Windows 7: Windows Update options grayed out - is this new?

I just noticed that Windows Update options are grayed out in the drop down menu. I checked group policy and it is set to 'let me choose' which is what is displayed on the WU screen. I can modify it in group policy to something else but I can not change it to anything else on the Windows Update screen.

Last month I had to do a manual install of the latest kernel update so I changed WU to Never Check (it was obviously working then). After the installation was successful I re-enabled WU to 'let me choose'. It was not grayed out after I reset it. This is the only change I have made recently in WU.

Should I run the Windows Update Repair or is this something that Microsoft has just recently implemented and I missed the announcement?

Hi,
I haven't noticed anything being changed like that
Settings are still switchable as usually were.
Look at you history to see what else was installed.
Anything Optional/ recommended updates wise or just important updates installed lately ?

That's normal if you've used software that over-rides WU default settings.

Greyed out options. Check and delete the following:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

additionally on a 64bit machine delete:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

Only delete the AU subkeys.

Reboot.

EDIT: Don't forget to reapply settings after reboot.

I was looking around to see if it was a new thing and found another post similar so I thought something must be up. I was wrong and the other poster got their problem fixed using this same link. I will try it too. Tnx Callender.

Could also be due to applying group policy settings to block GWX (I think) but there's no need for that currently.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate]
"DisableOSUpgrade"=dword:00000001

Hey it worked. If I could buy you a beer, I would.

I took a look at Group Policy and every thing for Windows Update is set to Not Configured (default), except the one to block new OS upgrades. It is enabled. Callender, you might be onto something there.

Thx. This worked for me.
I usually never update, but for some dumb reason a few days ago, I did

But the true reason was for the past year or 2 (or even 3yrs), this problem here (which is out of this tread -sorry-) <C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k NetworkService> is giving me the worst headache. The only way I can resolve speed-connection lag is through using ProcessExplorer as ADMIN and terminate this process-tree.

Anyhow, this morning after applying(deleting) those registry-keys and applying my pref to WindowsUpdate (as they were for the past 10yrs -Never check for update-) it took 10mins to have connection working.
Not only that, it took several "force-shut-down" (reset) because the system became unusable each time I would kill "-k NetworkService"

I'll stop here because this reply is like switching tread here.

Feel free to move or copy this reply into another or new tread

Thx