Disable Windows 10 Automatic Updates
By Stephen Bucaro
Windows 10 is not an operating system in the sense that previous versions of Windows were.
It's primarily a marketing device. Cortana is Microsoft's automated voice sales person. The
Windows search is now designed to search Microsoft's Store first. Automatic Update is no longer
used primarily to fix security issues. In Windows 10 Automatic Updates are primarily used to
bind the operating system tighter to Microsoft's Store.
Not only is Microsoft making the Windows operating system into a marketing device, but they
are also making it more and more difficult to disable these advertising push functions. In
other words involuntary in-your-face advertising. To protect yourself from this pervasive
advertising you need to disable Windows Update service.
1. Open a Management Console by typing services.msc into the Windows Search box.
2. Find Windows Update in the list of services. Double-click on the Windows Update name.
3. In the Windows Update Properties dialog box, in the Startup type: drop-down
list, select Disabled.
3. Click on the [Apply] button, then click on the [OK] button.
The description in the Management Console warns you "if you disable this service you
will not be able to install updates". So if you desire to perform an update some time in
the future, you can use the services.msc to manually start the service. But don't
be surprised if Microsoft uses the opportunity to configure your system for involuntary advertising.
More Windows Administration Information:
• Windows 10 Diagnostic Data Send to Microsoft
• Hands-On Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Administration
• A Day in the Life of a System Administrator
• How to Transfer a Large Amount of Data Between Two Windows 10 Computers
• Script to Print a Directory File List
• Cortana, Assistant or Spy?
• Script to Display the Processes Running on a Computer
• Kill The Messenger (Service)
• How to Optimize Your Solid State Drive
• Computer Technician's Guide to Dealing with Customers
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