ABC-Update is a free command line tool which allows you to take full control of Windows updates.
You can use it to list all your installed updates, for instance. To highlight any that are missing, or to find updates by their KB article number, release dates or category ("Application", "SecurityUpdates", "ServicePacks", more).
Of course the program can install your chosen updates, too. Or uninstall them. It's not particularly difficult. If you're the kind of person who might want to use this type of tool, then you'll immediately understand what a line like ABC-Update.exe /A:Uninstall /K: KB2631813 is going to do, no need to go looking for help.
It's even possible to control Windows Update's normally automatic reboots. By default they're turned off, so ABC-Update.exe /A:Install will install all available updates without rebooting at all.
Or if you're downloading lots of updates, maybe onto a new PC, something like ABC-Update.exe /A:Install /R:3 will set the total number of reboots you'll allow. Instead of waiting around as Windows Update restarts your system each time, ABC-Update will manage the process itself, installing as many updates as possible in each session, and only rebooting when absolutely necessary.
And there's more. Enter ABC-Update.exe /? at the command line to view everything the program has to offer.
Verdict:
Managing Windows updates can be complicated, and the safest approach is to let the operating system handle everything. But if you need more flexibility, and you know what you're doing, ABC-Update makes it relatively easy to take full control of which updates you install, and when you install them.
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