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I'm trying to pause Windows Updates on a Windows 10 machine (because I kind of need to download something else at this particular moment). I've found a few sites recommending certain services be stopped, but when I try to stop DoSvc, it fails. It tried to stop it with both sc and net and neither work. Here's what I get:

sc stop "DoSvc"
[SC] ControlService FAILED 1052:

The requested control is not valid for this service.

-

net stop "DoSvc"
The requested pause, continue, or stop is not valid for this service.

More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 2191.

Is it not possible to override this service anymore?

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2 Answers 2

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If you're interested in reducing how much bandwidth Windows Update uses, you have several options. A quick search reveals that you are likely trying to stop the wrong service. dosvc is the delivery optimization service, whereas wuauserv is the main update service.

Running net stop wuauserv from an elevated command prompt should stop the Windows Update service.

Alternatively, you have a couple different ways to reduce Windows Update bandwidth usage that I know of, both of which can be done from the Win 10 Settings apps.

  • Windows Update -> Advanced Options -> Delivery Optimization -> Advanced Options -> "Limit how much bandwidth is used for downloading updates in the background" (this can go as low as 5 percent)
  • Set your current network connection as "metered," preventing Windows Update from downloading all but priority updates. What priority updates are, I'm not certain. To do this, go to Network & Internet -> Ethernet or Wi-Fi (depending on your current connection) -> Click on the current network -> Toggle "Set as metered connection".

I hope this helps, please feel free to ask for clarification or other ideas if the three or so above don't do the trick.

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  • Microsoft seems to be determined to make it as difficult as possible to affect the update process in any way. I tried net stop wuauserv just now (as Administrator) and it spent about a minute trying to stop it before announcing "The Windows Update service could not be stopped." The bandwidth limit option you suggested I can't seem to find on my machine, perhaps it was removed in another update? And the metered exception won't help right now either, because these are "priority" updates. Now I remember why I avoid using Windows in the first place.
    – John Allie
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 3:06
  • @JohnAllie You may try launching services.msc and finding Windows Update in the list to see if you can stop it that way or see if it's even running. Edit: Please tell us what edition and version of Windows 10 you are running.
    – PrecisionEnergySnowfield
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 3:13
  • It's Windows 10 Home, v. 1703
    – John Allie
    Commented Jun 30, 2018 at 1:26
  • @JohnAllie Given how long its been, why don't you install the update? You initially said you wanted to avoid it because you wanted to download something else at the same time. Are you on a limited or slow connection?
    – PrecisionEnergySnowfield
    Commented Jul 2, 2018 at 0:10
  • After installing the update, I now have the "Limit bandwidth" option you mentioned before. Hopefully Microsoft will keep that feature around for a while now! As for the DoSvc service, I finally just disabled it from running automatically in the Services tool. Windows Update still runs without it, and as far as I can tell DoSvc was consuming my bandwidth without actually providing any useful functionality to me.
    – John Allie
    Commented Jul 2, 2018 at 16:09
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Advanced Windows 10 user here, I needed to stop DoSvc as it was constantly using ~100kb/s non stop, which is horrible when paired with a hotel's 200kb/s limit. Here's an easy way to stop DoSvc that doesn't mess with Windows Update at all, as they are actually not related in any direct way:

1-> Press CTRL ALT DEL, go to Task Manager.

2-> Change to the Services tab and sort by Name.

3-> Find DoSvc, right click it, and click Stop.

If you are also wanting to prevent Windows from ever starting DoSvc on its own without prompting you again, as I did, you can do this in addition to the above:

4-> Continuing from above, right click DoSvc again and click Open Services.

5-> In the new window that popped up, sort by Name and find Delivery Optimization.

6-> Right click it, click Properties, change Startup Type to Disabled.

That's all you need to do, and Windows Update still works for those of you that want/need it.

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