I have check for updates set to Never. Occasionally I manually check for updates. Thing is, after 10 minutes I get the same 40 important and 2 optional update descriptions. Is there some way to set the high water mark so that I only get new notices without installing any updates? It's not exactly intuitive.
I'm curious as to the reasoning that you do not want to simply install these updates on your system? I'm one that is always apprehensive about something new and I don't want to be on the front edge when updates are first released, so I usually wait at least a week after the updates are released to ensure that the water is safe. But in the end, I always install the updates.
I always find it perplexing when somebody says they read the description of each and every update and decide for themselves whether or not it's required. It seems like a lot of effort and a potential risk.
Some updates are for stability, and even if you aren't crashing today, who is to say that you won't start crashing tomorrow and these crashes might not be preventable.
Some updates are for security risks, and even if you aren't at risk today, what happens if you install some other piece of software later which then puts you at risk? Are you truly going to remember that 14 months ago there was an update that might now prove beneficial.
Some updates are for performance. This could lead to better battery life, better boot up and shut down times, better app launch performance, etc.
I work in IT, and I have to approve updates monthly for all of the computers in our office. It's my belief that if Microsoft has released it, called it important and it fixes potential problems, then I should deploy it to my staff. It would be my butt that is under a spotlight if down the road we are compromised due to an update I was too lazy to install that would have prevented the problem in the first place. And even though I deploy to the whole company, and people have different OS's, installed apps, and running requirements it's extremely rare to have an update actually cause a problem.
I think your only option would be too hide all of the previous updates. There is a box you can tick to make them not show up. This should accomplish what you want.
Is there a screen shot? All I see for hide is Brink's tutorial where I need to right click them one by one. A big waste of my time if there's 60 of them.
Ok. To answer my own question: You have to click Check For Updates. Then click on the "important" or "optional" link depending what's downloaded. You get the list with all checkmarks. Select all in the list, say by selecting the first then holding down shift and arrowing down.. whatever. Then you can right click and hit Hide to get rid of 'em all. Click check for updates again and you get the short list. I haven't read through to see but I imagine the ones that downloaded again may be from "this week" esp. since today is Tuesday.
I spoke too soon. I just checked for updates. Got 3 "important" updates. I opened the list. Selected all. Right click and Hide Update on the list. I close the Window. Then no matter if I check for updates then, or close the applet, open it again, whatever... when I check for updates I get the same 3 updates I just told it I didn't want to see. I'd say something is broken.
I found you had to do them individually. I wanted to hide bing bar and silverlight. If I hid them both together it didn't work. In the end I hid one, scanned again for new updates and hid the other. That did work but would be pretty boring for you to do that for 60 of them.