Why does Windows 7 override IPv6 interface flags?

Question

I'm setting up a basic IPv6 network and when I was configuring one client I observed that after some time the OS enables "managed address configuration" and "other stateful configuration" when "router discovery" is enabled. The goal is to have this client in stateless IPv6 mode only.

Ex:

netsh int ipv6 set int X routerdiscovery=enabled managedaddress=disabled otherstateful=disabled

Checking immediately after the execution of the above command with netsh int ipv6 show int X shows:

Router Discovery                   : enabled
Managed Address Configuration      : disabled
Other Stateful Configuration       : disabled

Checking after some 10-20 seconds the result is different:

Router Discovery                   : enabled
Managed Address Configuration      : enabled
Other Stateful Configuration       : enabled

This happens even if the client is not connected physically to a network. However, if a router sending RAs and this client join a network the configuration changes to the desired one:

Router Discovery                   : enabled
Managed Address Configuration      : disabled
Other Stateful Configuration       : disabled

What causes the OS to override my settings and to enable managed and other flags?

Answer 1

Basically it comes down to: - if an RA is received then use its data - if no RA is received then try DHCPv6

If no RA is received Windows will try for a DHCPv6 server, just in case there is one.