Does not being able to find a Windows update mean it's not on my computer?

I read this article tonight on the Forbes website, and went to View Installed Updates to look for the mentioned files. I was able to find KB3022345 and KB3068708 and uninstalled them, but I wasn't able to find either KB3075249 or KB3080149. Does that mean they're not there, or are they hidden somewhere? The reason I ask is someone on another board is wondering why he can't find them on his computer. He says they should be there. I can't figure out why he thinks that, but if they're not listed under View Installed Updates, are they just not on the computer?

 

Perhaps those are optional updates you didn't choose to install.

 

Perhaps those are optional updates you didn't choose to install. I don't install all options ones.

 

If you can't find them in installed updates you don't have them, which I guess is good news as they are telemetry updates you would rather not have.

Your post prompted me to go through my list of Win 10 related updates for 8.1 x64, all of which I had previously uninstalled. Even though I had put WU on notify only, somehow four of them have snuck back in, including the key Win 10 prep update KB3035583. This is threatening to become an ongoing problem.

 

Oh hang on. I thought there were only four 8.1 updates related to 10. There's a whole bunch of them? I need that list, please. I had Windows Update set to automatic until last night when I first found out about this.

 

Here's the list I'm working to. Can't vouch that this is every last one but it's enough to keep it at bay. But as I said earlier, WU will try to install them again, even when hidden and perhaps under a different number. It's enough to drive you to Linux, but it won't of course.

Win 10 related updates to uninstall

KB2505438
KB2670838
KB2952664
KB2976978
KB2977759
KB2990214
KB3021917
KB3022345 (Telemetry)
KB3035583
KB3044374
KB3050267
KB3058168
KB3068708 (Telemetry)
KB3075249 (Telemetry)
KB3080149 (Telemetry)

 

Thanks.

I'm thinking about maybe switching to Ubuntu.

 

It's a bit like contemplating divorce, but not worth the pain. I only know of one member here who has wanted to switch to Linux and actually done so, permanently.

 

I'll just uninstall all those updates and avoid updating in future then, unless it's to patch up security glitches.

 

It's a pain, but even using 'notify only', if any of those updates come through in the 'Important' list we are still likely to install them. I'm just going to uncheck everything not marked as a security update. That should nail it.

 

Where do I look to see which updates are for security and which aren't? I'm on 8.1.

 

When you put WU on notify only you can look at the list of available updates before downloading or installing any of them. Security updates are always titled as such. You should see that tomorrow - it's update Tuesday.

 

Will that just pop up on my screen, or do I have to look for it?

 

Go into Control Panel and set it to Small Icons (top right) and click Windows Update. First make sure you are not on Automatic by clicking Change Settings, and using the dropdown to select Check for updates but let me choose etc. After that, at each boot you will get notified if important updates are available. If they are, then clicking Windows Update again will pop up the update screen. Security updates are labelled as such. For other updates you need to click on More Information to establish what they are about.

Right now I've got KB3044374 sitting in my WU important list and I only removed that for the second time earlier today as it's on my not wanted list.

Keeping 10 at bay is going to be tedious.

 

EDIT - in fact I have all four that I removed earlier today sitting in my Important list again, though none is named Security Update, which makes finding them a lot easier.

 

Clicking Windows Update again? You mean from within Control Panel again? But what about when I'm notified of the important updates as the system's booting? Won't I have to click something then?

 

You can - should - ignore that notification and go through Control Panel. Otherwise you will not get the option to hide any of the updates.

 

Ignore? So I don't have to click anything? Just keep letting the system boot and the notification will disappear on its own?

Hide? So when I'm looking at the list of updates in Control Panel, I can just select the ones I don't want and click a hide button?

 

Yes

In Control Panel you can uncheck and right click any update and you get a Hide option. However if you respond to the boot message by going through Settings - the 'proper' way - you don't get a hide option.

 

Great, thanks.

 

One or two of the entries on this list are puzzling if they are all supposed to relate to Windows 10.
KB2505438 - came out in 2011 and deals with DirectWrite problems
KB2670838 - came out in 2013 and deals with DirectWrite and other graphics-related problems
KB3050267 - came out recently and is a Windows Update update. But it also makes available a registry entry/group policy entry which, if activated, inhibits the download or offer of a Windows 10 upgrade. To anyone trying to fend off Windows 10 isn't this useful rather than otherwise?

Puzzled of North London

 

Hi comtrjl and welcome to MG. My list was cobbled together from other posts on the subject, here and elsewhere, but it certainly looks as if the first two are unrelated to Win 10 and can probably be ignored. The Group Policy feature in KB3050267 is only applicable to Pro or higher versions of 7/8/8.1 as Home or lower versions do not have the group policy editor. It enables businesses to ensure their systems do not get upgraded by accident so to speak. From the point of view of home users of the Pro versions it may be that that KB is all that is needed to keep 10 at bay and probably explains why my main Win 7 PC never got the GWX icon and I had to upgrade it manually. Too late to find out now but thanks for the correction and let's hope others get to read it. For Home users it looks as if KB3050267 can be installed and will not affect the ability to upgrade to 10 one way or the other.