I want control back - as in I decide when to do Windows Update

BlindZenDriver

In general Windows 10 works well for me, but I absolutely detest that I can not have complete on when to do Windows Update and especially when the system is rebooted.

While, sort of, livable with my gaming rig as I have scheduled it to update at night it really messes with my media server. I have this DIY build really frugal silent server which runs 24/7, since it does duty as not only music server but also FTP server and stuff used by friends of mine spread across the globe. This means there is really isn't any great time for Microsoft to make it reboot, but I find my self unable to stop it doing so

Any tips on what to do?

My server in question runs Win10 Pro which I know of course isn't meant as a server OS. From what I gather if the machine was on a company network with an AD and all that, then the Windows updates could be controlled by policies defined by the AD only here at home with 2-3 PC's and no Windows Server that isn't the way forward. Swapping Windows 10 for Linux is also out(I tried that but to much wasn't running well), likewise is going back to Windows 7 or 8 since that would then only be a temporary solution.
I could get a Windows Server OS using the MSDN subscription I have from work, but that then would not be legit and also my server is on the small side hardware wise (4 GB ram).

jungleroomx

Select to update as soon as it prompts you to do it, because then you'll get a chance to pick the time.

Procrastinate and shove the updates away and it'll eventually just do it for you.

Update your computer.

wunderbar

yea, you just have to pick a time and do it. Windows 10 forces security updates, and that is a good thing. Generally those proactive with updating have a better time because Windows has better controls. It's when you try to postpone it as long as possible that the system puts its foot down and says "no, it has been long enough"

And for the record, Windows 10's most recent versions will wait as long as a week from the time the update is first installed to when it finally just forces a reboot. You have a week. that's plenty of time to just schedule 5 minutes for it to be down.

bowen

lol 5 minutes

but still yeah, just update every night before you go to bed, ezpz

wunderbar

bowen wrote: »

lol 5 minutes

but still yeah, just update every night before you go to bed, ezpz

If it's just the monthly patch, yea it's usually 5 minutes. Maybe 10 on a bad day. The feature updates (i.e. 1709 to 1803) are a lot longer of course.

Shadowfire

You can force Windows to not download anything but the security updates by telling it your WiFi is a metered connection. But you'll still get the security updates and the major rollouts. That's by design.

jungleroomx wrote: »

Update your computer.

a5ehren

Yeah...for a small-time file server, just tell your users "tough titties, don't count on the server being up from <time> to <later time> every day so that I don't get owned", and then set it up to accept any and all updates and apply them with a reboot at <time>.

I'm not a Windows admin so I don't know the best way to do that, though.

LD50

If it's windows 10 pro you can force manual updates via a gpo, but don't do that, just let windows update the machine at 3 am or whatever and be done with it.

Feral

I have an overly technical and nerdy way of forcing updates to run at the specific date and time I want them to.

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty with some scripting I'd be happy to share.

BlindZenDriver

First of all thank you everyone for your input.
I get that I should just do it and also that Microsoft has made it like that since they want everyone to update - they properly got tired of people saying bad things about their security when really a big issue was users newer upgrading.

I should perhaps given a bit more detail on my server. I sits hidden away and not connected to anything but power and LAN. Which means all interaction with it is done remotely or rather my intention is to do so and thus I do not see the update prompts except only by chance, so the effect I will know it has updated because it rebooted and one of the services it runs has not gotten back up.
Like for example the server updated two days after I went away on Holiday, since it was one of those updates that come with new stuff ie. bloatware it halted during final reboot so I could not access from my Holiday. Of course I should have checked the server before going away, but it is my computer so I should have control and not be the slave of Microsoft.

Feral wrote: »

I have an overly technical and nerdy way of forcing updates to run at the specific date and time I want them to.

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty with some scripting I'd be happy to share.

Please do share. I work in IT as a Problem Manager and while I do not get my hands into the machinery on a daily basis, doing so isn't one bit scary and in fact it can even be fun.

Feral

The short version:

I use a Windows Powershell module called PSWindowsUpdate.

Then I use Task Scheduler to kick off the PSWindowsUpdate job.

Task Scheduler lets me choose a specific date and time. I can also choose whether to reboot immediately or defer the reboot.

Note that I use Windows 10 Professional and Windows 10 Enterprise, so I don't know if this method works on Home.

I'll post more details in a little while.

wunderbar

Patches come the second Tuesday of every month. It's not random.

With the exception of the feature updates, i.e. 1709-1803. Those, unfortunately can come at random. but the vast majority of the time the monthly patch comes on a predictable day.

Feral

Dude, I totally forgot about this thread, sorry

But luckily I posted the procedure in the sysadmin thread a while back and the instructions are more or less the same

https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/37742738/#Comment_37742738

BlindZenDriver

Feral wrote: »

Dude, I totally forgot about this thread, sorry

But luckily I posted the procedure in the sysadmin thread a while back and the instructions are more or less the same

https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/37742738/#Comment_37742738

That is totally fine. It will be a few days before I have time to thinker with things anyway, so there is no rush.

I haven't done much with Powershell in recent times, so this could be a good excuse to revisit the tool.

Thank you for all the info.

BlindZenDriver

wunderbar wrote: »

Patches come the second Tuesday of every month. It's not random.

With the exception of the feature updates, i.e. 1709-1803. Those, unfortunately can come at random. but the vast majority of the time the monthly patch comes on a predictable day.

You're right about patch Tuesdays and I guess being more systematic about that can take away some of the issue. However as you mention there is still the feature updates.

I shall give the solution Ferai has come with a go, but thank you for reminding me about the Tuesday thing.