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It seems to be starting every single time I boot up my edit:new Windows 8.1 computer, hogging disk. I went into services.msc and disabled it but it still somehow re enables itself. This is my own computer so no group policy or whatnot. I know it's BITS because whenever I disable it, the disk usage goes down.
I want it gone permanently. Any thoughts?
Registered User
Posted 2015-12-06T00:01:03.800
Reputation: 651
-1
I would not recommend trying to "remove" it. BITS is required for the Windows Updates service to run. It would be a bad idea to not install updates, especially the security updates. But it probably would not hurt to disable the service, and then enable it in order to run Windows Updates once a month. Re-enables itself....hmmmmm, maybe you should disable both BITS and the Updates service. Updates may be what is reenabling BITS.
Edit: be aware that there are other things than Updates that use BITS so you may run into additional unforeseen issues down the road. For instance, I think that certain installations (Windows features, maybe MSI installers) may need BITS.
Braden Dodge
Posted 2015-12-06T00:01:03.800
Reputation: 195
1
The disk usage is probably Windows Updates. Normally Updates can hit a computer kind of hard, but once the updates have been installed and you have rebooted your computer, that should subside. If it doesn't check this out: https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html
– Braden Dodge – 2017-12-18T23:29:01.517All relevant information should be contained in the answer body. This means external links should be quoted and cited, and commentary shouldn’t be submitted instead of clarifying an answer that has been submitted – Ramhound – 2017-12-18T23:35:26.663
To answer your question, change the startup type to disabled. But don't think this is the proper solution to your disk usage problem – pun – 2015-12-06T00:13:23.737
@The_IT_Guy_You_Don't_Like I did. Doesn't help, re enables itself – Registered User – 2015-12-06T00:14:29.203
Explain the downvote please? – Registered User – 2015-12-06T00:14:38.810
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It is probably being reenabled by the Windows Update service as BITS is the service that is used to download Windows updates. If you disable BITS then you are, as a minimum, temporarily breaking Windows updates. You'd be better off finding out why you are having this problem than breaking your system dealing with the symptoms. First thing might be to clean your Windows Update data store. https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/f5744a18-d4ca-4631-8324-878b9225251d/windowssoftwaredistribution-folder-cleanup-automation
– Mokubai – 2015-12-06T08:53:33.793@Mokubai So you're saying if I just let BITS run for a while, it'll finish downloading whatever it is and it will stop? Is there a command to hasten this process? – Registered User – 2015-12-08T02:41:36.877
@RegisteredUser In theory, yes. Given time to do what it need to do BITS will finish and everything should carry on fine. If this is a brand spanking new machine then chances are your system is downloading new updates and sorting itself out, once your system is up to date then BITS should calm down and go dormant. – Mokubai – 2015-12-08T19:37:52.710
@Mokubai How long do you estimate that will take? If that depends on processor, I have a pentium G3258 and 4gb ram and around 700gb of free space. – Registered User – 2015-12-08T22:25:02.753