How to use wushowhide

[mpw]

I have Windows update paused until June 11.  I have Windows 10 Home v1909.  If there are any patches on the way that are going to break my computer, I can’t stop them with Group Policy. (I think that is what you call it.)

So, I downloaded wushowhide.diagcab a couple months ago but every time I run it all that ever shows up are Defender updates.

I blocked updates before I ran wushowhide.  I think that was wrong; I really did not know how to use it.

So is there anyway to hide what I don’t want or will I have to wait until next month?

Also next month, how do I use this tool?  How do I run wushowhide before pausing and the patches not download and install?

HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-0050 – 64 bit
Windows10 Home v1909 – Build 18363.836
Windows Defender and Windows Firewall
Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019

[Kirsty]

Check out the detailed use of wushowhide in this ComputerWorld article.

[Berserker79]

The ComputerWorld article linked in the previous post probably already answered your questions, anyway I suspect that you do not see any patches in wushowhide because you have set Windows Update to pause updates until June 11. I can’t test this at my end, since I’m still running 1809 which does not have the “pause updates” feature.

Assuming this is the reason why you don’t see any patches in wushowhide right now, on June 11 when the pause is over you should immediately run wushowhide and see what patches (if any) your system is offered, mark for hiding all the patches you don’t need and let wushowhide do its work (it can take a long time, especially if hiding multiple patches). Be careful not to let too much time pass between the end of the pause and when you run wushowhide or there is the risk that Windows Update might start to download some update automatically.

I generally run wushowhide as a first thing the day new patches are released and hide all the ones I don’t want to get installed until Woody here reports it’s safe to install.

2 users thanked author for this post.

mpw, Elly

[Bundaburra]

In wushowhide there is an “advanced” tab where “Apply repairs automatically” is selected by default.  I don’t know what this does or might do, so I always deselect it before continuing.  The window title says “Troubleshoot and help prevent computer problems”, which seems to imply that wushowhide can do more than just show or hide updates.

Windows 10 Pro 64 bit 2004

1 user thanked author for this post.

mpw

[Kirsty]

As Woody wrote in the article linked above:

Step 2c. This step is important, and not at all obvious: Click the link marked Advanced. Then uncheck the box marked “Apply repairs automatically.”

If you don’t untick the checkbox, you do not gain the control of which updates get hidden or shown!

3 users thanked author for this post.

Coldheart9020, Elly, mpw

[mpw]

Thanks for all the replies.  I have read the article.  Too much information.  My brain is mush.  Still working on understanding all the steps.

I use ethernet connection but I have wifi and can turn it on which apparently is required.  And I can set it to metered; maybe this is what prevents Windows 10 from immediately downloading and installing updates so I have time to use wushowhide.  Not sure.

I have home edition so no group policy.  Also I blocked updates by pressing  Pause 4 times, I think, which got me to June 11.  I have v1909. These instructions are for earlier versions of Windows 10.

I will get through this but I need to read it and try to figure how to do all this on v1909.  And I am still not sure that as soon as I click “resume updates” on v1909 it all won’t just instantly download and install.

HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-0050 – 64 bit
Windows10 Home v1909 – Build 18363.836
Windows Defender and Windows Firewall
Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019

[PKCano]

As long as you have Pause set, nothing will show up in wushowhide.
If yu have only pressed Pause 4 times, you can add another 7 days – you are allowed Pause x5 for a total of 35 days.
As soon as you “resume updates,” will begin download/install.
Metered connections may keep it from continuing the download, but it will be on the way as soon as you turn metered OFF.

1 user thanked author for this post.

mpw

[mpw]

That’s what I was afraid of.

So next month, how do I use wushowhide on v1909 before I pause updates and before Win10 downloads and installs them.

I have always paused in anticipation of update arrival when Woody says to pause.  But then I can’t use wushowhide.  There is something I am missing in all this.

HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-0050 – 64 bit
Windows10 Home v1909 – Build 18363.836
Windows Defender and Windows Firewall
Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019

[PKCano]

Before you resume updates at the end of this Pause, turn on metered connections.
Then resume updates (you have to at the end of Pause time anyway) and immediately run wushowhide.
See if you can hide the updates while metered connections are on.
You can always unhide whatever is hidden whenever you get ready.
May work, may not. Worth a try.

2 users thanked author for this post.

mpw, bassmanzam

[mpw]

At Woody’s go ahead I got wushowhide at the ready and clicked “resume updates”.  As quickly as they started to appear, I started wushowhide.  Bingo, they all showed up.  I hid one for Silverlight but let the rest go since it was time to install.

I think had I wanted to hide all of them I had time to check all of them, but one started loading almost immediately so I’m not sure.

Berserker79 here says he has time to run wushowhide the day they come out.  Am I to understand I don’t need to pause updates?  Windows leaves them listed for a while before loading and installing?  Or should I pause and then resume updates with wushowhide at the ready?  Again, it happens pretty fast and I might not be able to check all the boxes fast enough.  Not sure.

Also, my apologies to all who warned me about opening Advanced and unchecking “apply repairs automatically”.  I of course forgot in the urgency of the moment.  Happily nothing bad happened.

BTW my computer is fine.  Nothing bad happened.  Updates are installed.  Desktop, files and audio all OK.

This is a great place to go for help.  Thanks to all.

HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-0050 – 64 bit
Windows10 Home v1909 – Build 18363.836
Windows Defender and Windows Firewall
Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019

[PKCano]

See #2267519 above.
If you do not have metered connections set to ON before you resume updates, the updates will begin download IMMEDIATELY and it is too late to run wushowhide and hide them.

[mpw]

Yes I had metered connections on before I clicked resume updates.  Metered connection was on for both Wifi and Ethernet.  One update started loading right away.  It was loading as wushowhide was scanning.  But it was not installing.

I blocked Silverlight.  I don’t know what would have happened if I had tried to block the one that started loading and I don’t remember which one it was.

HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-0050 – 64 bit
Windows10 Home v1909 – Build 18363.836
Windows Defender and Windows Firewall
Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019

[hms]

Why do I need to turn on Metered Connnections in wushowhide if I used the update settings that you suggest in AKB000..16? I have v1909 and have not been offered update to v2004 although I suppose it might show up running wushowhide.

I have not yet hidden updates, although 2 Intel updates are now offered that I may need to hide with wushowhide.

Why do I need to run wushowhide via wireless  connection? The W10 pc is a desktop with ethernet – no need for wireless. I have run wushowhide before using ethernet with no problems.

Thanks for help with this. I thought I had window update under control until reading about using wushowhide.

[PKCano]

If you have the Pro Edition, you will not need Metered connections b/c you can stop the automatic download with the Group Policy setting of “2”.

But if you have Home Edition, there is no Group Policy. Metered Connections is the only way to try to keep the updates from downloading automatically if you end Pause and want to hide the updates. And even that may not always work.

[hms]

Thanks so much. I have 10 pro and have not used metered connections.

That is one of the confusing issues by have several versions of Windows. At least the basic functions such as updating should be the same.

Also, thank you for taking the time to update AKB00..16 for v2004 users although I am not planning to update from 1909 in the near future.

[Gdaddy]

@PKCano,

You refer to GP value of “2”. I’m running W10 Pro v1909 and would like to learn more about the GP settings. I believe you had a previous article, which I cannot find, that outlined how to use GP to prevent Feature updates and Quality updates. Could you provide the link please? I’ll be sure to bookmark it this time.  Thank you.

CPU:Intel Skylake i7 6700K 4.00 GHz
MOBO: ASUS TUF SABERTOOTH Z170s ATX Motherboard (arctic-camo)
MEM: Corsair Vengeance LED 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 (PC4 25600)
Video: ASUS ROG Strix GeForce® GTX-1070
OS: Windows 10 Pro v1909
Case: Corsair Carbide 500R Arctic White ATX Mid-Tower Gaming Case

[Paul T]

The Knowledge Base article 2000016 is here.

cheers, Paul

1 user thanked author for this post.

Gdaddy

[mpw]

Well I thought metered connections and wushowhide.diagcab was working perfectly this month right up until it wasn’t.

I had my internet set to metered connection.  I clicked to resume updates and had wushowhide at the ready and started the scan.

Windows update listed updates and wushowhide listed them too.  Nothing downloaded. I checked the updates I did not want and all were listed in hide and it said they would not be installed.

I clicked “Download” button and the cumulative update hung and quit on “getting things ready”.

Since the updates I did not want were listed in wushowhide and the message at the bottom of the update list said I may have to connect to an unmetered WIFI connection, I turn off metered connection.

Boom everything downloaded including those I did not want that were listed under hide in wushowhide.  So, I thought well that’s OK, they won’t install.  Wrong again.  Everything installed.

I opened wushowhide, l looked under hide, all the ones I hid were gone from the list.

After a restart, I went to Update History.  It listed everything as failed to install at first.  Then above that in the list it showed everything successfully installed.

So, it looks like metered connection blocked everything even when I clicked “Download” button.  And when I turned off metered connection everything installed, including the updates I had hidden in wushowhide.

I still don’t get how to do this.  What did I do wrong?

HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-0050 – 64 bit
Windows10 Home v1909 – Build 18363.836
Windows Defender and Windows Firewall
Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019

[PKCano]

You must not have read AKB2000016. It specifically states that whatever you see in the Update queue is what you get. If you hide updates with wushowhide, and they still show in the queue, you have to CLEAR THE QUEUE before you proceed with the download, because “what you see is what you get.” The procedure to clear the queue is linked in AKB2000016.

Before next Patch Tuesday, you should go over the instructions so that won’t happen again.

[mpw]

Thank you.  That did not stay in my old head for a month.  Also I think I remember being confused by those instructions.  I will try to get it right next time.

No harm really.  At least I don’t think so.  I had followed instructions from Microsoft and got Microsoft Office Picture Manager from Office 2010, the last time it was included in office tools.  Since I just have the one tool, I didn’t think I should install Office 2010 updates.  I didn’t know what would happen.  Apparently nothing.  Picture manager works and I have not seen any other problems.  I guess it is OK to install updates even when I just have one tool from Office 2010.

HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-0050 – 64 bit
Windows10 Home v1909 – Build 18363.836
Windows Defender and Windows Firewall
Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019

[Author]

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