Permanently Stop Windows Updates (Yes I really need to)

[BetaTime]

Hello,

 

I understand the common opinion is we should just learn to deal with Windows 10 updates, and in most cases maintaining up to date systems is a good practice; however, I have a few clients that need to have these automatic updates blocked. Not deferred,

not schedule for convenient times, but blocked entirely. These machines are not on a domain, but are pro edition (1703). They are connected to equipment or run software that requires manual prep work and scheduled downtime to do the updates.

 

Several windows 10 machines we've been able to block updates by making the following changes, but on one particular machine the changes keep reverting:

 

1. Disable BITS
   
2. Disable Delivery Optimization Service
   
3. Disable Update Orchestrator Service
   
4. Disable Windows Update Service
   
5. Disable Auto app updates from within windows 10
   
6. Disable Update Orchestrator scheduled tasks
   
7. Disable Windows Update Scheduled Tasks
   
8. Set local policy to disable automatic updates
   
9. Set local policy to specify a local fake wsus server
   
10. set local policy to prevent connecting to windows update server
    
11. Uninstalling update assistant
    
12. Reboot and verify all above services and tasks are still disabled
    

This machine had a pending update when we were initially tasked with disabling the updates, so I am not sure if that is what keeps undoing the changes.

 

Anyone have any suggestions for permanently stopping windows updates? Ideally I would like changes that can be undone so during maintenance windows we can re-enable the updates.

 

 

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