Configuring Mini-PC's With Zero Auto Updates On Which Windows?

[Bondppq]

Hello, I have some mini-PC problems, it started when Windows 10 kept pushing updates to flood my 32gb hard drives to a mere 100 mb's in my Asus VivoSticks TS10 making them inoperable. I had to keep deleting updates everyday and could not shut down the automatic updates in the policies no matter what I did.

The same thing happened with Windows 11 in my AceMagician T8 Pro (albeit it has a 256 gb sized drive, so size wasn't the issue there) but I was able to shutdown many update functions in many policies and directories, yet it still says its updating, but only during boot up. I'm trying to figure out how to shutdown all updates forever.

Frustrated, I wiped these drives on both mini-PC's and formatted to EXT4 with a Linux install. I've learned to hate Linux, its far too complicated to deal with and I don't want to waste days-on-end in the shell and I don't know code to play around in it. Linux was a dead exploration.

So now I want to go back to Windows for both mini-PC's but downscaling to a Windows 7 or Vista or XP where I can affectively shutdown the automatic updates features for real and not have it run secretly in the background without alerting the user. A real and permanent update shutdown.

I'm told by various people that Windows 7 is the last Windows op system where you can shutdown automatic updates for real and its not a fake shutoff. I'm wondering how true this is and what your input is? And if there will be a driver issue in downscaling to Win 7 or Vista for these particular PC's?

Now before 'some' start jumping-up-and-down shouting that shutting down automatic updates is wrong to do and you don't want to do that and blah, blah, blah. I've heard that all before, but I have my strong reasons to never update anything I own and I don't, and I've never had a problem doing so in 15+ years.

Lastly, I use these mini-PC's to run just 1 program - Think or Swim stock trading platform on TD Ameritrade/Charles Schwab. I do not use these PC's for any web browsing, photos, music, not even office like Word, Excel, any chat messengers or anything. These PC's will have no other programs loaded into it besides Think or Swim and never used for anything else. They are as barebones as you can get, only the default installed programs from the Windows disc. I use an iMac as my daily workhorse, I don't need to use these PC's for that.

So the update issue whether some think is good or bad is irrelevant. So with all that being said, my question is what Windows platform can I completely shutdown the automatic updates? Can a Dell reinstall disk do this with no product key code or a reusable key code for multiple machines? And I'm told that all the drivers for Windows 7 are the exact same file as used in Windows 10 so is that true as well? Thank you.

 

[Bondppq]

This is exactly why I copy-and-paste the same question in multiple forums because no one has bothered to reply in this forum while some have in other forums. So for others whom think posting in multiple forums is sacrilege, here is a good example of why its smart to do it.

 

[ussnorway]

yes [with networking know how] it is possible to lock Windows out of doing updates
people that tell you W7 was the last are only part right... Microsoft owns your Windows after that i.e, W8, w8.1 try to push updates and w10 11 &12 assume control to force updates

there are two kinds of updates; 1 being the major things like new operating systems or 'improved' apps being added without notice
2 the other is minor pluging holes type updates... i personally allow this second smaller kind while blocking the first one

 

[Mike]

No, you can block updates, but it won't really help you in the long run. There are Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) that are critical security flaws addressed in updates. Blocking updates leaves your system vulnerable to attacks. Instead, consider limiting updates to security patches only, which ensures you remain protected while avoiding less critical updates.

If you're running a thin client or a low-power processor like a Celeron, blocking updates won't solve the inherent performance issues. Such systems will always struggle with modern workloads, leading to a slow and problematic experience.

Note: This is the same for Linux however it is commonplace for many Linux installs to stay dormant or non-updated for years at a time.

For Microsoft, you could go so far as to even block the update servers on the network level but its not recommended. The local machine policy on the thumb or the image you are using to generate the thumb contains the values necessary to do what you are trying to do.