You Won’t Be Able to Disable (or Delay) Windows Updates on Windows 10 Home

[Batu69]

Microsoft says Windows 10 will be “always up-to-date,” and they mean it. There’s no way to turn Windows Update off. Microsoft says feature updates will be tested on consumer devices before they’re rolled out to business PCs.

With Windows 10, Windows becomes a lot more like Google Chrome or a web application — it will automatically update. But they’re forcing more than security updates, and Microsoft has a troubling track record with broken Windows updates recently.

Windows 10 Will Have More Feature Updates and Changes

Windows 10 will be updated more frequently, and with more types of updates, than current versions of Windows. Traditionally, Windows releases saw only security and bugfixes. Occasionally, a service pack would add a few more features — but even those didn’t usually change much. The interface was designed to stay stable for the life of a Windows release. Microsoft has already started updating Windows more often, with the Windows 8.1 Update changing Windows 8.1‘s interface for the better.

This time around, Microsoft is committed to rolling out both security updates and feature updates to Windows 10. Most of the included applications will also automatically update themselves via the Windows Store. Microsoft is thinking of Windows 10 as the last versions of Windows, so instead of a Windows 11 or Windows 10.1, we should see feature updates and interface changes appear on an ongoing basis.

Windows Update Can’t Be Disabled (or Delayed) on Windows 10 Home

To ensure everyone is secure and up-to-date on a stable platform, Microsoft won’t allow Windows 10 Home systems to delay Windows updates. Updates will automatically download, and they’ll be installed when you next reboot, or you can schedule a reboot. You’re not allowed to disable WIndows Update entirely, and you’re also not allowed to put updates off if you don’t want to install them.

The only options are “Automatic (recommended)” and “Notify to schedule restart.”

Businesses Get Feature Updates After They’re Tested on Home Computers

But businesses may not want to get feature updates — only security updates. For this reason, Microsoft detailed several different Windows 10 “branches” for businesses in a blog post titled Windows 10 for Enterprise: More secure and up to date. Windows 10 Enterprise customers can use a “long term servicing branch” of Windows that will receive only security updates, but not feature updates.

Business customers also have “Current branch for Business.” Here’s what MIcrosoft says about this branch — which could potentially be worrying for Windows 10 Home Users:

“By putting devices on the Current branch for Business, enterprises will be able to receive feature updates after their quality and application compatibility has been assessed in the consumer market, while continuing to receive security updates on a regular basis….

By the time Current branch for Business machines are updated, the changes will have been validated by millions of Insiders, consumers and customers’ internal test processes for several months, allowing updates to be deployed with this increased assurance of validation.”

Microsoft is promising businesses better stability and compatibility with these feature updates by assuring businesses they’ll be tested on consumer Windows PCs first. That’s a little worrying if you’re using a Home version of Windows.

There’s Always Windows 10 Professional

While most computers will come with Windows 10 Home, you’ll also be able to use Windows 10 Professional. You can pay $99 to upgrade a computer from Home to Professional. If you were previously using Windows 7 Pro or Windows 8 Pro, you’ll get Windows 10 Professional when you upgrade.

Windows 10 Professional will have the ability to delay Windows updates. As Microsoft’s Windows 10 specifications page puts it:

“Windows 10 Home users will have updates from Windows Update automatically available. Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise users will have the ability to defer updates.”

It seems likely that Windows 10 Professional will have the ability to switch to the “Current branch for business,” although the “long term servicing branch” will likely be only for Windows 10 Enterprise. However, even the current branch for business will force you to regularly update to new features after a few months — you just get a few months to stay on a stable version of Windows while the changes are tested on all those Windows 10 Home PCs.

Will This Be a Problem?

It’s unclear if this will actually be a huge stability problem. In the recent past, Microsoft has released quite a few broken Windows updates that caused problems on some computers — here are just a few of them. It may be a good idea to delay those “optional” updates on your Windows 7 or 8.1 PCs today, just to ensure they won’t cause problems when you install them. That’s what businesses do by delaying and testing updates.

Come Windows 10, you won’t be able to delay these updates on your home computers. However, “Windows Insiders” will still be testing these updates before they reach stable Windows 10 Home computers. That means there will be a public, unstable branch of Windows that big updates like this can be tested in before they’re released to the larger public. That’s a definite improvement, and hopefully it means those updates will be stable by the time they’re automatically downloaded to Windows 10 Home PCs.

Microsoft will also benefit from getting as many people possible on Windows 10 and keeping them on the same Windows codebase. Currently, even someone using Windows 8.1 may have different sets of updates installed and Microsoft has to ensure every possible configuration works.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Microsoft is trying to keep everyone up-to-date with the latest security fixes in Windows 10, and that’s a good goal. They’re also trying to keep all Windows users reasonably current with the latest interface changes, features, and low-level developer features. This makes Windows into a more consistent platform.

But, with updates automatically installed whether you want them or not, a buggy update could cause problems on many home computers and there’d be no avoiding it. Microsoft will have to improve the quality of Windows updates. Telling business users that changes will be tested on home PCs before they’re made available is a little worrying, with home users forced to pay more for a Windows 10 Professional upgrade if they want those stable, business-grade updates.

And, if Windows 10 truly is the last big version of Windows, this means you won’t be able to avoid any dramatic interface changes you don’t like. If Microsoft’s Windows team decides to go off the deep end again and brings in the kind of dramatic, unwelcome changes we saw with Windows 8, there will be no way to cling to the original interface offered in Windows 10 — not unless you’re using the enterprise version of Windows.

Source

[virge]

Some updated force you to reboot afterwards, if Microsoft is forcing updates down our throat, what will happen if your in the middle of something and Windows decides to reboot to complete the updates. Just like removing the start menu, after Microsoft get's complaints about this feature, they will get there heads out of there arses.

[shorty6100]

Excellent. I will be getting Windows 10 Pro, so if I read this right, I will no longer install optional updates, just important or critical ones. I want control of what is on my PC.

[HATE9X]

This is horrible.

Am I the only who still skims the KB articles for updates before installing them? I like to know what's being installed on my PC.

There's a useless crap from time to time.. I also recall an update that would actually add an extra service that would run.. can't for the life of me remember the reason now unfortunately, but I don't want extra crap either way.

Extra diagnostics or something? That would actually even phone home IIRC; obv. supposedly just for diag., but gimme a break M$.

Then there are the Office updates for Office apps that are not even installed..

Guess I'm staying on Win7 longer than I thought.

[Sonar]

maybe for the basic computer user, but I bet any firewall can stop the process.

[penitenziagite]

I'm feeling like a guinea pig!!

[Kalju]

Do not see any reason to ban them, but do not believe that it is impossible to deny them.
All, that is man-made, can also be re-done.

[steven36]

Some updated force you to reboot afterwards, if Microsoft is forcing updates down our throat, what will happen if your in the middle of something and Windows decides to reboot to complete the updates. Just like removing the start menu, after Microsoft get's complaints about this feature, they will get there heads out of there arses

On winnows 8.1 they never force me to reboot its set to reboot 2 days latter if i dont reboot by then .

Seems this will be the same . only you cant trun auto updates off witch I keep them on anyways and most of the time do the ones on patch Tuesday before it does them itself . I always do all updates and block any unneeded crap with my firewall they call out .

[SPECTRUM]

Some updated force you to reboot afterwards, if Microsoft is forcing updates down our throat, what will happen if your in the middle of something and Windows decides to reboot to complete the updates. Just like removing the start menu, after Microsoft get's complaints about this feature, they will get there heads out of there arses.

the same as always, if you are doing something in the PC it will ask you to restart.

it will only restart automatically if your not doing anything and PC is idle for several time.

[steven36]

Excellent. I will be getting Windows 10 Pro, so if I read this right, I will no longer install optional updates, just important or critical ones. I want control of what is on my PC.

You will only be able to put them off tell latter in-case they have a bad update or something.. if you buy pro or upgrade from pro . You will not be able to turn them off.

“Windows 10 Home users will have updates from Windows Update automatically available. Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise users will have the ability to defer updates.”

Defer means to put off (an action or event) to a later time; postpone.

[OrbingStorm]

I like choice.I dont like having microsoft taking away those choices I already have.What about the updates that dont go so well for many.

[steven36]

I like choice.I dont like having microsoft taking away those choices I already have.What about the updates that dont go so well for many.

most updates that dont go well for many they dont figure it out tell after they installed the update and have to uninstall it from windows update . Some updates Microsoft have reissued many times . It sounds like it would be hard to implement if you got a botched update and uninstalled wouldn't it just come back ? :lol:

the good thing about it is maybe people will stop turning off updates and getting way behind . ;)

Anyways I'm going wait tell its officially released to see what others say about it ,you got a year to decide if we want to upgrade for free . :D

[mona]

Hmm....

So if MS (whether with cooperation with administration or hijacked by world terrorists) decides to send us - in their updates - say a keylogger or any other piece of code for spying us or other bad purposes, we will be able to do absolutely nothing to avoid it. Even if the truth would come up / would be publicly known ...

Isn't incapacitation the right name for this ? Mind the world wide scale ... It sounds terribly dangerous.

I can imagine the situation when one day we could find out all our illegal stuff (software, multimedia) was swept away by a kind of virus/trojan dispatched within MS updates. Is this still complete si-fi ?

[mantazzo]

I'm actually not against the idea Microsoft has taken (I will be alone with the same thinking I guess). I can't blame them, at least they're trying...

..although more updates - more PC fragmentation - slower PC.

[Ryrynz]

This is horrible.

Am I the only who still skims the KB articles for updates before installing them? I like to know what's being installed on my PC.

There's a useless crap from time to time.. I also recall an update that would actually add an extra service that would run.. can't for the life of me remember the reason now unfortunately, but I don't want extra crap either way.

Extra diagnostics or something? That would actually even phone home IIRC; obv. supposedly just for diag., but gimme a break M$.

Then there are the Office updates for Office apps that are not even installed..

Guess I'm staying on Win7 longer than I thought.

So you avoid installing the "crap" for performance reasons right? Windows 10 will be faster than 7 noticeably. You can still disable services.. but you won't gain anything by staying on 7, you'll just be

a) prolonging the inevitable b ) staying on a less secure system c) staying with a slower system d) staying with a less up to date system

It don't make a lot of sense really.

[steven36]

This is horrible.

Am I the only who still skims the KB articles for updates before installing them? I like to know what's being installed on my PC.

There's a useless crap from time to time.. I also recall an update that would actually add an extra service that would run.. can't for the life of me remember the reason now unfortunately, but I don't want extra crap either way.

Extra diagnostics or something? That would actually even phone home IIRC; obv. supposedly just for diag., but gimme a break M$.

Then there are the Office updates for Office apps that are not even installed..

Guess I'm staying on Win7 longer than I thought.

So you avoid installing the "crap" for performance reasons right? Windows 10 will be faster than 7 noticeably. You can still disable services.. but you won't gain anything by staying on 7, you'll just be

a) prolonging the inevitable b ) staying on a less secure system c) staying with a slower system d) staying with a less up to date system

It don't make a lot of sense really.

The general public dont care about this

Windows 7 was released to manufacturing on 22 July 2009, and reached general retail availability on 22 October 2009.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Microsoft_Windows

Its faster than XP but it did not become the most used O/S tell Oct 12, 2011

http://royal.pingdom.com/2011/10/12/windows-7-just-became-the-most-widely-used-desktop-os-in-the-world/

Windows 8.1 is faster than XP but still more people use xp :)

Edit : As far security goes XP dont have real updates anymore and is slower than modern O/S

Windows XP was around decade and on top of the most used windows it took windows 7 some years to gain its top spot with people still heavily using XP .

It was projected in 2011 Windows 7 might hit 50 percent market share before Windows 8 drops, but in ten years, it'll be about as relevant as Windows 95 in 2005.

But no one knew Windows 8 was going be a big flop like it is and more people use windows XP than Windows 8 . :lol:

History always repeats itself .. If it dont Windows 10 will be the 1st O/S that Microsoft has flopped 2 in a row . Windows 98 se witch was like sp2 of 98 was much better then windows ME witch was a total flop XP sp1-3 was a good O/S . Windows had evolved to the point it didn't make much sense to use 98 anymore. Then came Vista witch was a total flop ..Then came Windows 7 witch became a great O/S after SP2 came out . Windows 8.x is a total Flop even though its not a bad O/S If you tweak it to you're likening. it flopped because people dont like change . :P