alternate timelines.
manage updates
In the same way that people eventually got on board with fastening seat belts, locking car doors and home doors we need to get on board with updates. But we need to learn how to manage updates, so they aren’t so painful.
learn and do…
The things you need to learn and do regarding Windows update are these:
Understand feature updates vs quality updates
Be prepared for update Tuesday each month
Implement automatic full image or clone backup prior to update Tuesday or every Monday
Know how to restore from an image or clone backup and practice it occasionally
Activate System Restore
Activate RegBack
Have rescue boot media available
Routinely postpone major updates until they are vetted
Activate full reporting to Microsoft in order to benefit from deferrals
no maintenance
Once you have these measures in place they will continue with little or no maintenance. If you experience a problem due to an update (about as likely as a car accident) you will have a method to recover without needing assistance.
How to learn and do
YouTube videos and blog posts associated with LiveWindowsUpdate will provide you with general and specific instructions once that additional content is created. Many other content creators have information available that you can search for via Google or YouTube. You can request live training sessions on these subjects if you find currently available content insufficient.
References
Patch Tuesday (also known as Update Tuesday[1]) is an unofficial term used to refer to when Microsoft regularly releases software patches for its software products. It is widely referred to in this way by the industry.[2][3][4] Microsoft formalized Patch Tuesday in October 2003.[5]
Patch Tuesday occurs on the second, and sometimes fourth, Tuesday of each month in North America. As far as the integrated Windows Update (WU) function is concerned, Patch Tuesday begins at 18:00 or 17:00 UTC (10:00 PST (UTC−8) or 10:00 PDT (UTC−7)).[6] The updates show up in Download Center before they are added to WU, and the KB articles and the Technet bulletin are unlocked later.
Microsoft has a pattern of releasing a larger number of updates in even-numbered months, and fewer in odd-numbered months.[7][8][9] Minor updates are also released outside Patch Tuesday. Daily updates consist of malware database refreshes for Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials. Sometimes there is an extraordinary Patch Tuesday, two weeks after the regular Patch Tuesday. Some updates could be released at any time.[10]