Advice for novice on which update(s) to avoid

[goopy]

Greetings.
Novice here looking for advice on which monthly cumulative update to install on an old copy of W7 that has not been updated for more than a year. There's been report of issues such as "windows not genuine" or endless nagging of EOL notification after installation with some of theses updates. Have they been fixed? And which are the ones that are safe to install (or to avoid)?
There's the alternative of installing the securities only updates. Are thees free of the issues mentioned? Are there features in the monthly updates that are considered essential?
Many thanks and best regards,

 

[Snick]

Security Updates definitely.

Personally, I install all of them except Silverlight.

Have a look at DISM++ for updates.

Dism++ | New Windows Utility

 

[townsbg]

Remove telemetry updates for Windows 7 and 8.1 . GitHub

 

[Paul Black]

Hi townsbg,

Remove telemetry updates for Windows 7 and 8.1 . GitHub

I think that link is for advanced users. It also needs updating with the latest Telemetry and non desired updates that have been released. You would definately need to make a system image before creating and running the .cmd/.bat file!

 

[townsbg]

It does however contain a list of updates to ignore even without running the script.

 

[Paul Black]

Hi townsbg,

It does however contain a list of updates to ignore even without running the script.

Very true, good point .

 

[goopy]

Greetings and thanks for the kind suggestions.

Attached are screen shots of WU and DISM++ showing the various updates available.Appreciate if anyone could kindly explain why different updates were offered and advise which are the ones to install.

1. What's the difference between Security Monthly Quality Rollup and Security Only Quality Updates? Is SMQR the one that has all the unknowns packed into it and hence to be avoided?

2. It appears SOQU is not cumulative? Need to install every single one? And why is it not available on WU?

3. Is it safe to install KB4474419?

4. KB3177467 was already installed on my system, yet still offerd by DISM++? Reason?

Many thanks and best regards,

 

[goopy]

Greetings. No one here on the idiosyncrasies of DISM++?

Anyway, ran DISM++ agaain. After updating its database, a new list of updates available was shown. Two items were not offered by WU:

1. KB4489873 IE11 cumulative updates. No longer supported by MS?
2. KB4490628 Service Stack Update. Has this been withdrawn?
3. I gather it's the considered opinion of this forum that the individual monthly Security Only Quality Update, not the Monthly Rollup, is the preferred method of updating windows?

Many thanks and best regards,