“but the update channel grinds to a halt”
Not a problem, I disabled updates on my Windows 7 pro system a long time ago.
Funny how well that works. Did what I could for the wife’s Win 10 after the damn thing kept freezing with updates.
Hallelujah! I had to buy a used Win 10 machine only because my medical insurance provider won't compile their web site for XP-Pro. I use it for nothing else except ordering from Walmart and following up UPS tracking numbers. It's infuriating when it refuses to turn off for half an hour because it's downloading an update. (No, I have not learned how to turn off updates in Win 10. I refuse to be bullied into learning a new O/S every year or two.)
What about hardware changes in a box?
That used to require automated support