Optional Microsoft updates, install or not. what's your practice?

Please see poll questions and let's discuss.

 

Here's an example. Reliability improvements for Remote Desktop Session Host and RemoteApp: http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2959626. If I don't do, and don't anticipate doing, Remote Desktop Sessions with my computer, why install this update?

 

I usually install all of them. But I don't do it immediately after their publishing but wait three days before I set up any updates. It appears that one of them is faulty from time to time. Normally those are reported in the mean time... That's the kind of review that I do.

Regards
GermanOne

 

Normally I do not install any Optional updates, though I've never been too sure what is the best policy. However all four main computers here have remained problem free. I keep auto updates on.

 

I currently have 33 Optional updates pending in my Win 8.1 laptop. And, some additional ones might be hidden; I don't recall at the moment.

Another example of an Optional (Recommended) update that I see as irrelevant for me is Not Connected" status for a paired Surface Pen in Bluetooth settings on Surface Pro 3 (http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2989930). I don't have a Surface Pen and I am not using any Bluetooth devices with this computer. So, clearly, I don't need this.

I've never been too sure, either, about what is the best policy. But, since Microsoft seems to take a blanket approach to issuing Option updates, meaning they basically send all of them to all users, this means optional updates will often be completely irrelevant to particular users.

I have my computers set to allow me to control installation of all updates. Although I normally attend to updates soon after I see a notification from Microsoft, I'm thinking about changing that to allowing Important updates to automatically install. This article is pushing that direction: Why You Need To Install Windows Updates Automatically

 

I rarely bother with optional updates. 42 on my netbook and 64 on my desktop computer.

 

I always install all updates, on the day they are released.

Windows Update always creates a System Restore Point before updating, so if there is really a need to back out (never happened to me before).

 

Must admit I'm just too lazy even to click the More Info link so the Optionals never get installed here. Here are the current outstanding ones on my laptop's 8.1 - surprised there aren't more

 

On the basis that they won't, or shouldn't cause any harm, you must be right David. Maybe it's time to change my ways

 

Definitely DO NOT install the shown update KB3035583 in your image. Unless you want to be nagged to install Windows 10. Google for "KB3035583 GWX" (No quotation marks necessary).

As for the thread generally, I leave all updates untouched for about a week. Then I do a net search and manually download them for installation and saving to my personal updates folder. If your search can't find a manual download fairly quickly there is probably a problem. Those items will probably show up in your search as howls of rage in various support forums. M$ may hide the manual downloads from the search engines but, to their discredit, they still show up in Windows Update, and they are quite content to make these busted monsters available and installable from there

 

FJMcNasty, I urge you to install at minimum, the critical updates Now. I just read a POC (proof of concept) and it looks like the one critical update is being exploited.

Article: http://www.computerworld.com/article/2910593/

 

Thank you for the warning. Got that one OK. It was just that particular KB3035583, shown as optional in the posted image, I was ranting about. Many posts on the net say that, while it may start off as "Optional", it has been noticed as reappearing as "Essential" and pre-selected as an automatic update.

Supposedly it's targetted at participants in the W10 trials but, again, many posters deny that they are or have been beta testers of W10.

Again, thanks for the quick warning.

 

I hid three that deal with upgrading a computer for Win 10. I don't need to be nagged.
2990214, 2952664 (offered on Pro not Home Premium) and 3035583 (offered on Pro not Home Premium)

 

http://www.infoworld.com/article/29...non-security-patches-coming-this-tuesday.html
and
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/894199

34 of optional updates tomorrow (?), many for Win 8/8.1

Guess I will not update the optional updates for Win 7.

 

I rarely update anything inside the first 3 days of Release - but there have been times when I've already used workarounds for some Critical bugs/exploits anyway.

I never install drivers from MS.

Criticals I install (subject to undoing any previous workaround), Important etc. maybe, but only after I've studied them to weed out the dross that simply aren't applicable to my Windows install - things like Remote Desktop are disabled within an hour of Windows being installed.

Having only ~24 Windows Services running means that my attack surface is limited compared to a default install of W7 HP.

None of those prerequisites for being nagged about W10 have been installed but I need to check back to Nov/Dec last's Updates, I have a funny feeling that there might have been an early one offered then.

 

Possibly KB2952664. Another of my hidden updates. See:

<http://www.infoworld.com/article/2911609/operating-systems/kb-2952664-compatibility-update-for-win7-triggers-unexpected-daily-telemetry-run-may-be-snooping.html>

 

I install all critical updates.
Optional are never installed unless I find a need for them. So many Optional updates make "Optional" decisions for you which take time to sort out and give no obvious benefit.