It is called “safeguard hold” , and it is the block that Microsoft applies the distribution of Windows updates 10 on systems considered problematic. It is used to avoid installing a version of the operating system that is not fully compatible with the hardware and software installed in the system, thus allowing to avoid more or less serious malfunctions, ranging from performance problems to BSODs or even the inability to start the system.

There is a method, however, to get around these blocks and to report it is the informed BleepingComputer. The source writes that Microsoft has added a new Group Policy which “allows users to bypass security locks” imposed on devices that may have hardware or software conflicts. A conflict of this type can lead to system crashes, performance problems, malfunctions or various instabilities.

The user may not have a viable solution when the block is maintained, so it is advisable not to install new versions if the block is present. Recently Microsoft has set up blocks on systems with various configurations: for example with old Intel IGPUs or with unsupported NVIDIA drivers, or with Realtek Bluetooth radios and also for proprietary devices of the Surface family. The administrators of company systems and networks can manage the active blocks on this page.

Windows 10, how to get around the update block

The possibility to bypass the update block was introduced on Windows 10 October 2020 (20 H2) with a new entry in the Group Policy. With the new version of the operating system it is therefore necessary to access the Group Policy Editor , then select Computer Configuration> Administrative Templates> Windows Components> Windows Update and finally Windows Update for Business . Here the new item will be available Disable blocks for updates with features , which allows you to circumvent any restrictions on the subject imposed by Microsoft.

The source specifies that by enabling the Group Policy a new entry will be created in the Registry Editor with Name DisableWUfBSafeguards and Dword value 1 below HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Policies Microsoft Windows WindowsUpdate . The value 1 represents the bypass of the blocks, while setting it to 0 re-enables the block. The change can also be applied through the Registry Editor.

This is a tweak that we do not recommend , especially for less prepared users. To say it is not only us but also Microsoft, as reported by the same BleepingComputer. A note from Microsoft read from the source notes that “bypassing a security lock can expose devices to performance problems” . Before disabling the lock, therefore, it is strictly recommended “to perform a reliable test to make sure that the potential damage caused by the update is acceptable” .