Windows 7: Is it ok not to update Windows?

Do you use Windows Update? Is it ok to disable it? I sometimes find it annoying and bloating my HDD

I dont think it is a good idea to not update at all, some can be ignored (the less than critical ones) others not


Ken J

if you're not connected to the internet, i would say yes. but since you posted here, you are using the internet

think of it this way, installing win 7 is like building a home.. as time passes by, thieves would want to go inside your home especially if you have valuable things inside it.. would you leave your home as it is or do you want to have a safe home by making sure you have additional locks and anti-theft devices?

updates are just in kbs most of the time so i would download them if i were you

i know this is a very basic logic but still works right? plus it is easily understandable

I would NOT run a Windows based computer connected to the Internet without running updates on the machine.

Always do an update, both drivers and software. They do not bloat your system. Instead, they make the system more secure from threats, also, there are bug fixes and improvements.

Also, you could avoid many problems when updating your drivers, so don't take it for granted that Microsoft made it easy to do updates, they do it for your own good and safety.

Always keep your system updated, turn on automatic updating you will not be sorry

I would install most updates. The ones that pertain to components that you are not using, you can "hide". If you need them later, you can still pull them back. But if you want to live without updates, you should consider Linux.

Alternatively Turn it off and check for updates manually.


Select and choose. Not all updates are necessary.

While all updates may not be necessary, it might be more work and effort to read through them all and determine which ones you "really" need. That time and effort might not be worth the few KB's on the hard drive that are consumed. Plus, it's better to be safe than sorry in my opinion.

I still feel it's best to simply install every update that is shown as applicable to your system.

Look at it this way:

Had Microsoft known about the potential problems/bugs/security issues/or whatever it is that they are patching when Win 7 was released, those updates would already be on your computer. When you were first installing Windows did you tell yourself "8.5GB is one thing, but the heck if I'm going to install an OS that requires 8.9GB"?

I saw a 1TB HD at the store today for $59.95 - why worry about a few hundred Megabytes of updates?