Windows 7: Individual update's checkbox is blank?

This happens pretty often to me... out of several "Important" updates available for download/install, one or two will have their checkboxes blank, so they are not selected for installation automatically. I can't detect a pattern of which ones are left blank.

It always worries me a little, wondering if that particular update was left blank for a reason. I'm running a customized version of Windows 7 64-bit, so maybe the customization has something to do with it, but I can't see how a tweak that was performed before I even installed the OS can have impact on which updates are defined as "automatic".

What does it mean for an update to have a blank checkbox in Wondows Update?



Thanks for any clues you can provide...

Hello Huge,

By default, only Windows updates that are classified as important (critical) and recommended (if checked in settings) will be installed automatically (if set that way). Otherwise they will be left unchecked (unselected) for you to select to manually install when you "check for updates" next.

If you like, you could click on the How does automatic updating help me? link at the top of the Windows Update Change settings window, it will give you more details on this.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

@Brink:

We were discussing this in the other post that also mentions this issue.

The question I and others have is that the updates that were unchecked on my PC and another members PC were security updates for .NET. I do have the latest .NET updates installed so .NET is COMPLETELY up to date.

It is hard to believe that security patches for a completely updated .NET framework would not be needed by our OS.

One other possible factor is that I do NOT have SP1 installed , and never have. I also don't think the other member does either. I was thinking that not having SP1 installed was the issue.
Your opinion about this????

Thanks.

Well, it would be best to have SP1 installed if you wanted to keep Windows 7 fully updated and current.

I have a suspicion that some updates may not be selected if they may conflict with each other if installed at the same time, and/or if some updates may be required to install first before the other.

@Brink:

I agree about SP1 ...but being a long time Win XP OS user I am still very wary about the major SP1 update. I know it is a different architecture but I have seen enough issues with this SP even so.

The fact that most experts claimed that there were NO significant changes from plain old 7 (most say it was just a compilation of all the updates offered in the past as individual updates) so I figured I could hold off as long as I installed all security patches and other applicable updates.

My thought was to hold off on SP1 until MS offered a cut off date for support of 7 without SP1 . Instead just making sure to install all security patches. Your thoughts? Acceptable ?

Personally I would recommend to install SP1. Otherwise you just will not be up to date. I haven't had any issues with it, or have I noticed anything that stands out then before SP1 was installed. The FAQ's and MHT file at the link below can help give you more details on exactly what is included in the SP1 to help.

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 FAQs, installation issues and helpful links

Hello!

This question again The honest answer is that I don't know of anybody who actually knows. MowGreen, Aaron Stebner, or TaurAdrian *might* know, but my personal suspicion is that Microsoft pre-selects whether an update will arrive selected or not, and not your own computer. I shall have a dig through the package XML over the weekend, and see if anything springs out, but I can't guarantee.

Richard

Thanks niemiro!


@Brink:

I understand and you are right, now if I can just get past the "apprehension " of installing SP1. I trust that you are also correct that no issues will occur with the install. Yes, it is ME, not the PC.

I can understand. While there can never be any guarantee that some sort of issue may or may not rear up at you, you should be fine though. To be safe, you could create a restore point before doing so. If you have a issue, you could always do a system restore using that restore point to go back.

@Brink:

Can I be assured that if there is a problem with installing SP1 and I go back to the restore point that I will likely have no lingering issues ?

Another question. If the install of SP1 fails and I restore to before the install can I delete the downloaded SP1 pack from files with no issue?

Thanks again.