Block specific Windows update hotfix

Question

I'd like to leave Windows Automatic Updates enabled but block a specific patch from being installed that is causing us problems.

Is this possible? Anyone know how to do that?

Solution

In a larger network you will want to use WSUS as DanBig pointed out. However, if you owant to block an individual hot fix you can do so with the hot fix ID using this script:

If Wscript.Arguments.Count = 0 Then
    WScript.Echo "Syntax: HideWindowsUpdate.vbs [Hotfix Article ID]" & vbCRLF & _
                 "Examples:" & vbCRLF & _
                 "  - Hide KB940157: HideWindowsUpdate.vbs 940157"
    WScript.Quit 1
End If

Dim hotfixId
hotfixId = WScript.Arguments(0)

Dim updateSession, updateSearcher
Set updateSession = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.Session")
Set updateSearcher = updateSession.CreateUpdateSearcher()

Wscript.Stdout.Write "Searching for pending updates..." 
Dim searchResult
Set searchResult = updateSearcher.Search("IsInstalled=0")

Dim update, kbArticleId, index, index2
WScript.Echo CStr(searchResult.Updates.Count) & " found."
For index = 0 To searchResult.Updates.Count - 1
    Set update = searchResult.Updates.Item(index)
    For index2 = 0 To update.KBArticleIDs.Count - 1
        kbArticleId = update.KBArticleIDs(index2)
        If kbArticleId = hotfixId Then
            WScript.Echo "Hiding update: " & update.Title
            update.IsHidden = True
        End If        
    Next
Next

If the update is not linked to an KB article then you would need to find the update ID using this script:

Dim updateSession, updateSearcher
Set updateSession = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.Session")
Set updateSearcher = updateSession.CreateUpdateSearcher()

Wscript.Stdout.Write "Searching for pending updates..." 
Dim searchResult
Set searchResult = updateSearcher.Search("IsInstalled=0")

Dim update, kbArticleId, index, index2
WScript.Echo CStr(searchResult.Updates.Count) & " found."
For index = 0 To searchResult.Updates.Count - 1
    Set update = searchResult.Updates.Item(index)
    WScript.Echo update.Identity.UpdateID & ": " & update.Title
Next

And block it using this script:

If Wscript.Arguments.Count = 0 Then
    WScript.Echo "Syntax: HideWindowsUpdateById.vbs [Update ID]" & vbCRLF & _
                 "Examples:" & vbCRLF & _
                 "  - Hide KB940157: HideWindowsUpdateById.vbs 2ba85467-deaf-44a1-a035-697742efab0f"
    WScript.Quit 1
End If

Dim updateId
updateId = WScript.Arguments(0)

Dim updateSession, updateSearcher
Set updateSession = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.Session")
Set updateSearcher = updateSession.CreateUpdateSearcher()

Wscript.Stdout.Write "Searching for pending updates..." 
Dim searchResult
Set searchResult = updateSearcher.Search("UpdateID = '" & updateId & "'")

Dim update, index
WScript.Echo CStr(searchResult.Updates.Count) & " found."
For index = 0 To searchResult.Updates.Count - 1
    Set update = searchResult.Updates.Item(index)
    WScript.Echo "Hiding update: " & update.Title
    update.IsHidden = True
Next

You can do all of the above in Windows PowerShell as well. I created the scripts in VBScript originally because I wanted to interact with the Windows Update Agent before PoSH was installed. The Windows Update API is documented on MSDN.

Comments

[Opmet]

very nice! i have slightly modified the script in superuser.com/a/922921/172012 - to accept multiple hotfixes at once.

[Mark Berry]

Very helpful, thanks, especially the loop for finding updates by KB number. I've incorporated that into my script for uninstalling and hiding Microsoft Updates: mcbsys.com/blog/2015/11/uninstall-and-hide-windows-updates.