BlockAPatch.com help needed

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I’m having an issue figuring how to block the problematic Jan. 2024 MS Patch called out by Susan Bradley. Usually each month I use Settings to delay all MS Patch installs ’til later in the month when Susan says they’re okay to install. This month I figured I’d take control, patch by patch.

I went to Susan’s BlockAPatch.com webpage but ran into issues. First WuShowHide looks to be going away per a notice when you run it. WuMgr hasn’t been updated in  more than 4 years, WU MiniTool hasn’t got much of a provenance, but seems the best one to use. But it has no manual or instructions. How do I get the patches to only download and install when I want them to? I know how to hide a patch with the tool, and how to select a patch and download/install it, but if I use settings to release the pause the patches start to download and install immediately, If I leave the pause on, patches don’t show when I search for them with WUMibiTool.

I suspect the “Automatic Updates” dropdown in the lower left of WU MiniTool controls the normal download/installs, but how should I set it along with how to set the Widows Update pause in Windows Settings?

Can someone help or point me to the way to set things up?

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WuShowHIde is still hands down the easiest way to block it.

Go ahead and indicate to “keep” the download, then run it and click next.  When you get to the window that shows the update it should be near the top.  Click it and it will hide it.

Still works to hide updates.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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BiltmoreLaker

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This works for me now. But I don’t see KB5034441 listed. Was it not offered because I don’t have Bitlocker installed?

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Did you pause updates?

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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No on Pause, but have Group Policy for control updates set to 2, which is notify before download and install.

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BiltmoreLaker wrote:

WuMgr hasn’t been updated in  more than 4 years,

WUmgr works just fine and you can use it safely.

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BiltmoreLaker

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[ErickB8023]

01-11-2024:

I know this is a little off topic, everyone wants to block the KB5034441 patch which I completely understand, this is the easiest approach, make Microsoft code a leaner patch for re-release. I went through the partitioning nonsense, and these are my findings.

*** If your computer skills are limited do not attempt ***

EDIT 1: I resized the partition by first turning off Bitlocker on the C: partition fully, let it complete, then I did the repartitioning exercises. After rearranging and resizing I re-enabled Bitlocker and waited it to complete, then applied the January 2024 updates.

On an older “test” Dell Latitude e5550 i5-5300u, 16gb ram, with Windows 10 Pro 22h2, 500gb Crucial MX500 Sata SSD drive (GPT/UEFI partitions, Secure Boot and the Bios TPM was enabled), I used Gandalf’s Windows 10 PE USB boot media and reduced my C: partition by 4gb, restarted to insure Windows would still start. Then got back into Gandalf’s boot Windows 10 PE Media, and then moved a 102 megabyte EFI System partition, restarted again, then ran the Gandalf’s boot, and I enlarged the EFI Recovery partition, I think it was 512 mb I increased it to 1.76 Terabytes, then applied the January 2024 updates. KB5034441 failed to install. Then I restarted the laptop to let the other January updates fully install, I let it restart, then I reran Windows updates and KB5034441 installed without incident. I probably didn’t need to make the recovery partition so large (however I wanted to allow some work space since some of these patches are compressed and work space is needed to let it expand and install), and I didn’t need to reduce the C: partition by 4gb, I wasn’t expecting this to work.

Note this was a low use computer, with Bit Locker enabled, nothing critical on this PC so if your system is your daily driver you definitely want to backup before trying this or waiting for a better patch, as Susan stated. This link has two powershell scripts which can facilitate this but I have not tested these script, same caution applies – backup your system before attempting.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb5034957-updating-the-winre-partition-on-deployed-devices-to-address-security-vulnerabilities-in-cve-2024-20666-0190331b-1ca3-42d8-8a55-7fc406910c10

On the Gandalf boot build I initially used a slightly older build from 2018 because the newer ones are loaded with so much software it’s kind of slow to load up.  The first two operations I used Aomei Partition Assistant Pro, but this software would not resize the first recovery partition, then I used PartitionWizard Free for enlarging the recovery partition, and it was able to enlarge it.

In total the Recovery Partition is now using 509 megabytes.

 

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by ErickB8023. Reason: Failed to mention that repartition was done with Bitlocker completely turned off

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NaNoNyMouse

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I run Windows 10 Home, with updates currently paused.  I was considering downloading WuShowHide, but from what I have read I have to un-pause (resume updates) before WuShowHide will work.  Normal behavior for me in the past has been that I click on “Resume Updates” and the updates start downloading and installing.  I don’t understand at which stage I would be able to hide an update I don’t want.  Once it is awaiting restart seems too late.

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In the Searchbar, type PowerShell
Right click on “Windows Powershell” and choose “Run as Administrator”
Copy and paste each of these lines intoPowerShell, one at a time, press Enter after each one

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Force
install-module -name PSWindowsUpdate -Force
Hide-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID KB5034441 -AcceptAll

Close PowerShell
This will hide KB5034441

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windbg, WSBirdLady

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Thank you so much for the script.  Sometimes I wish I could turn off updates altogether.  I know they are supposed to keep us “safe”, but I have a computer still running Windows 7, with no updates since October of 2016, and even browsing the internet (I am a very careful user and have a good internet security package) I have not had a single virus or other problem.  I work harder keeping my two Windows 10 machines safe from Microsoft!

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WSBirdLady wrote:

but from what I have read I have to un-pause (resume updates) before WuShowHide will work.

Set updates on metered connection.
Unpause.
Run WuShowHide
Hide any update
Pause updates
Disable metered connection.

*Upgrade to Pro .

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WSBirdLady

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Thank you.  It doesn’t sound too complicated.  I have been reluctant to update to Pro, as you suggested at the end, because I resent having to do so just because Microsoft updates cause so many problems.  Maybe too stubborn for my own good.

I really feel like a person shouldn’t have to work so hard to keep themselves safe from Microsoft, who are supposedly doing many of the problematic things to keep us “safe”.  It’s worse than having a virus!

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PKCano

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Do not update to Pro. Spend the money on a backup disk.
Use WuMgr to hide updates.
This is what I do. 🙂

cheers, Paul

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WSBirdLady

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Thanks, Paul.  I use two HDs for backup for each computer, alternating between them, and I make sure to back up everything before I do any updates, so that is covered.  I have always been a nut about having everything backed up, since I don’t want my hard work, precious photos, tax info etc., lost if something happens to my computer.  In the case of Windows, I want my computer to work again if Microsoft messes it up!

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