Updating issues plague me

[BobStrAskWoody Plus]

I have version 1809, and can’t get into Windows Settings | Update & Security. When I click on Update & Security, it opens for only a split second and then closes.

I haven’t updated anything or installed anything new for the last month, except as described below.

I had an earlier issue regarding updates, due to my unfamiliarity with the new (post-Win 7) way of dealing with updates. In the advanced options I turned Pause Updates “on.” For miscellaneous reasons, I later turned it off and then tried to turn it back on, but Windows wouldn’t let me do so, with the message that the next series of updates had to be installed before I could pause updates again. I considered that ungood, since I didn’t want version 1903 to be installed until it was ready for prime time.

I posted here for help, and it was suggested that I could get a third party utility to pause updates again. I downloaded Windows Update Blocker, which did the trick. That was a month ago. Since then I haven’t installed or updated Windows or any other programs, and until today I never tried to get back into the update settings. So for all I know Windows Update Blocker is what’s preventing me from getting into the Update & Security settings. But I don’t want to disable it, for fear that that will return me to the risk of having version 1903 forced down my throat. Thus, the background to my two questions.

First, how to I fix the problem of not being able to get into the update settings?

Second (and this may or may not be related), I saw where Woody said that although version 1903 was still problematic, other Windows and Office patches were reasonably stable and could be installed. But with this new Microsoft regime of forcing updates down users’ throats unless various settings are changed, I have no idea how to install patches, while not having version 1903 also installed like an anvil dropping on my head from a great height.

Am I misguided in understanding that under the new regime, I can no longer simply use a browser to go to an updates page and select only what I want from a list of updates and patches? The Microsoft page I found through Googling says to click the “Check for Updates” button, but my (possibly ill-informed?) understanding is that I should never, ever do that, unless I want all the newest, unstable updates to come descending down upon me. I haven’t found any instructions on how to go about installing Windows and Office patches/updates selectively.

So how does one deal with this?

Thanks large.

[Rick CorbettAskWoody_MVP]

The Windows Update page within Settings will not open (and stay open) whilst Windows Update Blocker is enabled, not even to display updates that are already installed. Whilst effective, Windows Update Blocker has no granularity at all… it’s either full OFF or full ON.

Hope this helps…

 

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BobStr,

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[BobStrAskWoody Plus]

Thanks, Rick. That does clarify it.

The next issue is: if I turn off Windows Update Blocker, I fear version 1903 is going to be thrust upon me. So is there a way to get the latest Windows and Office patches without 1903? Or should I simply wait for the kinks to be worked out of 1903 before I do anything in regard to updates?

Thanks again.

[Rick CorbettAskWoody_MVP]

I haven’t tried it yet but this ghacks.net Control Windows Updates with Sledgehammer (formerly WUMT Wrapper Script) article about Sledgehammer looks like it may provide the granularity that you are looking for.

(I was sure there was a ‘howto’ here on AskWoody but I haven’t been able to find it.)

Hope this helps…

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