Hide Updates - Or Not-

Since I've heard of hiding updates for systems to avoid the Win 10 update, I've thought of protecting my '7 and '8.1 computers. These have never been offered or exposed to GWX yet. The '8.1 is always offered an update (850mbyte) that I don't want. Finally I recently hid the update. At that point I had only 4 updates showing in 'check for updates'.A camera/codec pack that I don't use. A windows defender update that I do manually when scanning. Also the monthly malicious software removal tool which I skip due to size and I run my own offline scanners regularly. And this huge roll-up one. So I hid it. Soon after, I did a check for updates and all of a sudden I had 22 important updates. I have a list of the updates included in this huge one and I'm going to bounce it off this new list. to see if it crosses over to the individual ones newly listed. I'm sure some will. I then 'restored hidden updates' and now I'm back to the original 4.

I'm wondering if on the '7 anyone hiding any of these GWX involved updates then get offered different ones that weren't showing before. I believe maybe it's a way to still have GWX get in.

I'll probably buy a '10 one day sooner or later but I don't want these machines converted.

Is this a way for the sw to get around people using 'hide this update'?

 

If you definitely do not want Windows 10 on those machines ever, or at least until July 29 2016, until when they will try to force you to have it, then the only guaranteed thing that will stop it is to create the necessary REGISTRY entry now to disable it.
This is the entry you need to create:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate DWORD value: DisableOSUpgrade = 1
Restart the systems to make it effective.

Do take note though, if any of your Win 7, 8 or 8.1 are 'Enterprise' editions, then you don't need to do anything as they do not qualify for the upgrade.

 

No enterprise. And so far no gwx without the key. Maybe because I'm listing as a metered connection. Still looking into the cross reference.

 

Just did the hide/restore again. 4 before hiding - the largest 820mb. Then 'hide' and 22 show totaling 670mb so I believe most are from within the larger single update. Some I know I don't need as they pertain to uses I'll never have on this machine. Still in the 'check it out' mode.