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© 2025 Stuff.co.nz 11:15pm Bypass Windows restrictions with these tricks
Windows users sometimes have the impression that the operating system has a life of its own and does not allow any contradictions.
Some restrictions are intended to ensure the security of the operating system, which is understandable. Regular system updates, for example, are clearly necessary. However, many users would prefer to decide for themselves what and, above all, when something is installed.
In some cases, the blockade can be lifted with on-board tools — and sometimes more easily with tools that we present to you here.
Control Windows updates
Updates are supposed to improve the security of the operating system and fix bugs. Sometimes the opposite is the case and an update paralyzes the computer or individual functions.
Microsoft tries to reduce errors by delivering updates in waves, one after the other. If problems occur, the company can withdraw updates again.
Mark Hachman / IDG
Windows updates are particularly annoying if you want to use the computer quickly after a restart, but then only see the update progress bar.
Reduce updates with on-board tools: Windows offers two options for controlling updates with every edition, but you have to activate them in good time. Go to “Windows Update” in the “Settings” (call with Win+I).
Under “Pause updates” you can stop updates for up to seven weeks. After that, you must install all available updates so that the auto-update can be paused again.
Windows 10 users go to “Update & Security > Windows Update” and click on “Pause updates for 7 days” or, for a longer period, on “Advanced options,” where you can set an end date under “Stop until.”
The second option can be found in the “Settings” under “Network & internet > Ethernet” or “Network and Internet > WLAN.” Activate the switch behind “Metered connection.”
In Windows 10, you still need to click on “Ethernet” or the Wi-Fi connection to see the switch.
However, neither setting completely switches off the Windows update. Security-related updates in particular are still installed, but the total volume of downloads is significantly reduced as a result.
‘Secret’ settings for the Windows update
You can extend the update pause period. To do this, open the registry editor, create the key
Hkey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings
and in it the Dword value (32-bit) FlightSettingsMaxPauseDays with the content
00001c84
(hexadecimal). This corresponds to 7300 days, i.e. 20 years, which you can now set as an update pause.
If you want to deactivate the automatic update, create the key
Hkey_Local_Machine\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
and in it the Dword value
NoAutoUpdate
with the content 1. Windows then automatically downloads no or only a few updates, but you can initiate the download at any time under “Windows Update” by clicking on “Check for updates.”
Reduce updates: Configure the Internet connection as a “Metered connection.” Windows will then only download security-relevant updates.Foundry
Disable Windows updates completely: If you really want to switch off Windows updates completely, use the Windows Update Blocker tool. Select the “Disable updates” option and click on “Apply now.”
The tool deactivates all services that are responsible for updates and ensures that they are not reactivated. Only deactivate the Windows update if it is actually necessary.
Once you have reactivated it, you should install all missing updates as quickly as possible.
Temporarily do without all updates: Use Windows Update Blocker to switch off the update function to prevent disruptions caused by updates.Windows Update Blocker
Defuse Microsoft Defender
Virus scanners are often unable to recognize malware beyond doubt. To be on the safe side, the protection software warns of anything that could be potentially dangerous.
This may be software that is categorized as dangerous simply because it has been downloaded from the internet and is not (yet) known to the virus scanner.
In principle, there is little to criticize about this procedure. The virus scanner protects most Windows users from harmful email attachments or the download of malware. However, experienced users are often hindered by the start prohibitions.
Partially deactivate Microsoft Defender: Only carry out the following actions if you are sure. If in doubt, check a file at www.virustotal.com for malware and get a second opinion.
Paralyze the virus scanner: Disable real-time protection to allow you to start programs that Defender mistakenly classifies as malware.IDG
If Microsoft’s antivirus protection reports when you download or start a program, go to “Privacy & security” in the “Settings” and click on “Windows Security.”
Continue with “Virus & threat protection” and click on “Manage settings” under “Virus & threat protection settings.”
Here you can deactivate “Real-time protection,” which means that Microsoft Defender will no longer scan new files. Windows does not remember the setting permanently and automatically reactivates real-time protection after a while.
Under “Exclusions” you can click on “Add or remove exclusions” and “Add exclusion” to specify files and/or folders that the virus scanner should not scan.
This is recommended, for example, for the project directories of development environments or folders in which you download files that Microsoft Defender prohibits.
Prevent virus scan: Add a folder to the exclusions if you do not want Microsoft Defender to scan the files in it.
Foundry
Configure Microsoft Defender more easily and quickly
The settings under “Windows Security” are not particularly clear. The free Defender UI tool has set out to improve this.
When you start it for the first time, select the language at the top of the window. The tool shows several security profiles and you usually select “Recommended.” The details can be found in the descriptions.
Click on the “i” in the settings to obtain explanations of the effects. On the “DefenderGuard” tab, you can specify the time period until automatic reactivation before “Real-time protection.”
Use the Defender Exclusion Tool to quickly configure the exception list. Use the button in the toolbar to specify a folder that you want to exclude from the virus scan.
Configure Microsoft Defender more quickly: Defender UI offers a clear interface where you can quickly find the most important settings.Defender UI
Defender Control can disable Windows security completely. However, Windows understandably does not allow this: Software that wants to switch off virus protection is immediately classified as a threat.
You should therefore add the folder in which you unpack the tool to the exclusion list. The download from the manufacturer is protected with the password sordum, which you enter when unpacking. Otherwise, the virus scanner would immediately remove the tool if real-time protection is activated.
However, you must still deactivate real-time protection manually before starting the tool, as described above. In addition, set the switch under “Tamper protection” to “Off” in the “Virus and threat protection settings.”
Edit the exclusion list more easily: With Defender Exclusion Tool, you can quickly add files or folders to the list that the virus scanner should not scan.
Defender Exclusion Tool
Once Defender Control has been started successfully, first go to “Menu > Add Defender Control to the white list.” The tool is then ignored by the real-time protection.
Use the “Disable Windows Defender” button to switch off “Virus & Threat Protection” completely and click on “Enable Windows Defender” to switch it on again.
Configure Smartscreen filter and Attachment Manager
Smartscreen is another component of Microsoft Defender and is designed to protect your PC from malicious websites and downloads. When you open a website or download a file in Microsoft Edge, Smartscreen checks the reputation of the offer.
If a website is on the blacklist, access is blocked. The hash value is checked for downloads. If the software is unknown, Windows categorizes it as potentially dangerous.
The start ban generally applies to all downloads, even if you use a different browser.
Start blockade: Smartscreen can prevent programs from starting simply because Microsoft Defender is not yet aware of the file.Foundry
If you generally want to do without Smartscreen, go to “Privacy & security > Windows Security” in the “Settings” (Windows 10: “Update & security > Windows Security”). Click on “App and browser control” and then on “Reputation-based protection settings.” Set the switches for the desired options to “Off.”
However, these settings do not prevent downloads from being prohibited. To do this, you must also deactivate real-time protection or add the download folder to the exclusion list. However, you are then responsible for the security of website visits and downloads.
Additional measures: By default, Windows provides downloads with an (invisible) NTFS stream that certifies their origin and can prevent them from starting. You can recognize the stream in the properties of a file. On the “General” tab, the entry “The file originates from another computer. Access may have been blocked for security reasons.”
Tick the “Allow” box and click “OK” to remove the NTFS stream. To prevent Windows from adding a stream to the downloads, create the following key in the registry
Hkey_Current_User\Software\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Attachments
and in it the Dword values (32-bit)
SaveZoneInformation
and
ScanWithAntiVirus
each with the data 1.
Bypassing the upgrade ban on Windows 11
Windows 11 places higher demands on hardware than Windows 10. You can find out which requirements apply from Microsoft.
However, most experts agree that there are only a few technical reasons for the hardware requirements of Windows 11. Windows 11 generally runs smoothly and without any noticeable loss of performance on previous Windows 10 PCs.
If you want, you can try it out for yourself and install Windows 11 alongside Windows 10. An upgrade is also possible.
The system requirements for Windows 11 are checked by the setup program and can be bypassed. This worked in our tests up to and including version 24H2.
However, it cannot be ruled out that Microsoft will prevent the installation or upgrade on officially unsupported hardware in the future. To be on the safe side, you should therefore create a complete backup of your system. (See our recommendations for best Windows backup software.)
To reinstall or upgrade, you will need the Windows 11 ISO file, the Rufus tool and a USB stick. Enter the ISO file in Rufus after clicking on “Select.” Set your installation stick under “Drive.”
Create an installation stick: Rufus transports the content of an ISO file to the USB stick. This is also suitable for installing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware.Rufus
Click on “Start” and tick the box “Remove requirements for 4GB RAM, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0.” If desired, activate further options. Confirm with “OK” and after checking the correctly selected drive, click “OK” again.
For an upgrade, start “Setup.exe” from the installation stick. If Windows 11 is to be installed alongside Windows 10, you will need an empty partition or a second hard drive.
You can reduce the size of the existing Windows partition using Disk Management or Minitool Partition Wizard Free. Boot the PC from the installation stick and enter the prepared partition as the target drive. You can adjust the boot sequence later with Bootice.
Use an alternative tool: Use the Win11 Bypass tool to create a customized ISO file for a semi-automatic Windows installation without hardware check. Click on “Customize response file” and enter the user name, password, computer name, and network workgroup. Click on “Create ISO file.”
You can use the ISO file if you want to try out Windows 11 in Virtualbox, for example. You can also prepare a USB stick with Ventoy. Ventoy offers the advantage over Rufus that you can store several ISO files on the stick and boot the PC from it.
Retrofitting Pro functions in the Home Edition
The Windows Home edition lacks some functions that are available in the Pro edition. This is not a serious shortcoming because you can realize most of the functions with free tools.
Veracrypt, for example, can be used as a replacement for Bitlocker, and you can set up virtual PCs with Virtualbox instead of Hyper-V.
The only thing missing is the editor for local group policies, which administrators can use to define individual user rights in detail. It can be useful for professionals if several people use the PC and you want to prohibit certain settings.
You can use the standalone Policy Plus editor. If you use this to change the policies and click on “File > Save Policies,” the changes are immediately transferred to the registry.
Note: You should always create a backup before making major changes to the registry. You can use the Registry Backup Portable tool for the registry alone. Or you can create a backup of the system with your Windows backup program.
Use a repair system with more functions
Windows offers a repair system with a few tools. It is used when Windows no longer starts and you can use it to restore the system from restore points or uninstall updates, among other things.
For the rescue system, boot the PC from the installation medium and select “Repair my PC” in Windows 11 (Windows 10: “Computer repair options”).
The repair system starts a greatly reduced Windows (Windows PE, Preinstallation Environment) without network and internet access.
However, there have been projects for a very long time that significantly expand Windows PE and equip it with additional tools including network access. By providing a ready-to-use mini-Windows, the developers are probably operating in a legal gray area.
Putting together a rescue system: Phoenix PE creates a Mini-Windows with numerous tools and programs. You can choose what to include.IDG
However, some interpret Microsoft’s restrictions differently and make complete PE systems available for download, such as Hiren’s BootCD PE.
You are on the legally safe side if you put together the PE system yourself.
© 2025 PC World 10:45pm  
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