Prevent auto-downloading of Windows Updates when using mobile broadband?

[Jeff7181]

I'm curious if there's a way to disallow Vista from downloading Windows Updates while I'm connected to the Internet using mobile broadband (3G). I don't want to turn automatic updates off because I would like it to download updates in the background while I'm connected via WiFi or wired connection... I just don't want it pulling 200 MB of updates over my mobile broadband connection and eating up my allotted monthly bandwidth.

 

[heymrdj]

Can you just turn it to auto notification where it asks you before downloading? That's what I've done with my Vista laptop to prevent it from updating over my VPN or my mobile access when i'm on the go.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: heymrdj
Can you just turn it to auto notification where it asks you before downloading? That's what I've done with my Vista laptop to prevent it from updating over my VPN or my mobile access when i'm on the go.

That's what I do on all of my machines. I want to know what each update is before I install it, and with notification only, I can do that.

 

[RebateMonger]

I've never seen a setting that will do what you want. You'd have to manually set the Automatic Updates settings as you change locations to allow/disallow downloading updates.

Edit: I'm wrong. See below.

 

[bruceb]

This link tells how to set Vista's auto update options:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.c...-b4267df16bb91033.mspx

It can be set just like XP to Notify, but do not download or install, or OFF altogether.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: bruceb
It can be set just like XP to Notify, but do not download or install, or OFF altogether.

You are right. It's in both Vista and XP. I've never used that option, so never paid attention to it.