Windows 10/windows Update Help

I am having a problem understanding how Windows Update in Windows 10 works. In my prior Windows (Vista & 7) pc's, I had Windows Update set to "Notify Me When Updates Are Available". When I got this notification I would then go into Windows Update and select the Important Updates and Install them.

I would like to setup Windows Update to operate the same way in my Windows 10 pc's but I am not finding anyway to do it.

My current laptop is about two months old. Periodically, when I am doing work, it appeared that my pc was getting locked up (nothing was happening for a period of time). So I would do a hard shutdown (holding the power button for 5+ seconds, then rebooting). When the pc started up, it would produce a message indicating Updates were being download. At that point I assumed they were also being installed and would be configured on my next reboot.

But tonight I was trying to get into Windows Update to see if I could change the settings to what I had in my Vista & 7 machines. I hit something (not at all sure exactly what) and I got the following screen:
Updating Windows / Your PC will restart several times. There was a large circle in the middle showing the progress of the Updating. At the bottom were the following items: Copying Files, Installing features and drivers, Configuring settings (it did restart between each one of those steps).

So, during all of this time, were the updates just downloading in the background and waiting for me to actually request that they be installed (hitting that something that I am not sure what I hit) when I went to Windows Update?

Since I am currently setting up a new desktop with windows 10, I would like to make sure I am processing the updates for both machines properly. Can anyone help educate this Windows 10 trainee?

 

my understanding of windows 10, with updates, is that you have no choice. when there are updates, they will download and install. period. there is nothing to configure because microsoft has decided this is in your best interests. i would like to think i am wrong, but i do think that is correct.

 

Windows 10 Home - Automatic updates cannot be turned off.
Windows 10 Pro - You can defer updates.

Here's an interesting read.
https://4sysops.com/archives/turn-off-automatic-updates-in-windows-10-build-9926/

 

Not quite - Pro users can defer upgrades, but not updates. AFAIK standard Win 10 users have no say at all with either.

 

Correct.

Also, 'Updates won't download over a metered connection (where charges may apply).'

 

Thanks for the input guys. Seems it is what its is

Although I am not sure if it gives me any control, I did make one change. When you go to Settings / Update & Security / Windows Update, I clicked on Advanced Option and changed "Choose How Updates are installed" from "Automatic" to "Notify to schedule Restart".

I then went back to Windows Update and clicked on "Check for Updates". Both of my pc's found new updates, which were downloaded and installed. I then asked the pc's to do a Restart instead of scheduling one.

Maybe this is a false sense of control, but it seems that if you did this periodically (weekly?) you could control some of the update process. I also discovered (with my desktop pc which I am setting up now), that I had to go through the process multiple times to get all the updates installed.

 

Your correct.
All that's happening is, instead of an automatic restart, you're notified to schedule a restart.

I wonder what will happen if you install a third-party firewall to block all connections to Microsoft's servers? Then when you're ready to check for, download and install updates, you temporarily allow access.
Unfortunately, I can't test this.

 

I tried the firewall approach, gave up because Win 10 really wants to phone home.
If you want control of your updates stick with 7 or get Enterprise.

 

All that will happen is the same updates will get installed as would have been installed if you hadn't blocked them. There doesn't appear to be any way to deselect individual updates, either for Home or Pro users.

 

I'm talking about blocking access to Microsoft's servers - both inbound and outbound - with a third-party firewall.

 

Yes, but when you finally allow temporary access .......

 

I hope MS hasn't developed some kind of private/invisible connection port to bypass firewalls. I am kind of concerned about this with W7, too...

DOA which firewall did you use when you tested W10?

 

When you mention Enterprise, Windows 7 or Windows 10? By the way I went back to Windows 7 just because my wife did not have her games and I could not find any good version for Windows 10!

 

This seems like a viable solution... if you have a spare PC.
https://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-xg-firewall-home-edition.aspx

"No Windows updates = No problems"
11 years and counting...

BTW My introduction to the Personal Computer happened in 1984, while studying Electrical Engineering.

 

ZoneAlarm, but I did not try with it all that hard.
MS posts a lot about privacy and how to achieve it with Win 10 Pro. Ultimately I stopped trying to configure a usable system with full privacy. There are limits to my time and my patience and it gets used up when an update undoes my work.
I have hopes for Win 10 Enterprise. Eventually we have to make Win 10 work.

 

Yeah it's really strange being on the fence with this. If you have W7 Pro or Ultimate on your PC, you're thinking I only have a certain number of months to decide. If I don't update W7 PCs here and for my mother and so on, then it's just 3 years until doomsday. However, W10 is a strange product. It makes no sense to me on too many levels right now.

Feels like I have to upgrade or go to Linux. It is getting better and better...

 

Now whe're talking!
And then you can run Windows and your programs in a virtual machine.

 

Watched a video on Linux 17.2 last night. IDK, I guess I have a few months to decide, but that does sound like a good plan to me. Not like there are a whole lot of options I guess. At least I can run W7 in a VM as you say Eldon...

 

AtlBo,
We run Windows... Windows will not run us...

 

True Eldon, very true...

That's what kind of scares me about W10. What if MS continues with W10 as it is until after the upgrade deadline and then finally breaks due to customer pressure and makes a big change and eliminates all the info gathering elements. I guess there would be a chance they would re-allow the upgrade for a time, but I just can't upgrade under the current circumstances.

I was thinking about this, and I actually came up with a way for MS to make money off the situation. If they came up with a SE like package like with Win98 for Win7 and then extended the life of W7 for say 5 years, then everyone would have time to adjust to W10 and MS some time to adjust the program to user requirements. MS could actually charge for the W7 upgrade just like 98SE. That would be an amazing opportunity to refine and improve some features in W7 (like partition mgt and maybe Windows Firewall and generally ease of configuration), but I wouldn't pay for it unless MS abandons the info collecting in 10 and in 7, Vista, and others.

If anyone is like me and stuck on W7, I am with you. It's a big improvement over XP and an improvement over Vista. I haven't yet run across a single XP program that won't run in 7. I love XP, and I will always keep it around I guess, but I find W7 is really quite efficient for day to day use...

 

"We run Windows... Windows will not run us... "
Therein lies the problem, that thought stopped in Microsoft at Win 7.
Last night while watching movies on my Win 10 media center I had two advertisements for Office and three reminders to change my settings in Outlook. I had all those interruptions stopped, but updates reset them. Windows as a service, not just an OS, means they do what they want and you take it or leave it.

 

Not for me!

A Linux distro for internet access...
A virtual machine for Windows...
Problem solved.