Manage Windows Updates with ABC-Update
ABC-Update is a free program for Microsoft Windows devices to manage and control when Windows updates are delivered to computers in a network.
The application is available as a command line version and a graphical user interface version, and is free for use in commercial and non-commercial environments.
ABC-Update is compatible with all versions of Windows starting with Windows XP. It requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 on clients and the .NET Framework 4.5 or higher for the GUI version, and that the Microsoft Automatic Update Service is not disabled.
Tip: An alternative that works well on single PCs are Sledgehammer. If you run Windows 10, check out our guide on upgrading the Windows 10 operating system.
ABC-Update
ABC-Update was designed to address growing frustration with the default updating behavior of the Window operating system. Automatic updates and performance issues are mentioned specifically by the developers of the application.
Administrators may list, install, or uninstall updates on a schedule or immediately, and set up actions after update installations and logging.
Administrators may run the program from any location on a Windows PC. The interface displays all relevant options on a single screen in the interface.
Admins may select the update source at the top. ABC-Update supports WSUS and MS Update; the address and port of the WSUS server may be added if WSUS is selected.
ABC-Update supports four different update related actions: list missing, list all, install, or uninstall.
- List missing: lists all updates that are available for the particular version of Windows that are not installed already.
- List all: lists all available updates.
- Install: install updates.
- Uninstall: uninstall updates, works only if WSUS was used to install these updates.
The application offers options to set a desired power state after update installation or uninstallation, and whether the system should be rebooted if required.
Administrators who want even more control may configure the program to run queries for all update types or only for select types. Available update types include critical updates, Windows 10 feature upgrades, service packs, definition updates, or developer kits.
Additional options may limit updates to software or driver updates, and even find updates based on KB articles, titles, or dates.
Options to enable logging and email reports are provided as well. Administrators need to add targets for the operation to the targets field. A click on "this system" adds the current system to the process. ABC-Update attempts to query Windows Active Directory domain or forest on first start to make connected devices available for selection as well.
It is not possible to add targets directly in the form field though; a click on input opens options to select computers in the network for inclusion.
A click on Schedule starts the process. ABC-Update queries the selected update source based on the configured parameters and displays the progress in a new window.
The application lists all client devices and their status in the window. You may click on any client PC to display detailed information.
If you selected to check for missing updates, you find all missing updates in the log next to connection and selection details.
It is recommended to run a check for updates (without installation) first to find out more about updates before installation.
The log lists KB article IDs but no links; manual research is required to find the KB article pages.
Closing Words
ABC-Update is a powerful update management and installation program for Microsoft Windows devices. While its main purpose is the use in networks with multiple client PCs, it may be used on individual Windows PCs as well to install updates.
Now You: Do you use a third-party program to install Windows Updates?
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help