Windows 7 and 8 optional updates

[Country Joe-PG-]

Are Windows Optional updates worth installing? Should I install them every time they pop up?

I read in one post on MS forums that because they are not "IMPORTANT" updates you can ignore them.
In another post someone said you should install them. I'm confused.

Even more confusing is the explanation of what the updates are for and what they do at MS Support.

[blueleader2-PG-]

Joe,

You can safely ignore the optional updates since they really belong in the "user choice" category. Some are for programs and services, such as Skype or Bing, etc. If the update relates to such a program, and you use it, then, by all means, update it. Others are for programs and services you may not now or ever use, or, the update may correct an inane error you may see listed in Event Viewer. If your operating system or an MS program needed one of these updates, it would not be listed as optional. I bypass a good 95% of these updates. I ignore all optional updates for driver updates for detected hardware. You should get such updates from the manufacturer's website, not Microsoft. The post you read suggesting that you install all optional updates may have come from a person who may not sleep well at night out of fear that a missed optional update may cause his operating system to misplace an x or an o.

Also, you can always hide these updates if you wish. If you find in the future that you need/want one of them you can easily restore hidden updates from the Windows Update window.

blue

[Country Joe-PG-]

Thanks Blue.

I had 26 updates on my Win 8.1 laptop that popped up about a week and a half ago but I ignored them. Mainly because they had to do with things I don't use or have like a Windows Phone and other nonsense according to the "More Information" in Windows update I clicked on.

When I did my second Tuesday of the month Windows update this week, the 26 Optional updates all disappeared.

Miraculous!

I guess they probably included them in the "IMPORTANT" updates I installed this past Tuesday.

I've always been hesitant to install Optional updates because once they completely messed my XP computer up. Thankfully I did a restore point prior to installing the updates and was able to restored my computer back to before the Optional Updates were installed.

I appreciate the input as always Blue.

CJ

[huntor]

I generally do install most updates. But things like bing, or skype. I choose to ignore and do not install those. The rest however I do.