Page 812 - Windows 10 May 2019 Update The Missing Manual: The Book That Should Have Been in the Box

history, you can’t decline Microsoft’s Windows updates. If your PC is

connected to the internet, you’ll get each update, whether you like it or not.

There’s a persuasive argument for automatic updates. Microsoft and other
security researchers constantly find security holes—and as soon as they’re
found, Microsoft rushes a patch out the door. But creating a patch is one

thing; actually getting that patch installed on millions of copies of Windows
has been another thing entirely.

That’s where Windows Update comes in. When Microsoft releases a

security fix, it will be delivered straight to your PC and get automatically
installed.

Note

In fact, it’s Microsoft’s patches that usually alert hackers to the presence of security holes in the
first place! They used to be able to exploit the fact that not everyone had the patch in place
instantly.

What to Do if a Minor Update Glitches Your Computer

For most people, most of the time, getting automatic Windows updates is
the safest, best way to go. It’s fairly unlikely that an update will mess things

up for you—and potentially dangerous to turn off Microsoft’s ability to
protect you from new viruses.

But what if it happens? What if that blue moon comes to pass, and an

update makes your computer start crashing or acting weird? In that case,
you can uninstall the update—and then prevent it from auto-reinstalling

until you learn that a fixed driver or updated update is available.

To do that, open → → Update & Security → Windows Update;
choose “View update history,” and then “Uninstall updates.” Proceed as

shown in Figure 15-1.