Got a used laptop with Windows 8.1 Pro from a family member. Ran 'installed updates' and found security, recommended, and optional updates installed. Is it realistic to uninstall all updates except security updates and expect the laptop to run ok?

I can't tell what kind of modifications MS made to the OS through its recommended and optional updates.
All I can tell is that since W2k, now I'm on Win7, I install only security updates and never had any problems.

If it was me, I'd uninstall all recommended and optional updates and if something would go wrong I'd rather reinstall the OS.
If you don't have a CD for a fresh install you could make a restore point or an image of your HD to be on the safe side.

well it's OK to uninstall any update you want.

But I wouldn't advice to uninstall 'recommended' updates - there may be some that have fixed real usabililty-related bugs.

But if you just want to clean out some telemetry junk - then you can use ready apps or scripts from here and there all over the web.

If I recall exactly, the nagging screen for Win10 came also with a 'recommended' update and it wasn't the only offender among those updates.
Since I install only security fixes I got spared by such annoyances.



As for Win10 which is OT here, you can't scrap all the telemetry junk. Only viable option seems to be at router lever. However, every new update can smuggle new joys to keep script writers busy.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/2016 01:19AM by Yogi.