Viewing hidden Windows 7 updates. Hiding Windows updates from installation

Previously, we looked at the problem of system error 0x0000005, which prevents 32-bit applications from running. , as one of the fix options, it was mentioned to remove and hide service packs from re-installation in Windows. As it turned out, the ability to hide is unfamiliar to many users, which complicates the actions to eliminate the consequences after the mentioned error.

How to hide Windows updates?

All updates by Microsoft developers are divided into three categories:

Optional – Various software (new and trial versions) from Microsoft developers and partners.
Recommended - Updates Windows components and adds new or improved features to the system.
Important – increasing the level of protection (security updates) and increasing the stability of the operating system.

To hide one of the updates, open it in Windows Update.
(Control Panel -> Windows Update)
Where we follow the corresponding link - important or optional updates.

From the list we find the name of the update we are looking for, right-click to open the context menu on it and select “Hide”.

Note! It turns out that the hidden update package must be downloaded from the Internet in advance, otherwise it will not be in the mentioned list.

Instead of an afterword

If necessary, Windows has the ability to install hidden updates. To do this, in Windows Update, follow the link on the left “Restore hidden updates”, find the package of interest and select “Restore” through the context menu. After the search, the system will install the found updates, including new ones available for download.

Fortunately, not often, but some users are faced with the fact that the automatic installation of one of the updates leads to errors in the operation of the system or devices for which new drivers were automatically installed. Removing the service pack or driver solves the problem, but after a while the package or driver will be automatically reinstalled, which will again lead to errors. Until recently, there was no way to hide an update from the list in Windows 10, and in general, the only solution to the problem was to completely disable the Update Center.

How to hide an unwanted update in Windows 10

Download the “Show or hide updates” troubleshooter package and run it, the following window should open, in it click next:

After a little thought, we will be asked to either select the updates that you want to hide - 1 or show already hidden updates - 2, select the first item, we need to hide unwanted service packs or driver updates:

The list will contain available packages ready for installation at the moment; if you want to refuse to install an already installed update, you will first have to remove it, search for updates so that the required package appears in this list, the same with drivers - delete the driver or roll back to previous version, perform a search and only then will it appear in the list, then you can hide it. Check the box next to the package that we do not want to install, and click next again:

If everything went well, you will see this message:

If you change your mind and want to install previously hidden update packages or drivers, run this tool again and in the second step select the second item, this menu will open where you can check the boxes next to the required packages and “reveal them”:

The package can now be installed again.

How to roll back a driver version in Windows 10 and prevent it from being updated

In Windows 10, the system's performance with drivers has been significantly improved, and the system itself successfully finds most drivers and installs them, but sometimes updating a driver leads to the system or device becoming unstable and with errors; in such cases, rolling back to a previous version of the driver will help. ensured stable operation. In order to roll back the driver version to the previous one, open Device Manager, find the desired device in the list (most often video card drivers are updated unsuccessfully), right-click on the device and select “Properties”, in the window that opens, go to the “Driver” tab and select "Roll back the driver...". Then specify the reason for the rollback (you can choose any) and click “Yes”. If this is the only version of the driver, then it will simply be deleted. The whole process is presented more clearly in the picture below:

After you have done all this, return to the beginning of the article, run the hide update package tool and hide the driver update package. After this, the system will not try to update drivers for your device.

Friends, today I wrote an article how to remove updates in Windows 7 in case some update after installation brought you problems, and this happens. In my memory, this has happened many times, an incorrect update is released and installed on the system, then Windows starts to glitch, there were a variety of problems, the article is not enough to list them here, the most interesting thing is that you are looking for a problem anywhere, but not in this.

For example, quite recently, users began to contact me with complaints that switching the keyboard layout to the right using ALT + SHIFT stopped working, the reason was quickly found out, the KB2970228 update is to blame. If you also have similar problems, then the update needs to be uninstalled and then prohibited from installing it again in the system settings.

How to remove updates in Windows 7

You can remove any update installed on your Windows 7; if you need it in the future, you can install it back. All this is done very simply.

In the Computer window, left-click on the "Uninstall or change a program" panel

View installed updates

We right-click on the update we need and select Delete

We prohibit the installation of incorrect updates

Right-click on the Start button and select Control Panel

system and safety

Windows Update

Settings

We select Download updates, but the decision to install is made by me. Now not a single update will be installed in Windows 7 without your knowledge.

After some time, the update will be downloaded again, but will not be installed automatically. Again we go to Windows Update. Important updates: available.

Check the box next to the update you want, right-click on it and select Hide update. Check the remaining updates and click OK. Updates are being installed.

You can restore hidden updates at any time. Go to Windows Update and select Restore hidden updates. Check the box next to the update you want and click Restore.

This article is a continuation of the article that described the principle of operation "Windows Update". The previous article examined a standard component of the operating system - "Windows Update", designed to prevent or fix problems and improve the performance of your computer. It also described in detail how to install updates on a computer and some settings that are responsible for the operation of the update center.

This part of the article will cover installing driver updates, software notifications and signatures for Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials antivirus software. I'll briefly look at using the Microsoft intranet update service, and I'll also talk about methods for viewing the update history and uninstalling updates installed on your computer.

Install driver updates, software notifications, and Windows Defender signatures and Microsoft Security Essentials antivirus software

Installing driver updates

If you have a device that does not work properly with your computer, you may need to update the driver. A driver is a computer program that allows another program (usually an operating system) to access the hardware of a device. In general, to use any device (both external and internal) you need a driver. Some devices (such as a graphics card or printer) may require special drivers, usually provided by the device manufacturer. There are three ways to update the driver.

Windows Update. You may need to set Windows Update to automatically download and install recommended updates.
Installing software from the device manufacturer. For example, if a device comes with a disc, it may contain software that installs a driver for that device.

You can check Windows Update at any time to see if updated drivers are found for your existing hardware, especially if you recently installed a new device. You can then install these updated drivers. To install them, follow these steps: To do this, open the update center, click on the link in the left area "Search for updates". If there are updates available, you should follow the appropriate links to learn more about each update. Windows Update tells you whether the update is important, recommended, or optional. Each type of update may include drivers. In the dialog, you need to view updates for existing devices, check the boxes for all drivers that should be installed, and click on the button "OK". Please note that there may not be any driver updates available. On the page "Windows Update" you need to press a button "Install updates". Some updates require you to restart your computer.

If your operating system doesn't find a driver for the device you want, and the device didn't come with driver software, you can look for a driver on the device manufacturer's website.

Once you find the updated driver, follow the installation instructions on the manufacturer's website. Most drivers install automatically; once you download them, simply double-click the file to begin installation, and the driver will automatically install on your computer.

Some devices have drivers that you need to install yourself. If you downloaded a driver that does not install automatically, you need to do the following:

Open "Device Manager";
In the list of equipment categories, find the device that you want to update and double-click on it with the left mouse button;
On the tab "Driver" press the button "Update" and then follow the instructions.

If the device for which you are updating the driver was purchased with your computer, you should first check with the computer manufacturer for driver availability. Many manufacturers install third-party devices in their computers, such as video adapters and sound cards. In some cases, the manufacturer will modify the drivers for use with a given computer, while a third party company may offer a standard version of the driver. Installing a standard version of the driver, even if it was created by the device manufacturer, may cause problems.

Another reason could be that the driver version is not compatible with your device or computer. Manufacturers often modify devices while maintaining their original names. There may be cases when the latest version of the driver is installed, but does not work correctly. In such cases, you should revert to the previous version of the driver for this device. Go to your computer or device manufacturer's website to find the driver version specific to your device, or uninstall the driver and restart your computer to reinstall the older driver.

Setting Software Notifications

Software notifications periodically alert you to new programs that can enhance your computer and Internet experience. If you wish, you can receive detailed notifications about when you can download and install a new program. Once notified, you can read a brief overview of the program offered and then proceed to learn more. If the offered product suits you, you can install it. The notification appears for a short time and you can close it if you are not interested in it. To open the Windows Update app and view more information about the app or install it, you need to click the notification. Alternatively, you can click "Close this message" or "Show later" to handle the notification accordingly. To enable software notifications, you need to do the following:

Open "Windows Update";
"Settings";
"Show detailed notifications when new Microsoft software is available" and press the button "OK".

You can also use a registry tweak:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 "EnableFeaturedSoftware"=dword:00000001

Install Windows Defender signatures and Microsoft Security Essentials antivirus software

Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials antivirus software signatures are files that are an encyclopedia of known spyware and other unwanted programs. Because new spyware is being developed continuously, both Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials use the latest signatures to determine whether a program that is trying to install or run on your computer is spyware or potentially unwanted.

To automatically install the latest signatures, Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials use "Windows Update".

For both the first and second programs, signatures can be obtained both automatically and manually.

To automatically search for new signatures before scheduled scans in Windows Defender, you need to do the following:

Windows Defender manually, you need:

Open Windows Defender;
Click the arrow next to the help button and select an option "Check for updates".

Also for Windows Defender updates available from "Windows Update" "Search for updates" "Select updates to install" "Windows Defender" and press the button "OK".

To automatically search for new signatures before scheduled scans in Microsoft Security Essentials, do the following:

To find new signatures in a program manually, you need to:

Open "Microsoft Security Essentials";
Go to tab "Update" and press the button "Update".

Also for "Microsoft Security Essentials" updates available from "Windows Update". To do this, just click on the link "Search for updates" and after the search is finished, click on "Important updates: xx available", where xx is the number of updates found. Next in the dialogue "Select updates to install" you need to select an update from the category "Microsoft Security Essentials" and press the button "OK".

To download updates for Windows Defender And "Microsoft Security Essentials" manually from a web browser, you need to go to this link: Get the latest definitions, select the program and platform, and then click on the desired link.

Allow all users to install updates on the computer

By default, Windows allows only users with an administrator account to install updates. However, you can allow users with a standard account to install updates. This is convenient if you use the computer with the whole family and most users have standard accounts, which helps to strengthen Internet security and apply parental controls. This feature allows standard users who are not administrators to install updates manually. In this case, users will not be faced with a User Account Control window and will not need elevated rights to install such updates; The exception is when the update contains changes to user interface settings, license agreement settings, or Windows Update settings. To enable this feature, you need to do the following:

Open "Windows Update";
In the left area select the item "Settings";
In the settings dialog box, you need to check the box "Allow all users to install updates on this computer" and press the button "OK".

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 "ElevateNonAdmins"=dword:00000001

Receive recommended updates the same way you receive important updates

If you apply this setting, the Automatic Updates service will install from the website "Windows Update" both important and recommended updates. To receive recommended updates as well as important updates, you need to do the following:

Open "Windows Update";
In the left area select the item "Settings";
In the settings dialog box, you need to check the box "Receive recommended updates the same way you receive important updates" and press the button "OK".

The same result can be achieved using the system registry:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 "IncludeRecommendedUpdates"=dword:00000001

Using the Microsoft intranet update service

If you are using an intranet WSUS server to install Microsoft updates, you must specify the intranet server that contains the updates that you received from the Microsoft Update website. The following registry tweak allows you to specify a server located on the internal corporate network, which will work as an internal site for update services. The Automatic Updates client program will search this server for updates that are applicable to computers on the network. In order to apply these settings, you must specify two values: the name of the server on which the automatic update client program will search for and download suitable updates, and the server to which statistics will be sent after updating workstations. In principle, you can assign the same server to both tasks. After you specify the settings, the Automatic Updates client program connects to the specified intranet server instead of the Windows Update site to search for and download updates. Enabling this policy means that users in your organization do not have to go outside the firewall to receive updates, and it also allows you to test updates before they are distributed.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 "WUServer"="http://myserver.com" "WUStatusServer"="http://myserver.com"

In addition, there is a registry setting that allows you to control whether Automatic Updates will accept updates signed by companies other than Microsoft if such updates are found in the Microsoft Update service folder on the intranet. When you use this registry tweak, Automatic Update accepts updates from the Microsoft intranet update service if they are signed with a certificate located in the certificate store "Trusted Publishers" on your local computer.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 "AcceptTrustedPublisherCerts"=dword:00000001

View update history

The update history is designed to display all the updates that have been installed on your computer, regardless of whether they were installed using Update Center or manually. In order to open the update log, you need to do the following:

Open "Windows Update";
In the left area, select the item;

In dialogue "View update history", as mentioned above, you can view all updates installed on your computer. Moreover, updates can be sorted into four categories (according to the columns). You can view updates by name, status (Success or Failure), severity (Important, Recommended, and Optional), and installation date. To sort table data, just left-click on the column header. To sort the table data in reverse order, you need to click on the header of the same column again.

You can also view detailed information about each installed update. To do this, right-click on the update to open the context menu. In the context menu, select the option "Details". A dialogue with detailed information is shown in the following screenshot:

It is also possible to copy detailed information about the update from the update log viewing dialog to the clipboard. To do this, right-click on the update to open the context menu. In the context menu, select the option "Copy details".

Uninstalling an update

In principle, it is highly not recommended to remove installed updates from your computer, as this may adversely affect the security and performance of the operating system and the computer as a whole. But if you really need to do this, follow these steps:

After uninstalling an update, it disappears from the list of updates in "Installed updates" and in "Update Log".

If you wish, you can install the update again later. To do this, open in the control panel "Windows Update" and check for updates.

Restoring and installing hidden updates

Hidden updates are updates that Windows does not notify you about or install automatically based on the user's choice. In order to hide the update you need to do the following:

After selecting this command, the hidden update will be grayed out until you click on the button "OK". The hidden update is shown in the following screenshot:

When you subsequently open the update category in which the update was hidden, it will not appear.

To restore hidden updates you need to do the following:

Open "Windows Update";
In the left area, click on the link;
In dialogue "Restore hidden updates" you need to select the update to install and click on the button "Restore".

The next time you check for updates, the operating system will prompt you to install the restored updates, as well as any new updates that are available. Some of the updates that you restore may not be in the list of updates offered by Windows. This only happens if Windows detects a newer update that fixes the same problem as the update you're trying to repair.

Conclusion

This part of the article covers installing driver updates, software notifications, and Windows Defender signatures and Microsoft Security Essentials antivirus software. We briefly covered using the Microsoft intranet update service, and also discussed methods for viewing the update history and uninstalling updates installed on your computer.