WAU Manager

[Fredclaus]

Fred,

Just a quick question. I am looking to change my computer so the WAU Manager does my updates instead of the Windows Updates program. That one just seems to suck lately. Is there a way to tell it to run on a regular basis, but silently?

[Fred]

Hi Fred. Yes, everything is on WAU Manager's Dashboard. UI mode: Quiet. Then use the provided schedule to have it updating whenever you want.

[Fredclaus]

Thanks Fred, I appreciate it. I'm trying to learn Powershell, so I wonder if there is a way to script this all through there. I'll have to play around with it. Otherwise I'll just set it up with the UI.

[Fred]

Oh, I see. That is perfectly doable. You see, Wau manager creates a scheduled task and specifies a /flag= argument that defines how the application should behave.
For example, the following command will make WAU Manager update drivers and software every 10 days, and do not show any UI:

Code: Select all

schtasks /create /TN "WAU Manager Windows Updates Task" /SC DAILY /MO 10 /RL HIGHEST /TR "C:\ProgramData\UVK\WAU Manager.exe /update /flag=19" /F

Possible flag values are:
1 for updating drivers
2 for updating software
3 for updating both
8 for progress only
16 for silent (no UI)

so /flag=19 means update both drivers and software silently, no UI.
If you copy/paste the command above, do not forget to update the path of the application.

[freeburn12]

Hi Fred

Could you add an advanced option that enables and disables the full windows update services like this.
It's essential when you want totally disable telemetry, although it is best to remove these services altogether but WAU will no longer work

You need admin permissions for disable and reboot

Code: Select all

rem == Disable windows update  == 
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\BITS" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "4" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\DoSvc" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "4" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\UsoSvc" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "4" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\WaaSMedicSvc" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "4" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\WpnService" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "4" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\wuauserv" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "4" /f

rem == Re-Enable windows update services by default before checking for  updates  == 
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\BITS" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "3" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\DoSvc" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "2" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\UsoSvc" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "2" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\WaaSMedicSvc" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "3" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\WpnService" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "2" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\wuauserv" /v "Start" /t REG_DWORD /d "3" /f

And if we want to go further, with an option to disable windows update telemetry:

Code: Select all

rem == Disable windows update telemetry == 
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" /v "NoWindowsUpdate" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v "SetDisableUXWUAccess" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v "DoNotConnectToWindowsUpdateInternetLocations" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v "WUServer" /t REG_SZ /d "\" \"" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v "WUStatusServer" /t REG_SZ /d "\" \"" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v "UpdateServiceUrlAlternate" /t REG_SZ /d "\" \"" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" /v "NoAutoUpdate" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" /v "UseWUServer" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f

rem == delete telemetry windows update scheduled tasks ==
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /f

rem == restrict windows update internet communication ==
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v "DisableWindowsUpdateAccess" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f

rem == disable windows store from windows update ==
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsStore\WindowsUpdate" /v "AutoDownload" /t REG_DWORD /d "5" /f

[freeburn12]

Or if you use Powershell:

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# Disable Windows Update services
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\BITS" -Name "Start" -Value 4 -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\DoSvc" -Name "Start" -Value 4 -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\UsoSvc" -Name "Start" -Value 4 -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\WaaSMedicSvc" -Name "Start" -Value 4 -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\WpnService" -Name "Start" -Value 4 -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\wuauserv" -Name "Start" -Value 4 -Force

# Re-enable Windows Update services
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\BITS" -Name "Start" -Value 3 -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\DoSvc" -Name "Start" -Value 2 -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\UsoSvc" -Name "Start" -Value 2 -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\WaaSMedicSvc" -Name "Start" -Value 3 -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\WpnService" -Name "Start" -Value 2 -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\ControlSet001\Services\wuauserv" -Name "Start" -Value 3 -Force

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# Disable Windows Update telemetry
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" -Name "NoWindowsUpdate" -Value 1 -Type DWord -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" -Name "SetDisableUXWUAccess" -Value 1 -Type DWord -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" -Name "DoNotConnectToWindowsUpdateInternetLocations" -Value 1 -Type DWord -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" -Name "WUServer" -Value "\" \"" -Type String -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" -Name "WUStatusServer" -Value "\" \"" -Type String -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" -Name "UpdateServiceUrlAlternate" -Value "\" \"" -Type String -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" -Name "NoAutoUpdate" -Value 1 -Type DWord -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" -Name "UseWUServer" -Value 1 -Type DWord -Force

# Delete telemetry Windows Update scheduled tasks
Remove-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" -Recurse -Force

# Restrict Windows Update internet communication
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" -Name "DisableWindowsUpdateAccess" -Value 1 -Type DWord -Force

# Disable Windows Store updates via Windows Update
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsStore\WindowsUpdate" -Name "AutoDownload" -Value 5 -Type DWord -Force