# I must stop Windows 10 updates. How??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 4, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832 "2018-01-04T01:44:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/43 "2018-01-05T03:21:13Z")
For all the years of complaints that Windoze was so insecure and so horrible, why won’t Micro$oft fix it… Then they do and now that$ the mo$t horrible thing ever. And I say that as someone whose CUE install was broken for a week after the Creator Update and had to deal with default, DEFAULT LED keyboard lighting in my games. My games! Lana! (I have have been watching too much Archer lately) but still, OSes that fix themselves and protect me from the myriads of batshit insanity that roams the Interwebs is a good thing. I mean this latest Intel debacle will be fixed, automagically on my computers, my wife’s and kid’s computers, my parent’s computers, etc. without my intervention. The future is now. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2018, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/44 "2018-01-05T07:51:19Z")
The problem is: they only control the software - the hardware that it runs on is a big wobbly ball of timey… well, it’s a big mess of different combinations and configurations - almost inevitable that a software release into that environment will break something. I’m not making excuses - the problem has no very elegant solution - let the users easily decline updates and malware prevails; force updates on the users and risk breaking their computers. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2018, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/45 "2018-01-05T22:58:32Z")
Okay, let’s differentiate here between “updates” and “upgrades.” Because Windows 10 shoves “upgrades” like the Creator’s Update that breaks shit and fucks up drivers and the like, but there are regular security updates that are the ones that keep your malware and virus definitions current and patch security holes. There is no safety reason for random “upgrades,” any more than there’s any safety reason for going from a still supported version of Windows to another supported version. Ask my computer–it’s got all the regular security updates installed and is current. What it does NOT have is the most current version of bullshit because that requires the Windows Update Assistant to install itself and separately download whatever garbage those idiots have decided for us is the latest and greatest. All my drivers are up to date and they WORK, and all my installed apps are still installed and they also still work. The three times I got caught by that fucking Creator’s Update and had to roll it back to the previous version (lost time for me, approximately an hour per occurrence, plus swearing) drivers stopped working, installed apps were either arbitrarily uninstalled or were just not working. Now the Update Assistant can’t reinstall itself, the normal security updates are automatically downloaded and installed just like Microsoft wants and I no longer have to waste my time and energy either uninstalling the Update Assistant or rolling back to a previous version when it catches me off guard. I count that as much of a win as you can get and still remain in the Windows OS environment. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/46 "2018-01-06T00:20:34Z")
I believe Winaero and some meddling by me has stop the full blown upgrade for now. I simply do not want the Fall Creator upgrade since it screws up communication between my computer and my TV so badly. I hope I can keep it like this(working & rolled back) and not have to get rid of my computer over something so annoying. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/47 "2018-01-06T04:57:35Z")
Seriously, follow the instructions I posted above, it really does fix it. I hate that fucking Creator POS with every fiber of my being and it took me a while to find that solution–you could go research it too but my instructions are way easier to follow. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/48 "2018-01-06T06:18:44Z")
Silly question - but back to the OP, what’s the problem? When you go to display details what does it show for your TV? Select extend display so it shows both monitors, and see what it thinks the TV is. What it sounds like, is that your TV is a 4K (hey, I’m using one 43" for my monitor right now.) Therefore, it’s 3840x2160 pixels. When you \*\*\*mirror \*\*\*your display, you are mirroring your screen (1920x1080) onto a 4K TV. The HDMI from the TV tells the laptop “I’m really, really big!” Instead of upscaling the screen, it just uses the top left corner or something and reproduces the display pixel for pixel. Unfortunately, I don’t have a dual display here. (3840x2160 is more than enough). There must be some way to either tell the PC that the TV should use a lesser display mode (1920x1080) or scale the mirrored picture to fill the screen. Poke around in Display settings in control panel (or right-click on empty screen area). I’m betting the problem is the update reset the default behaviour to something different. After all, it can be annoying. I’ve seen a screen mirrored to an old TV resolution (Video converter to 480i for broadcast through a channel of the TV’s on all the exercise equipment). The screen reduced to the lower resolution even on the fancy widescreen monitor. It’s a “feature”, mirror to the lowest common denominator. However, the question is exactly how to reduce the bigger screen to lowest - use less pixels or scale the image and fill the screen? (What if the aspect ratios are different? For the case I saw, filled screen but black bars on the sides to turn a 19:6 display to 4:3.) Some programmer picked a new default for your hardware but I bet it can be changed. ---
**Author:** ![toast\_pakora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@toast\_pakora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toast_pakora)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/49 "2018-01-06T08:33:23Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Seriously, follow the instructions I posted above, it really does fix it. I hate that fucking Creator POS with every fiber of my being and it took me a while to find that solution–you could go research it too but my instructions are way easier to follow. Hmmm. I got partway through your instructions but when I opened the “ **Update Orchestrator** ” file, I did not see the two “Update Assistants” in the middle box. In the middle box, it lists: Maintenance Install MusUx\_LogonUpdateResults Policy Install Reboot Refresh Settings Resume on Boot Schedule Scan USO\_UxBroker\_Display USO\_UxBroker\_ReadyToReboot all with various statuses. fyi, I am not using the Admin acct but I can if need be. I have been able to delay the upgrade using the “metered connection” hack (via the Admin acct, IIRC) because I am on an extremely slow, unprotected wifi. Now I can postpone the upgrade weekly (I get a pop up dialog box saying the upgrade is ready to install but I can delay it for up to one week and choose the time) When I am not online, I disconnect the wifi altogether. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/50 "2018-01-06T14:09:23Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Seriously, follow the instructions I posted above, it really does fix it. I hate that fucking Creator POS with every fiber of my being and it took me a while to find that solution–you could go research it too but my instructions are way easier to follow. Oh, I did. And so far, so good. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/51 "2018-01-06T14:11:52Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Silly question - but back to the OP, what’s the problem? I have an entire thread dedicated to the problem as well. It is a 1080p resolution TV. [This one.](http://www.samsung.com/us/video/tvs/UN50EH5300FXZA-specs) It can not mirror, extend, or “second screen only” after the Fall Creator Update, but works fine rolled back to before that. It only displays the upper left corner of the screen in _any_ mode. Messing around with the resolutions in any mode has not helped. It is not magnified using any kind of magnifier, either. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/52 "2018-01-06T19:48:04Z")
> [@toast\_pakora](#): > > Hmmm. I got partway through your instructions but when I opened the “ **Update Orchestrator** ” file, I did not see the two “Update Assistants” in the middle box. > > In the middle box, it lists: > > Maintenance Install > MusUx\_LogonUpdateResults > Policy Install > Reboot > Refresh Settings > Resume on Boot > Schedule Scan > USO\_UxBroker\_Display > USO\_UxBroker\_ReadyToReboot > > all with various statuses. > fyi, I am not using the Admin acct but I can if need be. > > I have been able to delay the upgrade using the “metered connection” hack (via the Admin acct, IIRC) because I am on an extremely slow, unprotected wifi. Now I can postpone the upgrade weekly (I get a pop up dialog box saying the upgrade is ready to install but I can delay it for up to one week and choose the time) When I am not online, I disconnect the wifi altogether. Maybe it is an Admin thing–I don’t have any other accounts set up on my laptop because why would I? You touch my laptop and I break ya fingers, LOL. But the Update Assistant items should be right there between Schedule Scan and the USO\_UxBroker items. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/53 "2018-01-06T20:22:23Z")
I also used Winaero(recommended above) and it claims that it has: - Stopped full updates/upgrades from Windows - made my ethernet connection metered I see no evidence of either, but am hopeful. ---
**Author:** ![toast\_pakora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@toast\_pakora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toast_pakora)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/54 "2018-01-08T13:24:17Z")
\*Maybe it is an Admin thing _Okay_,\* I’ll try again in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/55 "2018-01-08T22:10:10Z")
To anyone who still thinks it’s a great idea to let MS autoapply patches and updates, I point you to a [report](https://tech.slashdot.org/story/18/01/08/124240/microsofts-meltdown-and-spectre-patch-is-bricking-some-amd-pcs) that MS’s fix for Meltdown/Spectre is crashing\* some people’s AMD CPU computers. I always want to wait a while to see if any “fixes” actually cause problems. Making MS Update hard to manage, esp. in Win-10 Home, is basically evil. - The report uses the term “brick” but that’s an abuse of terminology. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/56 "2018-01-09T19:06:14Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > To anyone who still thinks it’s a great idea to let MS autoapply patches and updates, I point you to a [report](https://tech.slashdot.org/story/18/01/08/124240/microsofts-meltdown-and-spectre-patch-is-bricking-some-amd-pcs) that MS’s fix for Meltdown/Spectre is crashing\* some people’s AMD CPU computers. > > I always want to wait a while to see if any “fixes” actually cause problems. Making MS Update hard to manage, esp. in Win-10 Home, is basically evil. > > - The report uses the term “brick” but that’s an abuse of terminology. Disagree. It’s a soft brick, since it can be fixed, but it’s still a brick. You cannot boot the OS, same as if you brick an update on your phone or tablet. You can only fix it by going into recovery mode and fiddling around, same as when you brick a phone or tablet. A crash would be something you could just restart and recover from. At least, that’s how I use it. This is bigger than a crash. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2018, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/57 "2018-01-09T21:51:18Z")
I am aware of the distinction between a hard brick and a soft brick\*. Without the adjective it means “hard brick”. - And the term “soft brick” is an abuse of terminology. If the device can be restored using basic methods, it isn’t bricked. It’s frozen/crashed/temporarily unusable. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2018, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/58 "2018-01-11T07:50:39Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > No. That’s not how it works. > > That might be what happens with a local area network. One unsecured computer can infect the whole network, but that’s not how it works with the Internet itself. This is the same Internet that every computer on Earth is connected to, from porn servers, Russian botnets, Nigerian phishing, Chinese espionage, etc. One guy with an out of date version of Linux is literally nothing compared to that. It’s not a threat to anyone else. Keep your own machine secure and stop worrying about what your neighbor does with his. That is exactly how this works. DDOS needs large numbers of bots. Spam is sent trough botnets. My neighbors camera and router are killing the internet. Stop talking about shit you don’t understand; get patching. Find a solution that doesn’t involve switching off updates; everybody is better off that way. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2018, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/59 "2018-01-11T08:01:26Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > To anyone who still thinks it’s a great idea to let MS autoapply patches and updates, I point you to a [report](https://tech.slashdot.org/story/18/01/08/124240/microsofts-meltdown-and-spectre-patch-is-bricking-some-amd-pcs) that MS’s fix for Meltdown/Spectre is crashing\* some people’s AMD CPU computers. I think it’s a good idea for MS to impose updates. I don’t think it’s perfect, and I know it causes pain, but I think on a global scale, it’s better than the alternative, because end users are not very good at deciding whether an update is important or not. > [@](#): > > I always want to wait a while to see if any “fixes” actually cause problems. Me too (and we do this at work, because we have the tools to manage it) - but what we can’t do is defer the updates forever. > [@](#): > > Making MS Update hard to manage, esp. in Win-10 Home, is basically evil. Yes, it is, but I believe it is the lesser of several evils, and leaving users to make their own wrong choices leads to a greater evil. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/60 "2018-01-12T06:52:17Z")
To the OP: Does your OS report your monitor/TV correctly? If not: have you tried with a different HDMI cable? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/61 "2018-01-12T07:09:48Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I think it’s a good idea for MS to impose updates. I don’t think it’s perfect, and I know it causes pain, but I think on a global scale, it’s better than the alternative, because end users are not very good at deciding whether an update is important or not. I disagree with this. I don’t mind Microsoft burying the setting and making it difficult, and I think most users should leave updates on. But on more than one occasion I’ve had automatic updates break software that is necessary to run on the machine. It doesn’t just “cause pain”. In some cases it can render the computer completely useless for its intended purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832/62 "2018-01-12T07:30:07Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > I disagree with this. > > I don’t mind Microsoft burying the setting and making it difficult, and I think most users should leave updates on. But on more than one occasion I’ve had automatic updates break software that is necessary to run on the machine. > > It doesn’t just “cause pain”. In some cases it can render the computer completely useless for its intended purpose. You’ll note that I was actually responding to a post about computers being rendered inoperable by updates. ‘Cause pain’ is a description of what happens to the affected users, not their computers - and if your computer stops working, it will probably cause you pain. Other things that can cause pain: Your computer being rendered inoperable by malware intrusion Your mailbox being flooded by spam originating from infected machines Your website being DDOSed by a botnet Your personal data being held to ransom by ransomeware etc. On a global scale, it’s better if all operable machines are patched; unfortunately, imposing that reality is not without risks - but the choice here is not ‘risk vs zero risk’ it’s ‘this risk vs that risk’ - leaving users to be responsible about patching is not without risks. It is evil to impose risks upon unconsenting parties, but there isn’t a zero-risk choice here. The best thing a (defacto) authority can do is to make the choice that minimises risk - to make the least evil choice - and that, I firmly believe, is to ensure that patching takes place. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-must-stop-windows-10-updates-how/805832.md?page=4)