Where can I view a list of PAUSED updates?

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I have Windows 10 on a Lenovo X1 6th. This morning (5/16/24) I was notified of two updates ready to be installed. On Dr. Susan’s advice, I paused them for 7 days. Unfortunately I neglected to screenshot the Windows Update screen showing the two updates.

Shortly thereafter, I wanted to get the KB numbers of the two updates I had paused. I know where to get my update history which is updates that have been installed or have attempted to install but which failed.

Where can I get a list of updates that MS has released to my PC but which have NOT been installed because I’ve paused them?

I drives me (Windows user since 1990) absolutely NUTS when an obvious question like this is (or seems to be) absolutely impossible to answer. And that includes Googling and searching here in the forums all variations of “paused updates”, as a standalone phrase and in various sentences.

I will be eternally grateful to whoever can reveal the secret of how to see a list of my paused updates.

— Eric

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Eric,

You can completely control windows updates via PowerShell as follows:

Start PowerShell as Admin

Install the PowerShell PSWindowsUpdate Module:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Force
Install-Module -Name PSWindowsUpdate -Force

Retrieve a list of Updates:

PS> get-wulist

ComputerName Status     KB          Size Title                                 
------------ ------     --          ---- -----                                 
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB890830    68MB Windows Malicious Software Removal ...
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB5038350   55MB 2024-05 .NET 6.0.30 Security Update...
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB5038351   55MB 2024-05 .NET 7.0.19 Security Update...
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB5037591   66MB 2024-05 Cumulative Update for .NET ...
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB2267602    1GB Security Intelligence Update for Mi...
DELLXPS8920  -------                 3MB HP - Printer - 4/22/2009 12:00:00 A...
DELLXPS8920  -------               336KB Qualcomm Atheros - Net - 9/9/2016 1...
DELLXPS8920  -------                 5MB Dell. - Firmware - 0.1.0.23           
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB5037771  128GB 2024-05 Cumulative Update for Windo...

Hide an update:

PS> Hide-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID KB5037771

ComputerName Status     KB          Size Title                                 
------------ ------     --          ---- -----                                 
DELLXPS8920  ---H--     KB5037771  128GB 2024-05 Cumulative Update for Windo...

Check for Hidden updates:

PS> get-wulist -IsHidden

ComputerName Status     KB          Size Title                                                           
------------ ------     --          ---- -----                                                           
DELLXPS8920  ----H--    KB5037771  128GB 2024-05 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64...

Note: the H Status flag above.

Unhide a hidden update:

PS> UnHide-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID kb5037771

ComputerName Status     KB          Size Title                                                           
------------ ------     --          ---- -----                                                           
DELLXPS8920  ------     KB5037771  128GB 2024-05 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64...

Check to see things are back as started:

PS> get-wulist

ComputerName Status     KB          Size Title                                                           
------------ ------     --          ---- -----                                                           
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB890830    68MB Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64 - v5.124 (KB890830) 
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB5038350   55MB 2024-05 .NET 6.0.30 Security Update for x64 Client (KB5038350)  
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB5038351   55MB 2024-05 .NET 7.0.19 Security Update for x64 Client (KB5038351)  
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB5037591   66MB 2024-05 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8.1 fo...
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB2267602    1GB Security Intelligence Update for Microsoft Defender Antivirus...
DELLXPS8920  -------                 3MB HP - Printer - 4/22/2009 12:00:00 AM - 10.0.17119.1             
DELLXPS8920  -------               336KB Qualcomm Atheros - Net - 9/9/2016 12:00:00 AM - 2.1.0.26        
DELLXPS8920  -------                 5MB Dell. - Firmware - 0.1.0.23                                     
DELLXPS8920  -------    KB5037771  128GB 2024-05 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64...

Note: Do not type the PS> in the above examples that is the PowerShell prompt.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Blizzard, windbg

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RetiredGeek, thanks for this. I’m not afraid of command line, but I’m not up on PowerShell yet. But I’m going to see if I can do what you suggest, and report back.

— Eric

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I do have a question – you described its treatment of Hidden updates. What about Paused updates? They’re not the same thing — I paused two updates this morning, but two other tools told me I had nothing hidden.

According to PK Cano’s post, every utility uses Windows Update which ceases to opoerate when I pause it. From your screenshots, it appears you’re using PowerShell to access Windows Update. So … is it fair to conclude that PowerShell won’t display paused updates?

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You don’t Pause individual updates themselves. Updates available at any given time can vary.
What you Pause is the Windows Update Service, so it can’t show/scan for available updates.

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PL1

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ejb wrote:

Where can I get a list of updates that MS has released to my PC but which have NOT been installed because I’ve paused them?

For a graphical interface, I just tried out WAU Manager and it takes over the Windows Update process, and shows you the updates that you have hidden. Very easy to use.

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Blizzard

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PL 1 (Nostalgic name?), thanks for this. It looked appealing. But it only shows Hidden updates, not Paused updates.

What’s more, it told me I had no Hidden updates, but I know I “Hid” KB 5034441 back in January using wushowhide. However, now that’s not showing as Hidden in WAU Manager or even in the very MS tool (wushowhide.diagcab) that I used to hide it in the first place! I wonder where it went. (Susan, if you see this, can you weigh in?)

So, sadly I don’t think WUA Manager answers my question.

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PL1

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I believe that when you have enabled pause, none of the normal windows updating functions work, so it is not possible to see any information about potential updates, with the exception of Defender updates which should be coming through as normal.  If you want more refined control, a lot of people use a third party tool like WUMGR or WAU Manager, however these will also show nothing until pause is released.

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PL1

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I do have a question – you described its treatment of Hidden updates. What about Paused updates? They’re not the same thing — I paused two updates this morning, but two other tools told me I had nothing hidden.

This was intended as a reply to RetiredGeek regarding using PowerShell.

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As you pointed out, WAU Manager didn’t show paused updates.

It’s crazy that this information isn’t recorded somewhere and available as a reminder. How hard can it be to code that?

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Windows Update, wushowhide, WAU Manager, WUMgr – all of those tools use the Windows Update Service to scan for updates.

When you Pause Updates, you pause/disable the Windows Update Service. So none of those tools can search for updates. The only way to see the updates is to unPause Windows Update Service. But, when you unPause, it initiates an immediate download/install of all available updates.

So, here’s the recommendation:
Set your Internet connection to Metered in the Settings App, This should prevent the big updates from downloading. Install WAU Manager or WUMgr and set it to not automatically update. UnPause Windows Update. It will scan for updates.

If you hid updates with wushowhide, they should not show up when it scans. (But you can never be positive what MS will do this time) Once Pause is removed, use WAU Manager of WUMgr to control upsates. DO NOT use Pause again. Turn off Metered connections in the Settings App.

 

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ejb, PL1

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@PKCano I’ve always used wushowhide as per your AKB2000016. Your last paragraph suggests possible issues with it. Are you now leaning towards/recommending using WUMgr to control updates? If so, can you run both programs on same machine (while learning WUMgr) without losing what is hidden in wushowhide?

Edit: I am Win10 Pro, and have GP setting to 2 or “notify”

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Hidden updates are the same in wushowhide and WUMgr. Both can hide and show the same updates. The updates are not hidden IN the programs, they are hidden (or not) from Windows Update Service.

The difference is that wushowhide doesn’t control the other aspects of updating – it only HIDES or SHOWS (unhides). It doesn’t control the “when.” Everything you unhide gets downloaded/installed when you unhide it.
WUMgr basically takes the place of Windows Update, but you are not just limited to pausing and unpausing. You can actually choose/control what updates to download and when to do so.

All of my installations are the Pro version of Win. In Win Pro, there is Group Policy that controls the “when.” There is a setting that allows the updates to show without downloading/installing until I click the “Download” button. This gives me the ability to hide updates with wushowhide without worrying about what’s downloading. Then I can choose the “when” I click the Download button.
WUMgr does the same thing for the Home version that does not have Group Policy. If you use WUMgr, you don’t need wushowhide because it has the same show/hide function built in.

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Deo

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Is the Win Pro “when” setting you refer to as ‘show without downloading/installing’ the same as GP “2-notify” ? (Sorry for length, I can’t partial quote in AW when on my ipad)

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Yes. That’s 2 “notify download/install.” It doesn’t happen until you click the “Download” button (that’s NOT the same as “Check for Updates” button).

If you use that. you shouldn’t ever use Pause updates.

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Deo

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Provisionally Resolved.

Manager PKCano (https://www.askwoody.com/forums/users/pkcano/)

appears to have given a definitive reply: there’s no way to view paused updates within Windows Update as used normally. But he gives a workaround — involving a 3rd party utility in conjunction with Windows Update — that I haven’t tried yet but looks promising. (Just above on this page, but the link’s below.)

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/where-can-i-view-a-list-of-paused-updates/#post-2672110

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WUMgr download here. WAU Manager download from MajorGeeks here.

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You can also download WAU Manager from the original website here:
https://www.carifred.com/wau_manager/

The site also has what appears to be more documentation on its use.

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PL1

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