Disable or Hide Optional Updates on Windows Vista
One of the things that drives me crazy on Windows Vista is all of the optional updates that show up in the Windows Update list. I want to look at Windows Update and see that there are no updates, not see that there's a list of 14 language packs that I don't really need
Just open up Windows Update, and you might see something like this:
But when you click on View available updates, you see this:
I have this sneaky suspicion that I will never ever need the Finnish Language Pack, being in the US and all.
All you have to do to hide these updates, is to right-click on an item in the list, and choose "Hide update" from the menu.
Now when I look at Windows Update, I see what I'm expecting to see in the first place:
If you ever decide to move to Finland, and that you want to install the updates, there's a "Restore hidden updates" link on the left-hand side of the screen that will let you put them back in the list.
The "Windows Update" process doesn't seem to work on my recently purchased Inspiron E1505 Dell laptop computer (with Vista Home Premium).
There is a strange looking icon (a little blue square with a gold ring around it) at the bottom right tray. When I click on it the message states that there are updates ready for updating. When I initiate the process the machine spends about 20 minutes doing something and then I get the following message… "Windows could not search for new updates." With error code "80073712″. When attempting to trouble-shoot this issue I cannot find anything pertaining to this error code.
When I check "Windows Update" on the Control Panel it says "Never" under "Most recent check for updates".
How can I fix this situation?
Edward:
same problem.
Been going on for months with Vista premium.
same error message, over and over.
tells me there are updates,but then fails to install them.
I was in LENGTHY communication with microsoft over this.
They finally threw up their hands, waived all service charges, and told me to do an "inplace upgrade" which means, run my original Vista CD's and do a repair.
they assure me that if i do this, no settings, programs or files will be in any way affected [infected?]
Of course, there is no way i am going to do this.
I have been using vista long enough to know: i've tried some of their fixes before. been down that road.
Suffice to say that i have been using Vista long enough [about 9 months] to have learned this:
any error messages, suggestions for repair, or unnerving screens that appear from MS Vista: IGNORE IGNORE IGNORE.
As long as you can still do your work, just don't look at that error message or screen-
DO BACKUPS RELIGIOUSLY, DAILY - and keep working.
WHATEVER YOU DO - DO NOT TRY TO FIX ANYTHING via a windows fix.
I have tried. You wind up with disaster: repairing all sorts of "fixed" settings and screens and new problems.
Vista Rule #1: get back to XP [ if, like me, it is too late to buy a mac.]
Vista Rule #2: if it is too late to go back to XP, then,[ like me], you are screwed.
That's it.
Forget the updates, forget trouble free computing, forget not having constant annoyances ["you don't have permission to do this"].
Just consider yourself lucky that Gates doesn't run phone companys, too; and do the best you can. But WHATEVER YOU DO, Don't let Windows try to fix ANYthing!!
Just wanted to say thanks for the informative info on hiding the language packs. Worked like a charm. Previous update screens for other Windows products were far more intuitive. In fact, even your idea of right clicking doesn't say to just close the screen there's nothing to click after your done.
I ran vista on a homemade machine that most could never afford to buy from a store. I ran home basic upgraded from xp nonstop ( sixty two days straight NO NETWORK ), no restarts, burning countless dvd and running copmplex imaging software…UNTIL I sold out to try a free trial software from the net. That was when the update took control, since then, its crashed three times and twice with the kind of MBR damage that I would expect from a NSA strike force.
I hate myself…I feel so violated… My beautiful creation, now comprimised.
Alex in VA
Yeah, pretty obvious trick there Chris. But, I have about 50 language pack "optional updates". Now, show me how to hide ALL of them at once and I'll be impressed. I got through about ten and said wtf?? The way it is, I have to right click on 50 lang packs and select hide??? Whoa dude, my time is way too useles… er ah, valuable to be mucking around with that. But IT IS very annoying to see all those friggin lang packs all the time.
@Terry:
1) Right-click, H.
2) Allow admin privileges.
3) Right-click, H.
4) Repeat step 3 for each language pack.
It takes less than a minute.
Thanks. And yes Terry it takes it took me around 20-30 second to hide my 37 language pacts so it shouldn't be much of a problem.