Make it so that I can select downloads

@Tharwatime

Windows 10 doesn't work like Win 7 with the list of updates and pick and choose. Totally different, as you have found.

Take a look here:

Toolkit Item: Windows Update MiniTool (WUMT) – Win10.Guru

It will allow you to block certain updates. Be aware, the process for MS giving updates to WIN 10 has changed from Win 7, it simply does not work that way anymore.

Tharwatime said:

Thanks. I am unable to see why the Win 7 method is all or nothing in Win 10. The advice is that "WUMT lets you pick what you want to download and ignores everything else." I'm being quite cautious with this and other Win 10 changes as I want to get it right the first time. Can you please confirm that WUMT is the best option? TIA.

That's a tricky question. Unless you have a really good reason to block a particular MS update or cumulative package, it's best to not do it at all. Using WUMT to block a driver MS wants to install that you know messes up your system is the most common reason to use it. The whole process of how MS does Win 10 updates is different than Win 7, there's no good way to correlate one to the other. This is the best and most used tool of it's kind, and recommended here, but with a good dose of caution and common sense.

Usually, a user finds or hears that an update is causing problems, and uses this to block it up front before MS fixes the issue. It's not intended to be used as a substitute for Windows Update. As stated, Win 10 updates and Win 7 updates do not process the same way.

Tharwatime said:

Useful, thanks. In Win 7 I found a lot of MS patches simply did not apply to me. I downloaded all the security patches and some of the rest. I'm expecting Win 10 to be the same. A related question. How much is downloaded from MS in a typical month?

I think you'll find that if Windows 10 Update offers you an update, it does apply to you. It's not a good practice with Win 10 to cherry-pick updates. Some are co-dependent. Again....Win 10 is not Win 7.

Far as quantity? Patch Tuesday gives you the security updates in a cumulative package, the MRT (Malicious Tool Removal) and possibly some minor product update to fix a bug. Defender updates happen daily, several times a day. There can always be what are known as out-of-band updates, coming at any time during the month if warranted for security or a major bug is found. In total, not really that much. Biggest updates come semi-annually with the new releases.

Tharwatime said:

Your first paragraph is very useful, and has persuaded me to leave things as they are. I'll look for a download volume meter to install. I had one on Win 7, very good for checking volumes on a daily, weekly or other time basis. The Win 7 one is no longer available. Agree, the ones and zeros do mean something: on and off. I'm unsure which is which but it does not matter. Probably. I did not need to know this in Assembler or Pascal.

Good. If you find any issues with updates, look back here on TF, cause I'm sure others have found it, too. Best of luck! Cheers!

If you want an easy method suggest option 7 here:

Enable or Disable Windows Update Automatic Updates in Windows 10

OPTION SEVEN

To Enable or Disable Automatic Updates using WAU Manager




Personally I use Sledgehammer (formerly WUMT) but it's not for the faint hearted and you have to understand how and when to use it.

Download Sledgehammer (formerly WUMT Wrapper Script) - MajorGeeks

There's some info here:

Giving up on WIN10 Home