turn off windows update temporarily

Anne 276 Reputation points
2021-02-19T17:25:02.34+00:00

We have some servers with windows update set to automatically update. These are the servers for testing environment. and the windows update is managed by system group policy.

But once a while I need to run long testing jobs overnight, sometimes the job failed because of the windows update rebooted the server.

Is there a way to temporarily disable the windows update on the night I run the job and reenable it after that night. I read online some are suggesting changing regedit. I don't want to to do that.
Does that work I simply disable the windows update on the night by going to administrative tools- the service panel, change it to disable and stop it. I see right now it is set to Manual (Trigger start).

Thanks

Windows Server
Windows Server
A family of Microsoft server operating systems that support enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.
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  1. Anne 276 Reputation points
    2021-02-19T17:36:23.08+00:00

    Thank you , that is what I am thinking too.
    If it is disabled, the group policy windows update cannot trigger it to start, correct?

    Thanks

  2. Anne 276 Reputation points
    2021-02-23T20:15:53.067+00:00

    Thank you, I would like to check back, if the windows service is disabled in service panel, even the WSUS managed group policy cannot trigger it to start, correct?

    I would like to confirm this since on test server I usually need to test a long intensive job that runs over 7 hours that I cannot afford it interrupts by windows update. it happened once, I had to restart over.

    Thanks,