Automatic installation of updates is a feature that Microsoft has included in its OS since Windows XP, in my opinion, in one of the service packs, but I don't remember exactly which one. In general, the developers themselves strongly do not recommend turn off automatic updates since this can compromise its safety, however, in some cases it makes sense. For example, if your copy of windows is not entirely licensed in origin.
Why turn off automatic Windows updates?
My personal laptop has licensed Windows 7 Home Basic, while I turned off the automatic update almost immediately. And I don't even want to.
You know, everything works fine, no failures for almost 3 years.
- sometimes users turn off updates, because after them failures occur, the computer stops loading at all, appears blue screen death, or their installation continues for a very long time.
- Also, the reason why there is a desire to turn off automatic updates is the small size of the C drive. Free space on it runs out very quickly, especially since Windows downloads and installs them almost every week.
How do I prevent requests for updates from appearing at all?
Turn off all updates in Windows 7
To get rid of Windows 7 updates once and for all, I have prepared the following instructions. It is valid for any edition of the Seven (Basic, Home, Home Advanced, Corporate, Professional, or Ultimate). Right click on My computer and go to Properties... Go to Windows Update
On the left in the list, select "Parameter settings"
We need to set the switch to the "Do not check for updates" position, check the box in the "Recommended updates" section and click OK.
We are looking for a service called Windows Update. We put startup type: Disabled and click OK. We reboot the Computer.
We remove all notifications about the need for updates
Now you need to get rid of notifications that updates are turned off. We look in the tray, click on the flag image and select "Open Support Center".
We turn off all notifications that relate specifically to the update center. I found 2 of them myself.
This completes the instruction. I hope you found it useful. Switching on can be done in reverse order.
Sometimes updates in Windows 7 start to install automatically because this option is selected by default. However, not all users want to receive updates at this particular time, since the installation can interfere with normal interaction with programs or simply consume a huge amount of Internet traffic. Especially for such cases, there are several options for stopping the installation of updates, which we want to talk about in the framework of today's material.
We have selected four different options for completing the task set today. All you need to do is familiarize yourself with each of them in order to find the best one. Let's clarify right away that each method involves performing completely different actions, therefore it is worth paying attention to all the instructions presented. Let's start with the most popular and fastest solution, gradually moving on to others.
Method 1: Stop file download
This method involves using the menu Windows Update, where the main download and installation procedure takes place. It is suitable only in a situation when the files are still at the stage of downloading from Microsoft servers. Then you can simply interrupt this operation, thereby postponing it for the future.
- Open up "Start" and go to the menu "Control Panel".
- Select a category here Windows Update.
- You will be immediately taken to home page required section. Here you just have to click on the button "Stop downloading file".
- A full stop will take a certain amount of time, so you will have to wait a bit.
- A message will notify you about the successful cancellation of the download. "Some updates are not installed"... If you go to restart the download, click on the button "Repeat".
After that, you can safely go about your business, because the installation of updates in the near future will definitely not be launched automatically. However, this will happen again if checking and installing updates is functioning in automatic mode... To prevent this from happening, you will have to disable this function, as described in detail in Method 4.
Method 2: Disable Windows Update Service
For functioning Windows Update first of all, the corresponding system service is responsible, starting and running automatically. However, nothing prevents you from disabling it, which will interrupt the installation of updates even at the stage when they have already been downloaded, but the operation has not yet completed. You can accomplish a similar task like this:
- Return to "Control Panel" and here left click on the section "Administration".
- Check out the list of items that appears. Here you need to click on "Services".
- Scroll down the list to find a line Windows Update... Double-click on it with LMB to move to properties.
- In the window "Properties" click on the button "Stop".
- The termination procedure for the service will begin. This can take up to a minute, and at this point it is better not to perform any other actions in the OS.
- After that, go to the list of updates and make sure that the download or installation has been canceled.
It should be borne in mind that by default a disabled service operates in automatic mode, that is, it will be launched when the search for updates starts or when a new Windows session is started. To avoid this in the same window "Properties" you need to change the startup type to "Manual" to control this setting.
Method 3: Rollback the installation through safe mode
The penultimate method, which we will talk about, is to cancel the installation of updates after they have all been downloaded and the computer is restarted. This method is suitable for those who have encountered problems during installation or simply do not want to wait a long time for this operation to complete. The whole point of the method is to stop the necessary services in safe mode, and it looks like this:
- Immediately upon starting the computer, press the key several times. F8 to display the window additional options downloads. Select option « Safe mode with command line support " by moving with the arrow keys on your keyboard, and then click on the key Enter.
- Wait for launch operating system in safe mode.
- "Command line" will be automatically launched as administrator. First enter the command net stop wuauserv to stop the service Windows Update... Activate it by clicking on Enter.
- Our service has already been disabled, so you can see a corresponding notification in the screenshot below. It will have different content for you, indicating a successful disconnection.
- Then, in the same key, enter two more commands, alternately net stop bits and net stop dosvc.
- All that remains is to reboot the computer to return to normal operation. To do this, use shutdown command/ r.
- You will receive a notification that less than a minute is left before Windows shutdown. Now it is better not to perform other actions, but just wait.
- The next session will be created at normal mode, and updates will not be installed.
Despite the complexity of implementation, this method is still the only solution that will help to cope with the installation of updates after restarting the computer. Unfortunately, while alternative options stop is not available.
Method 4: Disable checking for updates
We put this method in last place, as it is only suitable for those users who want to take care of installing updates in the future. It consists in changing the file check mode, that is, you will be able to control the installation yourself and will never be faced with the need to quickly cancel the addition of files until the operation is completed automatically. For detailed instructions on this topic, see a separate material on our website by clicking on the link below.
Removing installed updates
We want to make a small deviation from today's topic for those users, who did not manage to stop the installation of updates and now encounters errors while working at the computer or just wants to use previous version"Sevens". You can do this with five different ways, each of which is applicable in certain situations. Another author told about each of them in more detail on our website. Check out this material by clicking on the link below.
We talked about the available methods for canceling the installation of updates in the Windows 7 operating system. As you can see, there are various solutions on different situations... You just have to study each of them to decide on the right one.
Operating room updates Windows systems 7 play a very important role. Microsoft regularly releases new packages to ensure the security of users' operating systems. They close system vulnerabilities, thereby protecting the user's personal information.
But, owners of not quite licensed OS may face problems downloading and installing patches from Microsoft. In such assemblies, they most often cannot install correctly. Either some critical error appears, or one of the updates creates a conflict software... It may also happen that the system is completely or partially blocked by one of the security updates to authenticate the OS. Such security packages come to the computer at intervals from six months to a year. For example, this is KB971033 or this is KB915597. By installing this or another, similar security system package, the system will be partially blocked until it is activated via the Internet or by entering license key in the system settings. In such cases, the question arises, how to disable Windows updates 7 to avoid all these problems.
This is only a small fraction possible problems that may appear in the system when installing the next batch of computer protection tools. Therefore, when using a pirated assembly on your computer, searching for new patches on the network, automatic download and installation, it is better to completely disable it.
Disable security updates in Windows 7
Disable updates in Windows 7 - how is it done? Very simple.
- Click on the menu button " Start».
- Next, click “ Control Panel».
- Then " system and safety».
- Windows Update.
- In the left column of the window, select “ Settings».
In the subparagraph " Important Updates ", Switch the settings to the last line, where it says -" Don't check for updates". Next in parentheses there will be a warning that this action Not recommended.
In licensed systems, such packages do not create any problems and conflicts, in most cases. But developers can also make mistakes and very rarely, but it still happens, some kind of unfinished program appears. In such cases, the problem is usually fixed very quickly by releasing a new update that resolves the previous problem. Everything happens automatically without user intervention. The system itself finds, downloads and installs packages, if, of course, it is configured automatic loading and installed by the user initially.
Should I disable Windows 7 updates?
It should be remembered that by disabling the search and installation of important system file libraries for protection, you put your computer at risk. On unprotected systems, more often hacker attacks... This can threaten at least freezes or unstable operation of the OS, at least the loss of important data at the next viral attack... Also, the use of pirated assemblies, with which updates are not friendly, without taking into account the ethical side of the issue, threatens with serious system problems.
Of course service windows update- this is an important and necessary thing, for example, to strengthen the protection of the operating system, service files or user files from attacks by viruses and hackers. Often, developers through this service install program code into the operating system that corrects errors made by them that were not identified during the development and testing phase. Consider below two ways how to cancel Windows update 7.
How to undo a Windows 7 update yourself
Basically, users refuse to receive updates for the following reasons:
- the occurrence of critical errors after changing service files, which lead to the inoperability of the system.
- decrease in hard disk space due to the installation of more and more new improvements. This is true for owners of laptops and tablets with a small SSD.
- drop in internet speed due to download.
- long time off / on the computer during installation.
- pirate users Windows versions 7 may face limitation of the functioning of the system if the legitimacy of the license is verified.
Stopping the service responsible for updating Windows 7
In order to completely stop the process, run: "Start" - "Control Panel" - "Administrative Tools" - "Services". Find the Windows Update service and go to it.
Set the startup type in the window that opens - "Disabled". Then click the Stop and Apply buttons.
You can close the windows - the process is stopped.
Canceling windows update through "Explorer"
This is not as drastic as the first one. Run: "Start" - "Control Panel" - "Windows Update". In the window that opens, select "Parameter settings".
In a new window, in the "Important updates" section, set: "Do not check for ... (not recommended)" and uncheck all the boxes below to cancel. If necessary, you can launch the functionality manually by clicking the Check for Updates button.
If necessary, you can manually install updates by clicking the button "Checking for updates".
Rollback Windows 7 updates
In conclusion, we note that incorrect updates that interfere with the operation of the operating system can be removed when returning to the state prior to the changes made. Click Start - Accessories - System Tools - System Restore.
Select the desired restore point and click Further.
System restore takes some time, you must definitely wait for it to complete. This way you can undo your changes and return to the original state.
Operating system Windows 7 allows you to fine-tune the search parameters, download and install updates. Therefore, it is recommended to completely disable updates only for low-power computer models.
These include outdated PCs and laptops, and especially modern compact netbooks. For all other computers, setting in the mode is better suited. automatic search when the decision to download and install is made by the user at a convenient time for himself.
Why are automatic updates hindered?
Here's a short list of reasons:
An "illegal" operating system is installed on the computer, with gray activation, and after updates, activation simply flies.
Updates require a lot of traffic when downloading, making it difficult to use the Internet normally with a weak channel.
The update center is using resources and hard disk, and processor, and random access memory, while it still clogs free space on the hard disk in rare cases completely, interfering with the normal operation of the operating system.
If there are a lot of updates, then they take a long time to install, interfering with normal work at the computer and not allowing you to quickly turn off or turn on the computer.
Friends, do not forget that there is also a downside to the coin, when you turn off automatic updates, you get into the zone of risk of infecting your computer with new viruses and various types of system vulnerabilities, system updates reduce risks.
Disable automatic updates
Disable update service
There is another way to turn off automatic updates by disabling the Update Center service, which is more reliable in my opinion:
Life after disabling updates
Having figured out how to disable the update in Windows 7 in different ways, then you need to think about the possibility of manually starting the search for updates. If the Update Center service is disabled, then this cannot be done.
When you try to start a search, an error message will pop up. Whereas when shutting down through the Update Center itself, the search can be launched at any convenient time. If you plan to leave the computer turned on overnight for the update, it is better to switch the Parameter Settings back to Automatic installation.
Otherwise, the search mode will only find updates, and choosing from the list of found ones and starting the installation directly will require user participation.
