Missing Update History

TyredOfTen · 12 Apr 2019

In attempting to find information online as to what may be causing an issue with my mouse, I clicked on a link that I thought would be helpful. Instead, I ended up discovering something else.

The article I was reading mentioned an update. When I went to find that update, I discovered that ALL updates prior to March 2019 have mysteriously disappeared from the update history. I looked in:

Settings>Windows Update>View update history and
Settings>Control Panel>Programs and Features>View installed updates

In both locations, there are no updates listed prior to 3.14.19. In looking at the updates in Programs & Features, you would swear this was a brand new computer b/c there is so little listed. I bought this laptop in November 2017.

This laptop has not been reformatted. There's been no System Restore done. No new hardware has been installed. Google Earth Pro was installed on 3.31.19. In looking around after discovering the missing Windows updates, I found that SEVERAL programs apparently update automatically... something I am not a fan of, but with this Windows 10 was unaware they were set to do so. There appears to be 15 programs that update automatically.

Anyone have a clue as to what happened to all the Windows updates? And couldn't this potentially be a problem later if repairs are needed and no one knows what's been installed and what hasn't?

Bree · 12 Apr 2019

TyredOfTen said:

.. ALL updates prior to March 2019 have mysteriously disappeared from the update history. I looked in:

Settings>Windows Update>View update history
and
Settings>Control Panel>Programs and Features>View installed updates

In both locations, there are no updates listed prior to 3.14.19....

What version of Windows 10 does it say if you run Winver? Have you had the Features Update to version 1809? If so, that would explain the 'missing' updates. A features update installs a new version of windows, replacing your old version and any updates it had. The updates to your previous version are not relevant to the new version. That would be confirmed if your Update History includes an entry like this....

...I found that SEVERAL programs apparently update automatically... something I am not a fan of, but with this Windows 10 was unaware they were set to do so. There appears to be 15 programs that update automatically.

3rd-party programs have their own update options, independent of Windows 10. The Microsoft Store apps, (Calculator, Photos, News, etc., and the Store itself) are by default updated automatically by the Store. This is optional and can be turned off in the Store's settings. See....

Turn On or Off Automatic Updates for Apps in Windows 10 Store | Tutorials

TyredOfTen · 12 Apr 2019

Wow! Thank you, Bree.

Start>Run>winver does show Version 1809, and in the update history, it shows "Feature update to Windows 10, version 1809 amd64 2019-03...Successfully installed on ‎3/‎14/‎2019." LOL... there's that 3.14.19! And I guess it does make sense that if this update is like a total over-haul, old updates would be worthless.

As to the auto-updates of the programs, I will be looking into that soon now that I know about them. I can't believe I missed them. I've always disabled auto-updates unless there was really good reason to allow a prog to do so. I guess I suffer a bit of control freak...lol

Thanks for the link and the quick reply.

Bree · 12 Apr 2019