Updates downloaded & installed without permission

[Benteke]

Windows 7 used to create a restore point for the complete system prior to any "potentially" dangerous update set, one before the update complete download started, not one before each KB, manually selecting and deselecting KB's may change the default actions if they haven't been changed when Win7 went into Extended Support

Okay, thanks.... That's what I was after. So, if I manually create a restore point, I'm essentially backing up the entire registry? Yes/No???

It's Windows 7 - it just looks like XP (a bit) because that's how I like it!


Create a key here by right clicking "Windows" then select create new key. Name it "Windows Update"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

Then click on "Windows Update"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate

and create a new subkey with the name "AU"

In the left pane click on:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

In the right pane create a new REG_DWORD 32bit Value

Give it a value of 2

View attachment 384100​

Name it AU Options

Do the same for the other location posted.

Thanks.... Did what you suggested. One point to mention... After creating the 1st key & subkey for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows, I then attempted to do the same for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows but found I didn't need to. The same key & subkey "magically" appeared there as well. Is that normal?



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[Barman58]

Contents of a system restore plus do's and Don'ts etc - only Wikipedea but not bad

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Restore#Resources_monitored

 

[Callender]

Thanks.... Did what you suggested. One point to mention... After creating the 1st key & subkey for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows, I then attempted to do the same for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows but found I didn't need to. The same key & subkey "magically" appeared there as well. Is that normal?

I guess that it must be created by windows automatically then for 64bit machines!

I know that system restore does not monitor all files and folders. If it does backup the registry how would you extract an individual registry entry from the restore point?

I know how to extract files or folders. Personally I keep system restore disabled and rely on system image backups created at least weekly.

 

[legacy7955]

@callender:

I edited the registry as you instructed and now when you go to the change settings page for
Windows Update settings It has a header that informs that

"some settings are manged by your system administrator and the ability to change the
settings are greyed out....I guess it didn't work, any suggestions?

It does say in the greyed out area that it is set to "check for updates but let me decide whether to download and install them" but I noticed that on the shut down button I still have the indication ! that windows is going to install updates at shut down.

 

[Wandering one]

The following is a cut&paste from windows update privacy statement.

" Choice and control

Update Services are turned on if you choose one of the following settings: (a) install updates automatically; (b) download updates but let me choose whether to install them; or (c) check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them. The Windows Update service is turned on and set to "Install updates automatically" when you choose the express settings during Windows setup.
If you turn on the Update Services, regardless of which setting you have chosen, required updates to some components of the service will be downloaded and installed automatically without further notice to you. If you would prefer not to receive required updates, turn off the Update Services."

Second part sort of says it all. Keep my updates to NEVER and check manually once in a while. Works for me.
Art.

 

[Callender]

@callender:

I edited the registry as you instructed and now when you go to the change settings page for
Windows Update settings It has a header that informs that

"some settings are manged by your system administrator and the ability to change the
settings are greyed out....I guess it didn't work, any suggestions?

That's normal:

​

You have taken control of WU settings so that when updates are available you get the option to tick the checkboxes for the updates that you want to download and install and nothing gets downloaded automatically.

It does say in the greyed out area that it is set to "check for updates but let me decide whether to download and install them" but I noticed that on the shut down button I still have the indication ! that windows is going to install updates at shut down.

Well it will show that if there are updates waiting to be installed -in other words downloaded but not yet installed.

 

[legacy7955]

@Callender:

What I don't understand is why previously I didn't have to have things work in that way, I just changed the Update settings on the Windows Update page and it functioned as designed to...what changed?

 

[Callender]

@Callender:

What I don't understand is why previously I didn't have to have things work in that way, I just changed the Update settings on the Windows Update page and it functioned as designed to...what changed?

I don't know enough about that to say for sure. You're saying that updates were downloaded and installed automatically regardless of your settings. The only time I see an update like that is when Windows Update Client is automatically upgraded during Windows Update checks.

It's possible that something removed or reset some Group Policy settings. Also Windows Updates have been a little flaky lately for lots of users and that seemed to start after Windows 10 was released. Personally I resorted to fully removing all Windows Update Client/ Agent components and then reinstalling Windows Updates from scratch. That was not easy!

The Latest Windows Update Client seems to work best with .NET Framework 4.6.1 installed.

   Note

KB 2990214 - Apr 2015 - WUC: enables ability to upgrade to Win10
KB 3050265 - Jun 2015 - WUC: allows Group Policy to set "DisableOS Upgrade" key (replaces 2990214)
KB 3065987 - Jul 2015 - WUC: unspecified "improvements" (replaces 3050265)
KB 3075851 - Aug 2015 - WUC: fixes mess due to KB3065987 [cuts down WUC memory usage, but hides Update notifications if GWX app is active] (replaces 3065987)
KB 3083324 - Sep 2015 - WUC: unspecified "improvements" (replaces 3075851)
KB 3083710 - Oct 2015 - WUC: unspecified "improvements" (replaces 3083324)
KB 3102810 - Nov 2015 - WUC: fixes slow updates & high CPU usage (replaces 3083710)
KB 3112343 - Dec 2015 WUC: fix for issues with 3050265, e.g., "8007000E" error message (replaces 3102810)
KB 3135445 - Feb 2016 WUC: unspecified "improvements" (replaces 3112343)
KB 3138612 - Mar 2016 WUC: unspecified "improvements" (replaces 3135445)

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3102433

 

[Benteke]

The following is a cut&paste from windows update privacy statement.

" Choice and control


If you turn on the Update Services, regardless of which setting you have chosen, required updates to some components of the service will be downloaded and installed automatically without further notice to you. If you would prefer not to receive required updates, turn off the Update Services."

Do you have a link to that? First time I've heard of this, EVER. If this is true, I wonder why it has never been mentioned until now?

@Callender:

What I don't understand is why previously I didn't have to have things work in that way, I just changed the Update settings on the Windows Update page and it functioned as designed to...what changed?

...It's possible that something removed or reset some Group Policy settings. Also Windows Updates have been a little flaky lately for lots of users and that seemed to start after Windows 10 was released. Personally I resorted to fully removing all Windows Update Client/ Agent components and then reinstalling Windows Updates from scratch. That was not easy!

The Latest Windows Update Client seems to work best with .NET Framework 4.6.1 installed.

I'm not experiencing the same problem as legacy7955. My win updates settings page is as it was prior to creating the reg keys.... Just wanted to report that in case you were wondering.

 

[Callender]

The following is a cut&paste from windows update privacy statement.

" Choice and control

If you turn on the Update Services, regardless of which setting you have chosen, required updates to some components of the service will be downloaded and installed automatically without further notice to you. If you would prefer not to receive required updates, turn off the Update Services."

That refers to Windows Update components - not Windows Updates. See this post for an explanation:

http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...utomatic-updates-post1042245.html#post1042245

Do you have a link to that? First time I've heard of this, EVER. If this is true, I wonder why it has never been mentioned until now?

Link is here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/949104

Scroll down to "More information about Windows Update"

If you turn on Windows Update, software components that are directly related to Windows Update will have to be updated occasionally on your computer. These updates must be performed before Windows Update can check for required updates or before it can install other updates.

 

[Benteke]

Thanks Callender, good to know. I'm now considering changing my WU settings to off and just check manually, (I do that now anyway because since my last reinstall, I never seem to receive the "new updates available" flag), Therefore, I just check once/week and install any new critical/important updates.