Restore hidden updates

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Restore hidden updates

You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings might also prevent you from completing this procedure.

  1. Open System, and then click the Automatic Updates tab.

    – or –

    If you are running Windows 2000, click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Automatic Updates.

  2. Click Restore hidden updates.

The next time you connect to the Internet, Windows will check for any high-priority updates for your computer, including updates that you previously declined. Windows will either download the updates automatically or notify you that they are available, depending on your Automatic Updates setting.

Alternately, you can restore hidden updates by visiting the Windows Update Web site.

  1. Go to the Windows Update Web site (https://www.microsoft.com/).

  2. Click Custom Install.

  3. In the left pane, click Restore Hidden Updates, and then select the updates you want to install.

  4. Click Install.

Notes

  • To open System, click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System.

  • When you restore hidden updates, Windows determines which updates still apply to your computer. If you cannot find a specific hidden update, you might have installed a more recent update that replaced the original.

  • Some updates require you to accept an End User License Agreement (EULA) before you can install them. If you decline the agreement, the updates are not installed. If you change your mind, you can install the updates later by visiting the Windows Update Web site (https://www.microsoft.com/).

  • Some updates require you to restart your computer before they take effect. Windows will notify any user who is logged on to the computer before restarting; however, only members of the local Administrators group can stop the computer from restarting. Make sure you save your work before restarting your computer and remind other users to save their work, especially before scheduled installation times.