Which Windows 10 Updates should be avoided?

[BGM]

Hi, all my techie Friends,

I am worried about upgrading my Windows OS.  When Win7 came out, I waited until it completely expired before upgrading to Windows 10 - and I only did it because I had to in order to accomodate my motherboard + processor combination.  (long story; I made it work, but apparently, there should have been very little chance it should have worked - I'll spare you that story, though).

Anyway, I am always afraid of upgrading my Windows OS because I don't want things to change without my approval.

I am running Windows 10 N Pro x64 version 1909, build 10.0.18363.

Now, I am willing to install updates that make improvements that I like.

So, this thread is about which Windows Updates a person should not install.

For example, version 20H2 from last October completely removes the old Win7 style control panel.  I don't want to get rid of that panel because I prefer it to the metro panels, so I don't want to install the update.

Can anyone add their knowledge here?

[ConstanceJill]

Hi.

For example, version 20H2 from last October completely removes the old Win7 style control panel.

Actually it doesn't. It's still present in 21H1 even (just run control.exe), though some options certainly have disappeared from it compared with Windows 7.

Anyway you don't have much of a choice but to "upgrade" to newer versions after a while if you want your Windows 10 computer to stay secure, because Microsoft stops providing security updates for each Windows 10 version after either 18 or 30 months, unless you somehow get your hands on a Long Term Servicing license. See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/faq/windows

[Shades]

Any Windows update has a certain set of required updates that must have ran before this particular update even can be executed. While you may be able to skip a few for the time being, rest assured that there will be a future update that requires the installation of an update you deemed problematic for your system/setup.

Till now Microsoft provides downloads of updates for manual installation, which might extend the period your system can be without a problematic update. Best case scenario: that will be postponing the inevitable.

You won't "escape" from having these problematic updates on your system. Or, to quote the Borg from Star Trek: "Resistance is futile."

If you care for it, an example:
People bring me computers and laptops for maintenance/repair. I have now had several laptops already that stopped working with Windows 10. Even though most of the hardware inside these laptops was more than adequate for Windows 10 to run on, there was usually 1 piece of hardware for which support has dropped. Took long enough looking around, but for two laptops it was a specific model of panel that is used as screen. After Microsoft updated Windows 10, no more video. Rolling back was no problem. Letting Windows update look for updated drivers, resulted in Windows 10 updating itself again and the problem returned. Looking for the most recent driver (on a different computer), rolling back the laptops, installing that driver and connecting the laptop back onto the internet, Windows 10 updated itself again and no more video.

Researching for exact hardware specs of laptop models, finding out the brand and model of panel they were using and looking on the websites from the manufacturers I finally got some info about that panel not being supported anymore for a specific version of Windows 10. If not the panel then it was the networking chips, which caused problems in the laptops I encountered. For one laptop the owner didn't mind switching to Linux, for others I got the request to disable Windows update completely. While that is not the way to go at this problem, those people didn't have enough money to buy a new laptop and they still needed their laptops for their job. Getting something else than Windows 10 Home edition is not that simple here in Paraguay. And pretty expensive as well. Through my dealings here I have gotten the impression that Microsoft treats markets that are not US/Europe differently.

[BGM]

Wow, Shades, I never would have thunk that you were in Paraguay! 

I use WAU Manager to disable Windows Updates completely, and only run updates I think I want.  I know M$ wants to "keep your system up to date and secure" but that comes at the price of change in workflow and the hassle of things changing out from under you - AND - it always gives them more power and control over your system.  Also, as you have shown, updates are not always good and quite often (I have read about lots of this stuff) updates may cause the machine to stop working.  So I try to avoid them unless I have to.

My idea is to avoid any Windows Update until there is no way to continue without it - or to use an update to try and fix something that you know isn't working.  If it's not broken, you don't update.

With Windows 7, you could get along fine by picking and choosing the updates you installed.  You can do that a little bit with Windows 10, but admittedly, you don't get the same control.  Hence WAU Manager.

[wraith808]

I formerly tried to do that. But as you go on, the updates depend on each other. And not having certain ones will take your version of windows out of support until you install them. It became a byzantine array of dependent updates and was more trouble than it was worth in the end. I just use the tactic of delaying until there's a critical mass, and letting it update at that point.

[mouser]

My approach has generally been as follows: MS will force an update if it's a very important security update, so i don't worry about updating the minute a new update comes out.
After an update has been out for a week or so I assume any catastrophic kinks have been worked out and let it update.
If you have concerns, I think maybe addressing them by doing a full drive image backup regularly and before major updates is the best way to address that, and skip worrying about updates.

Again, I think of it this way -- of all the things that can go wrong on the pc, windows updates are at the very bottom of the list below a hardware failure and a virus.  Having a good backup system in place addresses everything at once.

[tomos]

The AskWoody "plus" newsletter gives good advice each month about updates and problems with same, and when it's (hopefully) okay to install.
It does cost but you can pay as little as $5 for a year iirc.

https://www.askwoody.com/

[MilesAhead]

So, this thread is about which Windows Updates a person should not install.

Windows 11. 

[wraith808]

So, this thread is about which Windows Updates a person should not install.

Windows 11. 

Well, you're in luck. There will be no Windows 11

[MilesAhead]

So, this thread is about which Windows Updates a person should not install.

Windows 11. 

Well, you're in luck. There will be no Windows 11

So is stuff like this
just a hoax?

[BGM]

Ewwww - I think Windows 10 is headed for the everything-hosted-or-approved-by-Windows thing, as well as OS subscriptions.

[Ath]

Is there any chance you can replace the Windows OS on your computer with a Linux distro (too many available to give an example)? Then you won't ever have this dilemma again .

[BGM]

Haha - I would love to switch to Linux, but I can't for a slew of reasons.  Oh well.  Life, eh?

At least I have Autohotkey to keep me company!

[wraith808]

So is stuff like this
 just a hoax?

I was referring to the datamining in an article on bleeping computer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/not-windows-11-new-windows-10-name-scheme-hinted-in-microsoft-docs/

This would also jive to the fact that Microsoft has said before that Windows 10 is the last version of Windows - they're instead moving to a naming of milestones similar to MacOS.

[Shades]

Haha - I would love to switch to Linux, but I can't for a slew of reasons.  Oh well.  Life, eh?

At least I have Autohotkey to keep me company!

Loving Linux for servers (no GUI at all) for more than a decade already. Dipping toes now with Pop!_OS (Ubuntu based distro with System76's tweaks and improvements) on my laptop. Till now, I can tell that this has been a much smoother experience than expected. Then again, experiences with Linux servers make it easier. Haven't had a real need to do things in the terminal, but I prefer to do that.

I'm sure you will miss a few application that you are used to in your Windows setup. For me, a native Linux version of Directory Opus would be an insta-buy.

Anyway, for my purposes, desktop Linux has come far enough to consider a transition. You could be surprised by how well desktop Linux fits your use cases too. Or not. You'll never know until you try. 

[BGM]

Actually, I use CentOS with FreePBX for our office phone system (runs on a VM, too!), so I have some small experience with Linux.  But part of my job is admin for M$ stuff, so I can only really dream about going to linux. 

[MilesAhead]

This would also jive to the fact that Microsoft has said before that Windows 10 is the last version of Windows - they're instead moving to a naming of milestones similar to MacOS.

That was my understanding.  I posted "Windows 11" as a joke.  When I saw the article claiming they were actually releasing a Windows 11 I took it as MS vacillation.  I also noticed that during The Pandemic(tm) Bill Gates had something to say on the news feed almost every day.  When he ran out of stuff they switched to scandal mode.  BG is back to being Beelzebub.  It must be similar to being bipolar or something. 

My main gripe with Windows is their insistence on going all in with the update mechanism.  If Windows Update does not work on your system you are pretty much hosed.  Plus the fact that they seem to change direction for the sake of wrong-footing their customers rather than any innovation.  I just could not imagine Ken Olson giving the OK to allowing spaces in filenames as one example. 

[MilesAhead]

I'm not sure what the deal is but Softpedia seems to think there will be a W11 aanouncement on June 24:
https://news.softpedia.com/news/microsoft-drops-a-new-windows-11-teaser-ahead-of-official-launch-533198.shtml