Optional Updates optional or not?

That's really not fair. Keeping our systems current clearly is one of the best ways to keep our systems safe and secure.

You ask why? It really is simple. Microsoft is sick and tired of being bashed relentlessly, over and over again, year after year over security issues they did not cause! Security issues the result of users failing to perform the necessary and common sense steps to keep their systems current, safe and secure. They didn't keep their systems current, they dinked with defaults settings without understanding the consequences, they clicked on any pretty link they saw. When performance suffered, they blamed Microsoft. And when they got infected, did those users take the blame? Nope. Was the bad guy blamed? Nope. Microsoft was.

So Microsoft decided, and rightly so, IMO, to change the defaults settings to keep Windows current even though they knew even more bashers would blame them for taking away some of the flexibility they were used too. Microsoft decided it was much better to be blamed for keeping our systems secure than get blamed for the malicious actions of the bad guys, bad guys that were allowed access by the users - always the weakest link in security.

As a hardware technician, I am glad Microsoft has done this. While it was good for my business, I was tired of fixing broken computers that were caused by the user thinking they were smarter than the developers, and the Windows and security experts at Microsoft.

BTW, how do you know it was Windows Update that eventually installed the graphics driver? Did you disable automatic update in the driver's control panel menu? Do you see that KB or driver update listed in Windows Update's Update History?

If you don't want Windows to use Windows Update to update drivers, you have to tell Windows Update not to. See How to Disable Automatic Driver Updates in Windows 10.

And for the record, with 5 systems here, I have never had Windows Update break any of my systems. I have had a couple updates fail. I did nothing but wait a couple weeks and sure enough, they eventually installed - I assume after MS tweaked them. On 2 or 3 occasions, it appeared the computer froze during an update. In each case, a simple reboot cleared all.

I get it. I really do. I used to be very, very hands on back in the days of XP and before. I wanted and took control of every setting in the OS I could. I really knew my away around the Registry. But as I got older, I got wiser. And contrary to what many seem to think, so has Microsoft. Not just with my own personal computers, but I have seen with my client computers too - they just run better and more securely if the defaults are left alone.

 

I guess you could say that ALL of MS updates are optional. Ain't nobody holding a gun to your head and making you download them. I have never had a problem with a driver update from MS.

 

I think it should also be noted that Microsoft is not developing these updated drivers. They only do that with Microsoft branded hardware, and the native generic drivers embedded in Windows.

Other drivers are submitted to MS by the manufacturers. MS then tests them, and then adds them to WU. They really do try to ensure total compatibility. But since virtually every one of the 1+ billion W10 machines out there are unique in their hardware configuration, installed programs, and OS personalizations, it is impossible to be 100% perfect 100% of the time.

Frankly, when looking at the numbers, I think their success rate is exceptional. But if even 1/10th of 1% of the users have problems, that's still 1,000,000 upset users. and 1 million upset users can make a lot of noise - especially when amplified by all those anti-ms bloggers and those in the IT press who repeat the reports over and over again. I think that is sad because it is never any where near 1 million affected users yet. a 99.9% success rate would be considered amazing (if not an impossible achievement) in just about any other industry or with just about any other product or service. Oh well.

 

Christer, if you want to keep the version of W10 you are happy with, follow the advice Arie Posted on an earlier Thread.

 

How do I stop automatic updates on Windows 10?
Go to "Computer Configuration" > "Administrative Templates" > "Windows Components" > "Windows Update". Double-click "Configure Automatic Updates". Select "Disabled" in Configured Automatic Updates on the left, and click Apply and "OK" to disable the Windows automatic update feature.Nov 16, 2020

 

LOL I defend them because of the constant "absurdum", over and over again, of the same old bashings and criticisms and name callings from folks like you who continue to bash and complain about Windows, yet continue to use Windows.

Except for some games, I have yet to find any "task" that cannot be performed on a Linux machine. Or there's Apple too.

YOU asked why MS does this. I explained why - but you don't like the answer so now you criticize me. That's pretty sad.

As far as MS forcing "Optional" updates on your system, if that truly happened then I agree with you - it should not have happened. All my systems here are Intel based so I cannot verify that "Optional" driver was installed. All I can say is on all 5 of my systems here, when I look at Optional updates I indicated I do not want installed, they are still there as available, but not installed. On this machine, I see 9. 8 are for Intel components in my system, and 1 is for my HP printer. All are listed as available to download and install. None have been shoved down my throat as you claim happened to you.

If an Optional update did automatically install on your system, it would be a mistake/bug and an exception to the norm. NOT a standard operating procedure. It is true, Microsoft is not perfect, despite some's expectations.

"Inbred bastards"? Come on!

That's what it boils down to, isn't it? MS took some of the control away from you and you don't like it.

Do you make the same "lack of control" complaints about your cell phone OS? What about the computers in your car? Smart TVs? How about the lack of control and flexibilities of your notebook?

Again, YOU asked why. I told you. It is because people for years dinked Windows to death then blamed Microsoft for Windows not working right. So Microsoft would rather have the majority of user happy and secure with working systems, than put up with the small number of whiners and complainers about the loss of control, and have to listen to those same people complain that Windows is broken because they dinked with the default settings and broke it.

I do find it interesting that no where in this thread have you said your Windows is not working.

Oh, and make no mistake. If look through my posts, you will find I am often very critical of Microsoft too - when it is due and deserved, as it too often is. Especially when it comes to some of the marketing and policy decisions by upper management.

 

To be clear, you didn't offend me. And in return, I hope I did not offend you. No offense was intended.

I do confess there are a few things that, over the years since I started "working the forums" that have stretched my patience - at times too thin. Most center around unwarranted, unfair, and/or clearly biased bashings for a product or company. It is not limited to Microsoft, for sure. It may seem that way due to them being a frequent if not constant target - not just the company, but Windows, Microsoft Defender, Edge, and just about anything else with the MS brand on it. No doubt, all have legitimate issues to criticize. But the forums are inundated with criticisms just because the poster does not like the company or even Bill Gates - even though he let go of control years ago. Often the criticism is there just to parrot the crowd.

I also take exception to constant complaints about OEM coolers, fanboy attacks on Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, [fill-in-the-blank]. Hence my comment about bashing when due. To be sure, I will and do criticize Microsoft, Intel, or whoever with vigor when due. In fact, I almost lost my MS MVP status one year for being too vigorous about an "Outreach" program the marketing weenies at Microsoft implemented where they started spamming forums. But I will also defend with vigor those who are falsely accused.

I don't understand why you would not agree with that. By disagreeing, you are suggesting it is okay to bash and criticize even when it is not warranted or due. ???

My problem with your issue specifically is, if Microsoft is intentionally changing these settings, why aren't 10s of millions of users complaining about it? While certainly the majority of users stick with the defaults, millions do not.

As for your screen shot, do you have a Samsung modem in your system? And what is the Samsung USB device? I note each of the Samsung devices say, 2.17.6.0. That seems odd to me - especially with the modem and USB both having that same version(?) number. Do you perhaps have a Samsung printer connected to your modem via USB?

I have in this system, two Samsung SSDs. Samsung makes the chips on my Corsair RAM. There are two Samsung monitors connected to this computer. I don't see any Samsung drivers listed in WU.

On my laptop, I have an external Samsung SSD attached via USB. No drivers installed there either. Both those systems are running W10 64bit Pro. Of course, my example is anecdotal - but then I suppose, so is yours.

 

I liked Me over Win98, which I liked very much. I tried Vista several times, trying really hard to give it a fair, honest chance because I accept, I don't like change. And I kept trying it out each time a Vista box came in the shop. I just could not get past all the issues I kept encountering. But I jumped on W7 and took right too it. W8 was actually an excellent OS - if you look at the primary jobs of an OS is to establish reliable communications between all the hardware, run your favorite software, and (though not really the job of an OS) do it all while keeping you and your data safe.

But, and this goes to Christer's concerns, Microsoft shoving the W8 "Metro" UI down our throats was a real turn-off. I would have rolled back to W7 had Start8 not come out and saved the day. That W8 UI was another blunder imposed on us by the marketing weenies at MS. They just assumed everyone would love and accept it, then pick up a Windows Phone next time they were looking for a new smart phone, and automatically choose the Windows phone. Both (W8 and Windows phones) were total disasters.

This really hit a nerve with me, and still does for I see it all the time. So often they are just parroting people they, for some reason, admire. Or because they encountered a problem with it 20 years ago with XP, therefore, it must still be a problem with W10.

Some flat out lie about it. There's a regular at another site I visit who was lambasting the "new" Edge. He claimed the new Edge provided zero support for add-ins, then went so far as to write, "wait a second, yep no add-in support!". Clearly, he lied because the new Edge provides extensive add-in support by supporting almost the entire library of Chrome add-ins and extensions. And that is something he could have verified in seconds, either with Google, or by actually pulling up the new Edge and checking. But instead, he wanted so badly to criticize the Microsoft product, that he totally lied - I guess just assuming everyone would believe him because he said it. He disappeared for a couple weeks after I pointed out his falsehood and obvious deceit.

As for how and why they feel the need to bash MS every chance they get, I can only assume it is that biased hatred for anything MS. But what I really dislike is those wannabe journalist in the IT press and blogospere who make up stuff, or blindly parrot what they read elsewhere - causing falsehoods to go viral or minor problems to be blown way out of proportion. Where's their professional integrity? If anyone should be verifying facts, it is those in the IT Press.

A good example of that is that Chkdsk problem a couple weeks back. In reading some or the reports, and there were 100s, you might think the world was ending. But with a little digging, it ended up being a handful of computers and virtually every report was a repeat of one original report.

BTW, the original Edge was yet another blunder by MS marketing weenies and execs. That version of Edge was clearly an unfinished, incomplete product. And from what I have learned, the developers were opposed to releasing it with W10 because they knew it was not yet finished. But the marketing weenies and execs wanted a new browser with the new OS anyway so they forced it out and on us. It was so bad, they had to scrap it completely and start over. But then they blew it again, IMO by calling it Edge too. IMO, they should have picked a new name. Oh well.