Should I Install the Pending Windows Security Updates?
Asked by
MellowPine47
After being away from my laptop, I noticed a notification saying the device is out of date and needs to restart to install updates. Windows Update shows KB5126052 and build 26200.9445 as pending restart, which also prevents me from pausing updates. I need this laptop for college and personal work, and I've seen reports of updates causing BitLocker recovery screens or AMD driver problems. Is there a safe way to delay these updates, or will I eventually have to install them?
Answers
Online reports tend to make update failures look more common because people usually post when something goes wrong, not when the update installs normally. I manage updates on several hundred Windows machines and rarely need to intervene. Keep regular backups, and if BitLocker is enabled, make sure you can access the recovery key before updating.
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You can create a system restore point before restarting, but avoiding security updates indefinitely is usually riskier than installing them. Make sure important files are backed up, then restart and let Windows finish the installation.
MellowPine47: I already created a restore point after seeing the notification. I’ll also back up a few more important files before restarting.
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Back up your data and record your BitLocker recovery key first. In the unlikely event that the update causes a serious problem, you’ll have a way to unlock the drive and recover your files; the worst case may be repairing or reinstalling Windows.
MellowPine47: My important files are already saved to a USB drive, but where can I find the BitLocker recovery key?
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MellowPine47: That makes sense. I’ll keep those precautions in mind before installing the updates.