Official: How to manage Windows 10 notification and upgrade options

[Kaido]

FYI: Microsoft is now rolling out Windows 10 nagware to non-WSUS-controlled business computers, in addition to home computers. Fortunately Microsoft also released a document for disabling the update notifications:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3080351

Two steps:

1. Disable the Win10 automatic upgrade
2. Disable the notification area icon & popup

How to manage the Windows 10 upgrade:

Group Policy
Microsoft has released new updates to enable you to block upgrades to Windows 10 through Windows Update. These updates install a new Group Policy Setting. Computers that have this Group Policy Setting enabled will never detect, download, or install an upgrade to the latest version of Windows.

To obtain and install these updates, go to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:

3065987 Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: July 2015
3065988 Windows Update Client for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2: July 2015
To configure this Group Policy Setting by using Group Policy, the following conditions apply:

The appropriate update must be installed.
You must use the updated WindowsUpdate.admx file by copying the file from the editing policy location.
Computer Configuration
To block the upgrade by using Computer Configuration, follow these steps:

Click Computer Configuration.
Click Policies.
Click Administrative Templates.
Click Windows Components.
Click Windows Update.
Double-click Turn off the upgrade to the latest version of Windows through Windows Update.
Click Enable.
Policy path: Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Windows Update Policy
Setting: Turn off the upgrade to the latest version of Windows through Windows Update
Windows registry
Important Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.

To block the upgrade to Windows 10 through Windows Update, specify the following registry value:

Subkey: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
DWORD value: DisableOSUpgrade = 1

Hide the "Get Windows 10" app: (notification area icon)

For non-Enterprise versions of Windows, the notification icon can be suppressed through the Windows registry. To do this, set the following registry value:

Subkey: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Gwx
DWORD value: DisableGwx = 1

 

[Nashemon]

Nice. I've done this on all my family's computers. For those afraid of the registry, there is an automated tool that will do this process for you called GWX Control Panel. Also has undo options if you ever decide you want the update.

 

[Kaido]

Nice. I've done this on all my family's computers. For those afraid of the registry, there is an automated tool that will do this process for you called GWX Control Panel. Also has undo options if you ever decide you want the update.

Awesome, thanks! Link here:

http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

 

[Kaido]

Nice. I've done this on all my family's computers. For those afraid of the registry, there is an automated tool that will do this process for you called GWX Control Panel. Also has undo options if you ever decide you want the update.

Microsoft, you pile of garbage...GWX just showed me that Win10 had pre-loaded the download files in a folder, sucking up 3.1 gigs of disk space on my small SSD boot drive :thumbsdown:

 

[JackMDS]

I would like to add that using "Tools" that are available to Download from different sites is a rather Risky issue.

Many of them are generated by individuals that have Single computers or some other none conventional configuration.

It might work well for the "Nice Provider's Computer" but it might be dangerous to others.

I have a friend who have a Small Business Network consist on Home group 8 computers. Ap0plying one of the Disable Win 10 Upgrade free Tool trashed his network. It created Havoc in Group Policies and deemed the Network unsaleable.

Unfortunately to avoid such behavior One has to learn how to do the Disabling Manualy as decribed in the OP.

 

[Kaido]

Steve Gibson released a Windows 10 upgrade block app called Never 10. Here it is compared to GWX:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/30...er10-vs-josh-mayfields-gwx-control-panel.html

It's straight from GRC, so it's pretty safe:

https://www.grc.com/never10.htm

 

[Executioner]

Steve Gibson released a Windows 10 upgrade block app called Never 10. Here it is compared to GWX:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/30...er10-vs-josh-mayfields-gwx-control-panel.html

It's straight from GRC, so it's pretty safe:

https://www.grc.com/never10.htm

Yeah I would use Steve's tool.