Windows updates not showing in update history after manually installing them

(On Windows Version 24H2)

I was hoping someone might have some insights on some strangeness on my acer aspire 3 15 laptop .. ran into a problem where it just flat out refused to install Windows Updates and kept saying the update failed.

Ran using command prompt as an administrator the sfc/ scannow command which said it found and fixed corrupted files.. but Windows Update still wouldn't work.

Downloaded and manually installed KB5063878 and then KB5065426 from the windows update catalog, both install packages claimed the installation was successful.. but they don't show up as installed in the update history under Windows Update in settings.

Google research led me to this website


and looking at windows update in services, windows update for some strange reason was in "manual" not "automatic" status and the service had stopped... changed status to "automatic" and started the service again.. windows update still wouldn't run.

Ran using command prompt as an administrator the DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth command which gave a "operation completed successfully" result.

Tried running windows update again still gave an update not installed error message (interestingly enough windows update tried to download KB5065426 which claimed it had been installed already when I manually installed it from the windows update catalog)

Next I went into settings, selected "system", "recovery" and "reinstall now" under "fix problems using windows update" (which was the second thing I tried to do before all the steps listed above.. first thing I tried to do was run the windows update troubleshooter but troubleshooter kept saying it couldn't do anything) ... after performing all the steps listed above the "fix problems using windows update" worked and I got lucky, it did indeed leave my files and programs alone as it promised it would :) (have office 2019 installed from the stacksocial-gamespot partnership so I had some concerns about whether or not that installation would survive what appears to be basically reinstalling Win 11 24H2)

Ran windows update and now it's saying "you're up to date" instead of giving me an error message.. which would be great if it wasn't for the fact that KB5063878 and then KB5065426 are STILL not showing as having been installed in the windows update history.

I'm just wondering if this is normal when you manually install windows updates like that? Is it possible that they really did install like they said they did but due to some glitch they're just not showing in the Windows Update history?

Sorry for the long wall of text and thanks in advance to anyone who reads this and replies :)

Windows Update only remembers what Windows Update did. If you manually installed other packages, it won't show up in history.

It can be normal for some sites to use a 3rd-party site management tool to push Windows updates as locally installed KB's, instead of depending on WU to handle that task. There are ways to programmatically query which updates were installed, and when.

AndreIsComputn said:

they're just not showing in the Windows Update history

Click to expand...

Do they show up in Windows Update>update history>related settings (at the bottom)>uninstall updates?

Here's my checklist for dealing with update issues. You may or may not have tried them all.

WINDOWS UPDATE PROBLEMS

1. Run troubleshooter-settings-system-troubleshoot-other troubleshooters-windows update-RUN.

2. Reset Windows update using Brink's tutorial Reset Windows Update in Windows 11 Tutorial

3. Open command prompt as administrator. Enter this command.
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Restart computer
Then open command prompt as admin again and run sfc /scannow
Pay attention to the scan results to see if SFC found anything it could not repair

4. CLEAN UP COMPONENT STORE - dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup
Analyze and Clean Up Component Store (WinSxS folder) in Windows 11 Tutorial

5. Do a repair install. This usually works when nothing else will. Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade Tutorial

garlin said:

Windows Update only remembers what Windows Update did. If you manually installed other packages, it won't show up in history.

It can be normal for some sites to use a 3rd-party site management tool to push Windows updates as locally installed KB's, instead of depending on WU to handle that task. There are ways to programmatically query which updates were installed, and when.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that :) .. I was worried that the other windows updates/packages didn't install but this gives me a lot of comfort :)

glasskuter said:

Do they show up in Windows Update>update history>related settings (at the bottom)>uninstall updates?

Here's my checklist for dealing with update issues. You may or may not have tried them all.

WINDOWS UPDATE PROBLEMS

1. Run troubleshooter-settings-system-troubleshoot-other troubleshooters-windows update-RUN.

2. Reset Windows update using Brink's tutorial Reset Windows Update in Windows 11 Tutorial

3. Open command prompt as administrator. Enter this command.
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Restart computer
Then open command prompt as admin again and run sfc /scannow
Pay attention to the scan results to see if SFC found anything it could not repair

4. CLEAN UP COMPONENT STORE - dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup
Analyze and Clean Up Component Store (WinSxS folder) in Windows 11 Tutorial

5. Do a repair install. This usually works when nothing else will. Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade Tutorial

Click to expand...

Thank you very much :) .. step 2 is brand new to me I'm going to have to add that to my notes and try that if I run into these kind of problems again :) ... I did try all the other steps you mentioned but it's good to have a more experienced computer person than myself verify I was doing "something" right :) .. totally unrelated but love the Betty Boop avatar image :) ...

And thanks for that too I had no idea there was an uninstall updates option I'm going to have to check that out and see if they show up there!

I did notice when I turned the laptop again that despite the updates not showing in update history I was greeted with the familiar blue and white splash screen "welcome to your new windows let's see what's new" type thing that displayed on the other PC's in the house that had no problem with the update so.. I'm guessing I can take that as a good sign and the updates happened :) .. immediately did a backup of Windows using Macrium Reflect right after that so I can save a "snapshot" of things hopefully working right :)