Use this Windows 10 troubleshooting package to hide problem updates

Microsoft’s plan to require Windows 10 users to keep their systems up to date is already off to a shaky start, and over the weekend problems with an NVIDIA driver upgrade caused problems for some. With Windows 10, unless you’re on Professional or one of the Enterprise versions, you’re automatically set up to receive updates, not only for security fixes, but for feature upgrades and new driver versions. We’re already seeing some of the possible downsides of “Windows as a service”, however, as the video drivers wreaked havoc on some users’ systems.

Microsoft appears to have been ready for such an occurrence, and already has an optional troubleshooting package available to allow users to hide updates.  The package, KB3073930, has been available since at least July 7th, when the KB article was published, and simply allows users to show or hide updates.  The KB explains:

In Windows 10 Insider Preview, your device is always kept up to date with the latest features and fixes. Updates are installed automatically, with no need to select which updates are needed or not needed. In rare cases, a specific driver or update might temporarily cause issues with your device, and in this case you will need a way to prevent the problematic driver or update from reinstalling automatically the next time Windows Updates are installed.

Downloading the troubleshooting package to your system provides a dialog box that allows you to choose which updates to hide:

The package is marked as being for the Windows Insider Preview, but it works with build 10240, the “RTM” build, and should presumably work for consumer installations as well.

For Windows 10 Pro users, there is already an ability do “defer updates”, although this setting defers all non-security updates without the ability to pick and choose individual problem updates.