MS-DEFCON 2: Get patched, and turn off Automatic Updates

Topic

New Reply

For you Win 7 and 8.1 users, the Windows patchocalypse is coming. I hope you read my post about updating in preparation for tomorrow’s “patchocalypse.
[See the full post at: MS-DEFCON 2: Get patched, and turn off Automatic Updates]

Reply | Quote

Replies

So were the monthly rollups for 7/8.1 tests for what’s coming up on Patch Tuesday?

Reply | Quote

OK….I just changed from Check for Updates but let me install to your recommended Never check for updates. So where do we go from here?

Reply | Quote

Woody, I am a bit confused. (Win 7 Pro 64). I am a simple home user, and I am gonna cave and join the Group A. I’ve had Windows Update set to Notify but do not install, and will keep it there.
In your AUTOMATIC UPDATE tab above, you say to UNcheck the “give me recommended…” box, which is how I’ve been set forever. But (Please correct me if i misread it) in your Infoworld Article, for group A, step 2, after talk about cutting the cards, it says (*i copied and pasted this:)

“In either case, check the box marked “Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates” and click OK.”

So…which is it? Check the box or uncheck it?

Also, I’ve got about a half dozen optional updates still sitting in my update list…Ignore, install, or hide?

Thanks.

Reply | Quote

Wait. I’ll have an update tomorrow, when we get more info about the patches. But chances are good you won’t have to install anything for several weeks.

Reply | Quote

Yep. I bet, anyway.

Reply | Quote

Woody, thank you for all your work. Your site and Infoworld articles have been really helpful and resourceful especially in the last couple months or going back to the start of GWX last year.

Before all this I was a “check for updates but let me choose what/when to install” kind of person. Never really had major issues with updates breaking anything. Now I’m a paranoid android who has spent far too much time these past 8 weeks preparing for the Patchocalypse by doing final updates, making backup images, and also backing up all individual updates as well as community packs like Simplix. It’s been exhausting and frustrating.

Like your colleague wrote today (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3128394/microsoft-windows/why-microsoft-doesnt-need-windows-anymore.html), Microsoft doesn’t need Windows anymore. That shows in how they neglected to properly fix all the slow, problem-ridden update searches on Windows 7. Personally, I think the cumulative updates are [an obscene gesture] to the Windows 7/8.1 users who chose not to update to 10 for maintaining update granularity, among other reasons, and cost MS their 1 billion Win 10 devices goal. I don’t buy their excuses to reduce fragmentation – MS created that fragmentation by oftentimes failing to fix or even acknowledge problems with certain updates, as you’ve frequently reported, and violating users’ trust with the GWX/telemetry patches.

I see the merits in cumulative updating, I really do. I just don’t trust Microsoft to do it right for reasons above. I’m glad people like you, your colleagues, Simplix, folks at My Digital Life, commenters here, and everyone else has been supportive of one another in solving update woes. For now I’m a Group W guy but I’ll probably be Group B once we know more about the security-only rollups.

And finally, my own crackpot theory is that Microsoft is going to introduce a new GWX notification/ad on 7 and 8.1 systems with the monthly rollups. This time, instead of being nagged to take a free upgrade, they’ll be nagged to pay anywhere from $120 to $200 for a “better” OS!

Reply | Quote

In the Infoworld article, you suggested for Win 7 to have the update settings at “Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them” or “Never check for updates (not recommended).” Here you’re suggesting just the latter. Is there a reason for the difference?

I currently have it at Check but let me choose whether to install. Should I change it?

Thank you for all your very fine insight and reccommendations!

Reply | Quote

@ Woody and all, I guess I am as ready as I will ever be. I’m in my TIN bomb shelter, and will wait and see. Every thing is set to “Never Check for Updates”. AND all CEIP links are shut down. Talk to you when it’s over!!!! Good Luck to all!

Reply | Quote

Hi Woody,

So if I’ve been patching my machine with the security only and the malicious software removal toolkit for the last few months since I started coming to your site (June or so), was there security patches that I should’ve retrieved from the Update Catalog prior to this??

Also is the three KB’s in your article related to the CEIP the only I should remove?? I have successfully avoided downloading any of the non-security related patches and I ran GRC’s Never10 way back when and found your site around that time too.

I am in Group B for the most part. I want the security only updates, but didn’t always wade through the comments to see if I missed anything. Also is there some patches I should still get to speed up the updates process?? I left my machine on a lot this weekend to get the stuff from September loaded down. But went quick after a few were downloaded. The 20MB one took way less time than the 20KB one or so I think!?! 🙂

My objective is to not get the further snooping and those issues, but more so to not be forced to take my machine to Windows 10. That is above all other things my goal, as I have a need, like many, to keep 7 going for older software reasons. (I stare at the PC on the other table with XP on it, which does get fired up still). I feel like I will ultimately need to take this one off the grid and get a new machine at some point, but prefer to keep that at bay as long as I can. Unless it might be wise to consider doing it now and see what offers come on Black Friday weekend??

Thanks, as always for you & everyone else’s help!

Reply | Quote

“OK….I just changed from Check for Updates but let me install to your recommended Never check for updates.”
Ditto…nervously await further instructions…

Reply | Quote

Woody, I have a question, how bad is it if you miss just one month of security updates? In my case it was september’s. I would have gotten them in, but I’ve been swamped with classwork I completely forgot.

Reply | Quote

Woody – Why the change from “check but don’t install” to “never check”?

Reply | Quote

They’re both functionally equivalent. I was confusing people by recommending either.

Reply | Quote

Don’t worry about it.

Reply | Quote

Nope. If you’ve been installing security patches from Windows Update, you’re just fine.

We don’t know if the Win7 Update scans will slow down this month. Much experimenting is yet to come. Best to sit back and relax for a while.

Reply | Quote

They’re basically the same thing. I was confusing people by listing both – now I’m confusing people by listing just one. Ooops.

Reply | Quote

It looks like the “Give me recommended” box won’t do anything, but we’ll have a better idea tomorrow. For now, go ahead and check it.

If your optional updates are not checked, ignore ’em. If they’re checked, install ’em.

Reply | Quote

I think the advantage of “Never check” is that you won’t find 25% CPU usage slowing everything down from patch day until you finally install the updates a few weeks later. I’m also hoping that by switching to that it will avoid MSE also being caught up in the slowdown with its definition updates.

With that in mind I’ve tonight switched one machine to “Never check” and left the other on “Notify but do not download or install” so that I can monitor any differences between them while also seeing what I am being offered.

The important thing in my view is not to select “Download but let me choose when to install” – I don’t trust that one, it can result in the unexpected installation of updates.

Reply | Quote

According to the article on Technet, there will be no “Recommended” update, so that box should do nothing.
I would suggest unchecking it and move on to Never check for updates for now. If you can cope with potential long scanning time and high CPU, you could be set on “Check for updates…” or “Notify…”, depending on your OS.
We don’t know yet if there will be any more Recommended updates or if they will be what Michael Niehaus names Optional.
Until it will be more clear, just uncheck the Recommended to avoid installing by mistake or if your degree of tolerance allows it, check it to be informed early, as long as you are certain that you will not install anything by mistake.

Reply | Quote

The main difference is that Check… may hang the CPU at 50-100% for a long time if you are affected by the long scanning time issue. The advantage on putting up with this risk is that you will have an early information about what is available when and if the scan completes.
Otherwise the effect on installing patches is the same.
I am in favour of setting to Never and check manually when I feel like.

Reply | Quote

See my earlier post about the differences.
As Woody says, in the end they are functionally equivalent.

Reply | Quote

KB2952664 and KB3184143 have been offered to me as optional updates since they were first released in Windows Update, at least as far as I can remember. But today they mysteriously disappeared. The other 3 optional and 22 important updates I’ve avoided installing are still being offered. I wonder if KB2952664 and KB3184143 were yanked for everyone or just me.

Reply | Quote

Woody, for those (like me…) who has any updates hidden, do you think is best in terms of eventualy speeding up the search process to keep them there or to restore them before the new updates hit?

Also, if I got it right, being on Group B means using the even-worse-than-Windows-Update Catalog, is that it?

Reply | Quote

why not check the “NEVER,” box AND Disable Windows Update in services? too much???
thank you

Reply | Quote

Thanks Woody, much appreciated! 🙂

One last question, in the Change Settings for Updates in the section: Microsoft Update “Give me updates for MS products and check for new optional MS software when I update Windows”

Uncheck this I assume??

Reply | Quote

Maybe some readers will find the following interesting:

Last night I installed KB3182203, the Novosibirsk time zone update, after which there were thirty-five pending optional and recommended updates.

Today I ran Windows Update and there were no new updates. However the following three optional updates were gone:

KB2952664 – The optional version. The recommended version is still there.

KB3181988 – Fixes problems with the System File Checker after installing the convenience rollup KB3125574. (I have not installed the convenience rollup.)

KB3184143 – Removes software related to the Windows 10 free upgrade offer. (As far as I can tell, I never installed any software related to the GWX offer thanks to this website.)

Reply | Quote

If you have Office, you’re going to want to check that. Unfortunately, I’m not at all clear how that will interact with the Windows patches, starting tomorrow.

Reply | Quote

Disabling wuauserv in services is more complex than necessary, I think. But I’m willing to be convinced otherwise.

Reply | Quote

I don’t think hiding patches after tomorrow is going to make any difference, one way or another.

Yep. Group B will require use of the Catalog. Worth noting, though: It’s going to be weeks before I give the go-ahead to install tomorrow’s patches. You don’t need to worry about the Catalog for now.

Reply | Quote

The fun thing in your article is that line about “…Nathan Mercer kicked off a long discussion…” except that it was already a fait accompli, Microsoft had already decided what’s best for us (as always) and we were about to be forced down this road.
This recent attitude of Microsoft’s is what irks me so, the absolute WE KNOW WHAT YOU WANT so we’ll do this with absolutely no consultation.

Reply | Quote

I had two versions of KB2952664, one optional and one recommended. Overnight the optional one disappeared along with KB3184143, and KB3181988.

Reply | Quote

This reminds me. I’m a relatively new follower of yours Woody. So I’m still unclear. How often do you update status of the MS-DEFCON System? Is there a set schedule?

Reply | Quote

I usually update the MS-DEFCON status immediately before an anticipated big load of potentially problematic patches, and a couple of weeks later, when it looks like the patches are OK. In between, I may change the level if we find something really bad.

Reply | Quote

Don’t uncheck it, because it disappears, then you will realize that you actually wanted it to be visible, but you have to go through a rigamarole in order to see it again.

If you already unchecked that box and the option disappeared and you want the option back,
about 6 months ago I and another poster here on AskWoody.com described ways to get it back. One of them requires changing the registry (which is tricky for a non-techie like me). One of them just requires going through a bunch of steps that a non-techie can easily do.

Reply | Quote

A couple of months ago there was a discussion here about whether turning off that sort of fundamental service sent alarm bells to MS or something (they send signals back and forth on the internet to/from our computers without being overt about it), and after something like 90 days they would revoke a certificate or something and cancel your right to use your OS licence, or something, and you’d have to get recertified, but you only have so many of those per lifetime or something that you can ask for. Possibly some people said that only happens in Win 10 and not Win 7/8, I don’t know. Sorry, I’m very hazy on the details – you can look for that discussion in askwoody.com.

Reply | Quote

Gary, I think the simplest and safest option is to choose the “never check” option.

Your computer will not come to any harm by checking that.

Later, if you do want to check for updates,
– you can manually run the update check at times that are convenient to you,
and/or,
– after the smoke clears a bit (and their new patching system is operational and better understood by all of us), if you decide that you would rather let Microsoft resume checking for you, you can untick that box.

Reply | Quote

@Brian,

Hey, I think my heart starting racing (in nervousness), just due to reading your post!
(the battle imagery.)

The thing is, though, it’s not gonna be *over* tomorrow, or at the end of this month — all of this is just a new beginning.

It’s the beginning of the end of Win 7/8, I guess.

I was planning/hoping to keep my Win 7 computer going until at least Jan 2020, but it might be a struggle from now on (not that it hasn’t already been an unacceptably-difficult and time-consuming struggle for the past 18 months).

—
In the spirit of our camaraderie here, I’m inviting everyone to join me for a cup of hot tea in the bomb shelter canteen in photo 3: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3370311/World-War-II-air-raid-shelters-Clapham-Common-open-tours.html
It’s a civilized affair; we’re safe here in the deep tunnels at ‘Woody Junction’ station.
😉

Reply | Quote

No that’s just a rationalization. They only know and care about what THEY want.

Reply | Quote

I did exactly this. No probs yet.

Reply | Quote

Hi Woody,
I am in Group A. I just restored 5 old Recommended” updates that I had hidden for several months (all checked) as I was only applying Security Updates. I assume these will eventually be reoffered at some time in the future in the Monthly cumulative Rollup for Group A, I have unhidden them. Should I install before the patches we will get Tuesday (pending your DEF-CON approval). I just removed GWX Control Panel (reluctantly) and pray MS will not sneak in any Win10. Also, I have sitting in updates the dreaded KB2952664 which is showing as Recommended and checked (also is in my Optionals unchecked). I don’t plan on installing it but won’t Group A get this update eventually in the Monthly Rollup? So 2 questions here…thank you!

Reply | Quote

You know. Some issues I thought were attributed to Windows Updates were actually caused by other things. Like my Windows 8.1 machine kept getting boot up errors.
Basically I’d turn on the computer and then Windows would start up. But something would happen that would cause a reboot. So when I finally get in it says there was an error. This happened to be back in August or so. I thought it was one of the August updates.
But actually what it was was the Nvidia driver I had installed. Like I updated my driver and the driver was updated relatively close to patch Tuesday I believe. And then the virtual memory kicked in for a 14-16 gb error file.
Unsure of how to fix the issue I did a reinstall but didn’t keep that driver.
But after realizing it was the driver I did in fact reinstall the August updates. So I just wanted to throw this story out there as a reminder that if something goes wrong in Windows doesn’t automatically mean it’s Microsoft’s fault. In my case it was a driver issue. I always found the more recent Nvidia drivers to be flaky at best. Either way this isn’t to say that Windows updates have never had problems. I personally have never had any real problem with updates, but I know others haven’t been as fortunate. On a side note, while virtual memory hasn’t eaten up 14 gigs, I did update my Nvidia driver. And guess what? Boot problems. So I had to downgrade it again. Oh well.

Reply | Quote

Also Woody. Will things like time zone updates and telemetry “improvements” or whatever Microsoft calls it be included in the monthly roll ups at some point or is it only bug fixes and security fixes?

Reply | Quote

Hi Woody, I just received 12 updates on Oct 10. They are all security updates for silverlight, IE11, win7 x64 and office plus one for malicious software removal tool. The thing is I installed a bunch of updates on Sep 9. These recent updates are all noted as published on Sep 13 so they are not the Security-only Update or Monthly Rollup expected for Oct. Why am I getting these now? Should I install them immediately then prepare for the new Oct. versions? Thanks

Reply | Quote

Google and Firefox have been losing all history and passwords since the last update – thinking about doing a system restore to confirm. Hard to pin down. win764

Reply | Quote

So, just to make sure, I should be safe leaving my settings at check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install, correct?

Oh… and will I be able to hide the update when it drops this afternoon (the single cumulative update that is)? Some of the wording of your article left me scratching my head a bit in that regard.

Reply | Quote

I’m all updated and set with “Never Check” until the smoke clears and dust settles. I have noticed that (for me, anyway), Defender and MSRT still seem to update with “Never” on, which is fine by me.

So, I guess I’m sitting on the fence between Groups A and B for now. We’ll see how that shakes out.

I did have a question, though: Can I still be spied upon by M$ if I start using an abacus and carving stuff in stone? Or is that a future feature and something M$ is working diligently to gain control of? 😉

Reply | Quote

Give ’em time. But Google will probably get there first.

Reply | Quote

Sorry if I was unclear.

Yes, you’re fine with “Check but let me choose.”

With Win7/8.a, no need to hide anything. (Ever.) Just don’t go clicking on anything, and wait for the all-clear.

Reply | Quote

If you’re in Group A, you’ll get all of that non-security stuff.

If you’re in Group B, you won’t get any of it.

At least, that’s the theory.

Reply | Quote

Yes, to both questions.

We don’t know how long it’ll take Microsoft to put older patches in the cumulative rollup, but it’s looking like the end of this year or early next year.

If you’re in Group A, don’t worry about installing any of the patches that are currently outstanding. They’ll get installed for you when you run a Windows Update – specifically when I change the MS-DEFCON level, probably late this month.

Reply | Quote

Wish I could join you!

Reply | Quote

Just a bit risky because it can affect other components if disabling the wuau service. To reduce the risk, it is always better to use the GUI tools.
Otherwise, there is nothing negative reported with disabling wuau in Windows 7, although there were known issues in earlier versions of Windows.
So it is more a matter of principle and so called “good practice” rather than a documented issue. This has been discussed here few times before.

Reply | Quote

I’m all set. I had it set to “never”, but after reading a few more of CT’s replies in the community forum, I disabled it entirely.

Reply | Quote

There is a mention of February 2017 in one of the graphs in the latest Technet blog. I think it is supposed to be completed in March 2017.

Reply | Quote

In addition to what @poohsticks said, here is the script to enable MU for reference
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa826676%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

Reply | Quote

Having read the official Microsoft announcement that came down just a few days ago, I get it. I understand the difference between the options. However, the Optional category (now Preview), is a strange category. It appears to be geared to the WSUS user only. Other than that it’s purpose escapes me. In particular …

‘fixes that will be included in the next monthly rollup, as well as fixes from all previous monthly rollup.’

‘starting in early 2017 and continuing for several months, older fixes will also be added’

Optional updates were there for Ultimate users, but that has now been quashed. There were also driver updates (for the daring) and some patches for the canaries.

The word ‘preview’ gives the impression that one can see inside the package. But no, the announcement goes on to state …

‘This (like all updates) will have a unique KB number’.

Reply | Quote

I hoe they publish the new rollups to Download Center, so i get them sooner 😀

Reply | Quote

Greetings Woody, thanks for all you and your site does! I’m in group A “shuffle-the-cards” mode and had fully updated through yesterday per your instructions. I left my W7 SP1 on overnight and this morning WU had checked my system and offered 5 security patches checked and ready to download and install. 2 are from 2014, 2 from 2015 and 1 from 2/6/16. Any harm in installing “security” patches this morning prior to the afternoon release? I value your advice highly along with all your trusted compadres.
ps: I saw a similar question to this regarding non-security patches appearing and it got my attention.

Again, thank you for ALL you do!

Reply | Quote

If it’s marked “security” go ahead and install it.

But don’t touch anything after 10 a.m. today, Pacific time.

Reply | Quote

It’s Microsoft’s implementation of the “Insider Preview” ring, for Win 7 and 8.1. They release non-security patches early, in the hope that people will find bugs before they’re released “for real.”

I expect that we’ll see the Preview non-security patches will NOT be cumulative, and they will likely be first released as Optional (not checked). Later, the next month, they’ll be released as “Recommended” and thus checked for many. The blog post says that’s true for people using WSUS, but it doesn’t say squat for those of us using Windows Update.

Reply | Quote

They did 😀
—

BTW, Win32k.sys speedup patch for WU for Vista KB3191203
https://download.microsoft.com/download/C/7/D/C7D9B15C-671F-49E6-A8B7-C439B22418F8/Windows6.0-KB3191203-x64.msu
https://download.microsoft.com/download/E/F/1/EF157992-F609-4FF8-A387-17C48913EB0C/Windows6.0-KB3191203-x86.msu

Reply | Quote

These are the speedup patches for Vista only.

I wouldn’t expect them to publish separate speedup patches for Win7 – any indication if they have?

Any other patches available at this point? One hour to go…

Reply | Quote

No separate paatches for Win7/8.1, only the two expected:
October, 2016 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7 (KB3185330)
October, 2016 Security Only Quality Update for Windows 7 (KB3192391)
October, 2016 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 8.1 for (KB3185331)
October, 2016 Security Only Quality Update for Windows 8.1 (KB3192392)

and one more for Win8.1
Security Update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows 8.1 (KB3194343)

Reply | Quote

None of those are in the Windows Update Catalog, just yet.

Reply | Quote

MU catalog syncs with actual WU, usually at 17:00 UTC

Reply | Quote

So I’m a bit confused. You say yes to both questions one of which is to install old non-security patches and then later you say don’t worry about installing any of the patches currently outstanding (my old non-security updates). I don’t understand how they will get intalled when I run Windows Update becaues I have my computer set to Check for updates but let me decide when to download and install. So just for clarification purposes…should I install the 5 old “Recommended” updates I took out of hiding or just sit on them for now. This is all so confusing.

Reply | Quote

Sit on them. Microsoft just released the October patches. Your machine is safe. Wait for the go-ahead on the October patches, at which point you can pick up the September patches, if you like.

Reply | Quote

Any word of speed up patch for Windows 7? I mean no updates can be got and/or installed without the speed up otherwise it’d be hours until a single update appears.

I for one am waiting until were at level 3 which is safe to install.

Reply | Quote

Turn Windows Update off, and wait.

Reply | Quote

It’s been off since the September update. But still I will wait until the dust clears.

Reply | Quote

Ther won’t be any separate temporary speed up patch for Windows 7

you either install the Security Monthly Quality Rollup KB3185330 or Security Only Quality Update KB3192391

both include the speed up fix, and both represent the whole security fixes for this month

Reply | Quote

@Woody, I think that their publication a few days ago — the one that added the spurious word “Quality” to every rollup title and which introduced the terms “Week B” and “Week C” — said that the Week C Preview update/rollup WILL BE cumulative, starting in November.

I was surprised at that, because my recollection was that Nathan Mercer had intimated that the third-Tuesday Preview rollup would NOT be cumulative, yet here they were saying that it WILL be cumulative.

—
I think that both Nathan Mercer’s announcement and this more recent publication said that the Week C Preview rollup/update will be available in Windows Update to everyone.

I was surprised at that too, because the Preview-for-guinea-pigs seems like something that they might want to keep out of the hands of non-techies who may not know how to back out of an update that goes wrong.

Reply | Quote

@Megan Ryan,

My understanding is that there will no longer be a separate “speed up” patch.

We won’t have to worry about a speed-up patch any more.

All patches will now be included in the monthly big rollups of patches. We won’t be able to get any of them separately, from now on.

[Except for a few patches that are for separate entities, like the Net framework, Office programs, and drivers, which will not be included in the monthly, big patch rollup(s)]

Reply | Quote

This is something that’s been confusing me. Does that mean from now on Windows 7 users will be unable to search for updates within Windows Update, and they’ll have to download and install the rollups manually? Previous months we had to install a specific patch so that WU could actually search and find updates. Without individual patches to speed up search each month, I presume we can’t actually search for updates…unless I’m missing something.

I’ve followed this site the past few months to identify which patch I first needed to manually install each month. http://wu.krelay.de/en/

Reply | Quote

Woody: Last night I changed my WU from, check for updates but allow me choose whether to download and install them, to never check for updates. This morning I was reading a post on AskWoody about an update I thought I’d previously hidden, but when I opened the Restore Hidden Updates window, all my hidden updates were gone. Also at the bottom of the page it stated: “You have not hidden any updates on this computer.”

Did this happen because I changed WU to never check for updates? I know if I chose not to check for updates in the past any updates shown on the window update page would disappear, but I can honestly say I don’t remember my hidden updates disappearing.

Reply | Quote

No, it means that users sould just manually install rollup kb3172605, which solves the scan issue permanentaly

Reply | Quote

Woody, is there any reason you don’t recommend Win10 Pro and Enterprise users just disable automatic updates via Group Policy regardless of whether they’re on a WiFi connection or Ethernet connection? To me, it’s the easiest, most reliable way to disable auto updates rather than relying on the metered thing, and it’s a supported-by-Microsoft method, too.

Reply | Quote

I recommend that Pro users go into Group Policy to turn off updates. See my main article on the topic:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3053701/microsoft-windows/block-windows-10-forced-updates-without-breaking-your-machine-part-2.html

As for Enterprise… I feel uncomfortable making recommendations for the Enterprise edition. Many people around here are far more qualified than I but, yes, Group Policy seems to be a good way to go.

Reply | Quote

Okay, thanks. I had been avoiding that one due to some reported bugs (e.g. bluetooth). I also found your post at MDL where you ripped the WU components from the rollup into a separate installer. I may just install that instead.

Reply | Quote

I had the same experience, and it scared me. But when I changed back to Check for updates but let me choose…, the hidden updates magically came right back.

Reply | Quote

But Why ?

You are Group A – You let WU do its thing, and you will get the speed up patch INSIDE the Rollup

You are Group B – You download & install the Security only Update – which also INCLUDES the speed up patch (which you don’t need since you no longer use WU

You are Group W – You are doing other things, not playing with any updates – so don’t need any speed up patch.

QED

Reply | Quote

Hang on Poohsticks….wait for me………
keep me a seat……
I’m coming!!!!! LT

Never wish life were easier,
Wish that you are better
~ Jim Rohn

Reply | Quote

Hello Woody and Forumites,

Something happened with the September updates, or I am assuming it was Sept. as I noticed lately that my Windows Defender does not work correctly anymore despite my try a few fixes without digging to deep, via registry. I used an app called WinFix which does allow me to start WD but it is only active for about 30 seconds then it shuts itself down. I also notice that randomly it seems to want System admin for stuff but I am the only person that use my computer and I am the Admin. other then these couple things my computer seems to work normally, with no infections that my scanning could find.

Does anyone have any idea as to what might have happened, cause I am baffled.

Regards, Robert

Reply | Quote

Please save a seat for me too – – – I would love to join y’all!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Reply | Quote

poohsticks

I unchecked my “Give me updates for MS products and check for new optional MS software when I update Windows” and now regret doing it.

I’m a non-techie and wondered if you could post/send me “One of them just requires going through a bunch of steps that a non-techie can easily do.” please.

BrianC (Do you need my email address?)

Reply | Quote

@Brian,

I have tried to look for my original instructions that I put on this site —
I’ve searched with this site’s search box and I’ve used 2 different external search engines, but it’s not coming up.
I know that I put the instructions on this site, I just can’t find them now. I will keep looking.

For the meantime, here is the way to get the checkbox back that involves modifying the registry — in case you do feel that you can be careful enough to do that:
http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/38008-missing-option-windows-update.html

Reply | Quote

Sorry, I should have said that on the Sevenforums page,

it’s POST NUMBER 9 that you want to follow:

http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/38008-missing-option-windows-update.html

Reply | Quote

@Brian,

I have found my original instructions for the non-techie person:

“this is my story of how I got it back:
Two weeks ago, as I was going through the new-this-year, unwelcome, arduous process of researching all the updates from October’s Patch Tuesday before deciding whether to hide or install them on my Windows 7 computer, I ran across some advice on one of the handful of generally-trustworthy sites that I turn to every month for patch guidance [and Woody’s sites are absolutely the BEST of that bunch! Thank you, Woody!] which said that folks should uncheck that box in order to do something or other in protecting their machine.
It sounded reasonable, so I unchecked the box, thinking that if I wanted to re-check it, it would still be there.
I had not realized that unchecking it would prevent me from *manually* looking for available updates to Microsoft Office, but when I found that out, I decided to re-check the box, but the option was no longer there on the settings page.
I then spent 5 hours searching online to find out how to get it back, trying multiple fixes suggested on the Microsoft help sites, windows 7 discussion forums, various IT blogs, etc. Many of the fixes that worked a couple of years ago now do not work, because Microsoft has removed those pathways.
(Also, there were a few suggested fixes that I felt were too risky for me to attempt, with my limited knowledge of IT stuff, such as running random scripts posted by other people and changing the registry in a complex way.)
**Unfortunately, doing a system restore did NOT make the option come back on my machine.**
Finally, I found a suggestion that worked, and it was quite simple —
1. Create a new user account on your computer.
2. Go into the new user account and open a Microsoft Office program.
3. Click on the “marble” (or whatever the round thing is called in the upper left corner of the program’s “ribbon”), and click the “options” link (such as “Word options” or “Excel options”).
4. Click on “resources”
5. Click on “get updates”
6. I forget the further steps because I did this 2 weeks ago, but in one way or another, you will then be offered the option to get that box back in your Windows Update settings, and say “yes”.
7. Leave that new user account and go back to your normal user account.
8. Check Windows Update from your normal user account, and you will see that the missing option of “Give me updates for Microsoft products and check for new optional Microsoft software when I update Windows” is now gloriously restored on the settings page, and its box is checked.
9. You can delete the new user account.
10. Note: I have a nagging feeling that I am forgetting a step, but, hopefully, whatever it is, it is self-explanatory, as one follows this procedure.
I do not immediately have to hand the hyperlink where I found this amazing advice, but I think that it was in a discussion on a technical Windows help forum for professionals, and it did NOT come up high in the search results during my numerous internet searches about this issue, no matter how I described the problem I was trying to solve. As I mentioned above, I had searched and experimented for *5 hours* before I found this solution.
I hope this helps someone in the future!”

The instructions are here: https://www.askwoody.com/2016/possible-fix-for-the-abysmally-slow-windows-7-update-scans/comment-page-1/#comment-80429

and here:
https://www.askwoody.com/2015/msdefcon-2-auto-updates-781-win10-free/comment-page-2/#comment-64846

Reply | Quote

A seat had already been reserved for you, Miss Lizzytish!

Reply | Quote

A seat had already been reserved for you too, Walker!

🙂

Reply | Quote

We’ve got a seat waiting – you can pop down during a lull in the action!

Reply | Quote

Thank you so much, poohsticks!

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all get together!! Hoping you are feeling much better today. Love your comments!! You and Lizzytish provide both your knowledge, and humor to a very stressful situation! 🙂 🙂

Reply | Quote

@poohsticks

Thank you for the information for “Give me updates for Microsoft products” I would have replied sooner had my computer not “thrown a wobbly” I am now back up and running.

I followed your instructions and very pleased to say I now have all the choices available and selected. I have yet to see what updates are waiting for me, will be having a look, but not downloading shortly.

Thanks again for all your help.

BrianC

Reply | Quote

I have windows 7 home basic and was switched to NEVER on my updates. Yesterday I was suddenly notified that updates were being downloaded. I went to updates and checked, and sure enough my machine was now on AUTOMATIC DOWNLOAD,AND I couldn’t change it.Clicking on the wee arrow did zilch. What gives?

Reply | Quote