Windows update blocked BI server

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n4mwd
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Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2024 12:39 pm

Windows update blocked BI server

Post by n4mwd »

I have a good running BI system on a Bee-Link box with an i5-1235U processor. Normally, this works very good and I only have a 3-4% CPU usage including AI for 11 cameras. I have BI set up to run as a service. Windows update broke it.

My network topology consists of 11 cameras plus the BI box on a VLAN hosted on an OpenWRT router. The same router also runs the LAN and WAN and wifi connections for the rest of my home network. Neither the cameras nor the BI box nor anything else on the VLAN have access to the Internet, but they do have access to the LAN and the LAN has access to them. I access the BI box, and the cameras if necessary, using WireGuard hosted by the router. There is no port forwarding into the BI box.

So today I am away and attempt access BI via wireguard and the server connects immediately and shows me a live view consisting of old images. I tried two different devices and the same thing happened. When I got home, the console was the same, all old images from last night, but everything else worked fine. BI logs reported that there was no network connectivity to the cameras. However, I could actually use EDGE on the BI box to log into the cameras directly.

So I decided to reboot the BI box and when it rebooted, it gives me the "Updating don't turn off your computer" business.

Here is why that is strange. The box is on a VLAN which blocks access to the internet so access to the M$ update server should have been blocked. If I go into Edge browser and try to go to any internet hosted website like google or microsoft, it gives an error which is expected.

So that I would still have internet access when I needed it, I set up a local proxy "Privoxy" on another machine on the LAN so that Firefox can still access web pages using its private, non-system, proxy settings. The system and EDGE do not have the proxy configuration.

So a few things,

A. How do I prevent the windows forced updates from messing up BI when its already running as a service?

B. How is windows 11 accessing the internet on a VLAN where internet access is blocked (both directions)? There are a few highly remote possibilities:
1. M$ is using Firefox for its updates???
2. Windows 11 is using BlueTooth to access my phone and get access to the internet that way. The phone usually alerts me when a Bluetooth connection is attempted, but maybe not for windows update???
3. Windows 11 is using the wifi connection to get on a network somewhere and then to the internet. However, I have never used the wifi nor given it my wifi passwords because it is hardwired and there is no open wifi near me????
4. Windows 11 is connecting to a computer on the LAN which does have internet access and is forwarding through that????
5. Windows 11 is scanning my home LAN for proxies and then uses it to connect to the internet. This could be possible since the proxy does not seem to require any authentication.
6. Something else???

Anyhow, Windows update is driving my crazy since it has so far resisted every attempt to block it.
MikeBwca
Posts: 1115
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2019 5:39 am

Re: Windows update blocked BI server

Post by MikeBwca »

Microsoft's policy is to update whenever the hell they want, and you deal with it!

There are methods to turn off updates. I've done them, but MS keeps reactivating them.

There is an option to pause updates for 1 week. You can click up to 5 times to pause updates for 5 weeks! But you would need to do this every 4-5 weeks.

There are more drastic measures, like stopping the update service.
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Pogo
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Re: Windows update blocked BI server

Post by Pogo »

n4mwd wrote: Thu Mar 14, 2024 2:07 am
A. How do I prevent the windows forced updates from messing up BI when its already running as a service?
I schedule my updates for every 5th Sunday according to the allowable 5 week interval. I shut down BI during the process and do a basic system cleanup afterward before restarting BI (as a service.) I've never had an issue with a Widows update creating problems for Blue Iris.
B. How is windows 11 accessing the internet on a VLAN where internet access is blocked (both directions)?
It may not be. You likely have Delivery Optimization enabled for Windows Updates which intentionally allows exactly what you are describing.
MikeBwca
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Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2019 5:39 am

Re: Windows update blocked BI server

Post by MikeBwca »

I have no idea. Sorry.
There are some internal 'thingys' in Windows I still have no idea about.

Anyone?
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Pogo
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Re: Windows update blocked BI server

Post by Pogo »

Updates can be paused in 35 day chunks using the Advanced Options at the bottom of the Windows Update page.

Delivery Optimization is in the column on the left. This allows Windows upgrade delivery both to/from other sources on a local network and/or the internet.
mcvoss
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Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2023 11:42 pm

Re: Windows update blocked BI server

Post by mcvoss »

You just need to disable the windows update service.
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Pogo
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Re: Windows update blocked BI server

Post by Pogo »

It's not that simple and can come back to bite you at exactly the wrong time..., like in the middle of a lengthy and complex 3D print job or maybe during a break-in of your home, rendering your carefully configured Blue Iris setup and hours worth of camera settings absolutely useless..., because Microsoft said so and updated anyway, whether you liked it or not. And that would be your fault, not Microsoft's.

Managing your Windows updates responsibly provides a much greater chance of not encountering unexpected problems relating to them.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Blue Iris. And people PAY for those updates. At least you can legitimately disable them if so desired..., thankfully.
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