Windows Updates cancel a PCIe card so not visible in Device Manager - any safe ways to stop updates nowadays?

[lfm]

My lifeline PCIe usb 3 card that makes my audio flawless started to get issues after windows update.
- latest today
- the card is not even visible in device manager after reboot after update
- it ran fine while making download of updates

It's the 3rd time now in 5 month this happends.

It insist on installing some xhci drivers or something, just overriding the ones I had working.
- now date on driver was oct 24th, so suspect that actual update of that driver is involved it want to install itself
- what possibly make device manager not see it anymore is a mystery

If I swap slot on the card, it find new hardware and then I can install original drivers which worked perfectly for the first year I had this machine.
- so I make update driver and remove the xhci-something this way

So really into getting a permanent stop to updates from Microsoft.

- machine is not online other than for updating windows anyway
- or installing new software which is convenient online, just 2-3 times a year

I ran for 6 month the Sledgehammer script which seemed to work on my windows 10 laptop. But not updated for 4 years so think this might not work anymore and not on windows 11.

All I found is junk advice disabling service which I know is reneabled by windows by itself.
- pure click baits I would say

Greateful for any input on this, thanks!
Regards

[Pictus]

I use this https://www.sordum.org/9470/windows-upd ... cker-v1-8/

[mjolnir]

it's been many years since i've used Windows on a DAW, but I am remembering that I did all my downloads offline and kept the DAW computer totally offline and turned off all updates too. And in the early years of my Windows laptops, I kept updates turned off at all times too. I just DON'T believe in Microsoft. However, these days I'm using Linux and I only do manual updates; which is to say that I also disable auto updates/upgrades. Every time I do a major upgrade manually, I kind of panic a little bit. But the most recent time, I could see that it was about to mess up something so I skipped that part of the update and did everything else manually.

Sorry this is not so helpful, but I feel your pain.

[lfm]

I saw under Startup that a new entry was made, rusb3mon.exe, which is related to Renesas drivers.
- so I swapped to make windows xhci stuff drive card again
- I get a usb host Renesas but not usb root hub named after it, though properties says Renasas
- today it booted ok and card works, knock on wood

So maybe this is work in progress. A separate app to monitor Renesas card somehow.
- but RME Digiface USB unit only use usb 2 anyway so maybe why original drivers worked fine for me

But will install Update Blocker and see if that works months ahead. Thanks Pictus.

Thanks guys for your input.

Another approach to block updates could be to allow prolonged pause
- now you can only do once, and prolong 5 weeks
- so that after some weeks still go an prolong more, kind of
- so to crack how windows is blocking further pause?

Could be a "softer" approach if that existed.

[Kr3eM]

There is an option to disable Windows to automatically downloading/update drivers...(unless you allready done that and Windows just don't care...)
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/482 ... -10-a.html
or
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/159 ... -10-a.html
or
https://www.elevenforum.com/t/enable-or ... s-11.2232/

[Kr3eM]

oh... and you could disable automatic driver update for a specific device if you don't want to disable it for everything..
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/146 ... river.html

[lfm]

Thanks for these hidden gems, Kr3eM

Certainly will look into those....

[legendCNCD]

Windows 11 Pro. For real, if you use HOME version you are asking for blood from your nose
Hm, been running a year and 1 month now, no updates, no sudden restarts, no problems. It just works And yes I plan to update to newer version later on.

Oh yeah, setting the network connection to Metered in the device's properties does not let the updater to download anything, but I have not tested this on home version as I do not have it...

[lfm]

Windows 11 Pro. For real, if you use HOME version you are asking for blood from your nose
Hm, been running a year and 1 month now, no updates, no sudden restarts, no problems. It just works And yes I plan to update to newer version later on.

Thanks.
I have W11 Pro.

Are you using a blocker, or just group policy stuff?

Home editions are lacking group policy editor I believe. I have W10 Home on laptop I use for internet like writing this.

As a preparation for possibly getting a new daw computer I tested Sledgehammer script on laptop, and that seemed to work. But that was 4 years ago.
- a bit of a hassle to revert from that though
- had to mess around a bit

I run Update Blocker linked to above on my daw computer now, will see if that extends over new year which is paused updates for now.

Lots of stuff i task scheduler that are grayed and blocked by Microsoft nowadays, so you cannot reach everything and try out.
- there are some commands that unhide some accounts that come with every windows
- maybe use those can override those blocked items

Some years ago there were tips for blocking updates that involved going into task scheduler and disable stuff.
- not possible anymore

[DMG68]

Set your network connection to a metered type and turn off run updates on a metered connection.

[Haptix]

I have the "get the latest updates as soon as they're available" box ticked and still no proplems.

[legendCNCD]

Windows 11 Pro. For real, if you use HOME version you are asking for blood from your nose
Hm, been running a year and 1 month now, no updates, no sudden restarts, no problems. It just works And yes I plan to update to newer version later on.

Thanks.
I have W11 Pro.

Are you using a blocker, or just group policy stuff?

GPO. Disabled updates completely.
I also modified the install ISO, so I do not have Defender or Store or... any extras.