hiding updates

I know there is a way to hide specific widndows update, but to be more specific is there a way to hide certain "optional" updates, specifically drivers.

the reason l ask is my recently purchased laptop is a refurb which has had some minor replacements one of which was the touchpad, a certain specific set of drivers were required in order for it to work as the normal ones didnt (not that l use the touch pad all that much but ld rather keep working drivers for when all these lockdowns are finished and potentially head out taking my laptop with me).

basically put l want to just remove the offered updates for the laptops touch pad from the optional updates.

These are additional options to consider to have layers of protection:

1) Make free backup images:
Macrium Software | It’s our business to protect your data
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect

2) Backup drivers that can be restored if needed:
Backup and Restore Device Drivers in Windows 10

3) Turn off Windows updates of non-Microsoft drivers:
Enable or Disable Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10
Prevent Windows Update from Updating Specific Device Driver
Turn On or Off Device Driver Automatic Installation in Windows 10

Absolutely! Here's how...

Download the Microsoft "Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter" tool from here:

http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...owhide.diagcab

From the first screen, click on Next.

Wait for the troubleshooter to detect any problems.

Click on "Hide updates".

Place a check in the boxes for any updates you want to hide. Here is an example:



Click on Next

Click on "Close the troubleshooter".

NOTE: This tool was first made available when Windows insisted on installing drivers that were sometimes problematic. Current versions of Windows are a lot better about this in that these updates are typically shown as "Optional Updates" and not installed automatically. However, by running this utility you can completely hide the updates that you want so that they won't even show up in Optional Updates. Note that you can run the utility again to unhide those updates if you should need to do so.

Does that help?

Indeed, not able to run it at the second but will try it when I hop on the laptop later.

auroken said:

is there a way to hide certain "optional" updates, specifically drivers.

There are no such things as optional updates in my 20H2.
I use the following tool to hide unwanted updates, including drivers.

WAU Manager says "Install in Progress" days later ?

There are if the driver is incompatible, as the touch pad has been replaced, only one specific driver worked and said update doesn't hence wanting to hide the certain driver from being updated.

Incompatible drivers should not be offered. You can hide an update whether it wants to be hidden or not.

none the less the touch pad driver doesnt work sadly hence wanting to hide it. thanks for the help, update has been hidden.

Once in a while Microsoft offers up drivers that are no good on the system to which it is being offered. I've run into it myself about 3 times now. In fact, in the screenshot above, the Realtek driver offered for my system does not work on my system! In earlier versions of Windows, that utility was the only way to stop some from being installed. It's better now that they are made "optional", but the utility is still handy to hide them.

Indeed, technically speaking I haven't tried the driver however due to the advice of the person who refurbished the laptop telling me to avoid it, it just made it easier though I wish I had hidden it before imaging my system with reflect lol