Gotta love Windows updates...

ryan s · 11-12-2009, 10:06 PM

You can turn off "Automatic Updates"...just like the "Access Permission" popups that people attribute to Windows sucking

**RichardS** · 11-13-2009, 12:01 AM

Originally posted by k100d

one of my university courses had its final exam on computers
and during the exam all of the computers had to restart to install windows update

you'd think you'd be able to tell it to hold off jus for a while

You can. And any IT organisation that sets windows update to run automatically like that should be boiled in oil. Slowly. Or at least fired. Immediately.

Set it so that it alerts you that there's an update available and only downloads when you say so.

Control Panel, Security Center (sic), click on "Manage security options for: Automatic Updates". Select "Notify me but don't automatically download or install them".

Don't install the downloads automatically. Always take the option to customise the install. Check on the web to see if there are any problems before you let any of the available updates install. If it's an out-of-schedule emergency update for security reasons, it's probably a good idea to install it asap.

Be paranoid at all times

Adam · 11-13-2009, 12:58 AM

Originally posted by ryan s

You can turn off "Automatic Updates"...just like the "Access Permission" popups that people attribute to Windows sucking

As far as I knew, my auto updates were off, but somehow Windows still managed to sneak in a notice that updates are available if you just ignore them. Guess I will have to kill the system entirely.

ryan s · 11-13-2009, 10:31 AM

Originally posted by Adam

As far as I knew, my auto updates were off, but somehow Windows still managed to sneak in a notice that updates are available if you just ignore them. Guess I will have to kill the system entirely.

I believe there's 2 options: One is simply turning off notifications, the other is actually disabling auto downloads like Richard alluded to.

My laptop's Action Center currently has something waiting called "Check for solutions to unreported problems"

I'll get right on that

**RichardS** · 11-13-2009, 04:32 PM

Some time ago (months?) there was a problem with XP where the choices you got at shutdown were limited if you had downloaded but not installed some automatic updates e.g. if you had automatic updates set to download but not update. It wouldn't let you re-boot (or maybe it was shutdown completely - I'm going from memory here) unless you installed the updates. It looks like that's been fixed.

The same problem was in a Win7 beta or release candidate. I haven't looked at the production release.

ryan s · 11-14-2009, 11:18 AM

Originally posted by RichardS

Some time ago (months?) there was a problem with XP where the choices you got at shutdown were limited if you had downloaded but not installed some automatic updates e.g. if you had automatic updates set to download but not update. It wouldn't let you re-boot (or maybe it was shutdown completely - I'm going from memory here) unless you installed the updates. It looks like that's been fixed.

The same problem was in a Win7 beta or release candidate. I haven't looked at the production release.

Yep! XP and 7 RC both have that issue. You can "shut down and install updates" and that's it for a shut down option (it has a little yellow icon next to the normal icon).

Oh well. And I should have clarified an earlier post of mine: There is also an option to only install urgent updates, like security related ones

Ratmagiclady · 11-14-2009, 11:24 AM

What really annoyed me was when I couldn't get rid of this updater thing which would, just about at the end of my evening, come on every five minutes and say, 'We're restarting your machine unless you hit cancel in the next few minutes.' No option to say. 'How about... No.' You'd have to either drop what you were doing or pay constant attention if you didn't want to lose your place in umpteen things.

It seems they got rid of that eventually.

ryan s · 11-14-2009, 11:44 AM

Ugh I hate that...

On Win7, you can tell them to postpone it up to 4 hours at a time, and it won't restart itself anymore.

Ratmagiclady · 11-14-2009, 11:50 AM

Originally posted by ryan s

Ugh I hate that...

On Win7, you can tell them to postpone it up to 4 hours at a time, and it won't restart itself anymore.

My old Mac has the opposite problem, though, about the only time she'll ask for a confirmation on anything is a few minutes after you hit shutdown. And are out the door, go out, go to bed, go back into that room next and find that she's waiting for you to say 'OK, shut down yesterday,' ....and then you *can't* say, 'Oh, just forget about it.' What's the point of *asking* if you can't say 'no?'

reeftool · 11-15-2009, 09:34 AM

I've been pretty lucky with Windows updates I guess, none of them has ever crashed my computer. I have had some issues with other updates which caused some serious problems, Adobe Reader in particular. That damn program decided to take over my computer one day while I was in the middle of doing my taxes when it forced an update on me after I clicked "no" or "update later" or whatever the prompt was. It updated and began installing and my computer locked up. I lost all my work on the tax program and had to start over. I was pissed and removed Adobe Reader from my hard drive. I got done with my taxes and guess what? The tax program forced me to install Adobe Reader again. I have another computer with Ubuntu on it and I get an update notification that updates are available but it never force feeds it and that's the way updates should be.

11-13-2009, 12:58 AM	#33
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,594 Original Poster	Originally posted by ryan s You can turn off "Automatic Updates"...just like the "Access Permission" popups that people attribute to Windows sucking As far as I knew, my auto updates were off, but somehow Windows still managed to sneak in a notice that updates are available if you just ignore them. Guess I will have to kill the system entirely. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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11-12-2009, 10:06 PM	#31
ryan s Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,383	You can turn off "Automatic Updates"...just like the "Access Permission" popups that people attribute to Windows sucking

11-13-2009, 12:01 AM	#32
RichardS Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia Posts: 2,418	Originally posted by k100d one of my university courses had its final exam on computers and during the exam all of the computers had to restart to install windows update you'd think you'd be able to tell it to hold off jus for a while You can. And any IT organisation that sets windows update to run automatically like that should be boiled in oil. Slowly. Or at least fired. Immediately. Set it so that it alerts you that there's an update available and only downloads when you say so. Control Panel, Security Center (sic), click on "Manage security options for: Automatic Updates". Select "Notify me but don't automatically download or install them". Don't install the downloads automatically. Always take the option to customise the install. Check on the web to see if there are any problems before you let any of the available updates install. If it's an out-of-schedule emergency update for security reasons, it's probably a good idea to install it asap. Be paranoid at all times

11-13-2009, 10:31 AM	#34
ryan s Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,383	Originally posted by Adam As far as I knew, my auto updates were off, but somehow Windows still managed to sneak in a notice that updates are available if you just ignore them. Guess I will have to kill the system entirely. I believe there's 2 options: One is simply turning off notifications, the other is actually disabling auto downloads like Richard alluded to. My laptop's Action Center currently has something waiting called "Check for solutions to unreported problems" I'll get right on that

11-13-2009, 04:32 PM	#35
RichardS Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia Posts: 2,418	Some time ago (months?) there was a problem with XP where the choices you got at shutdown were limited if you had downloaded but not installed some automatic updates e.g. if you had automatic updates set to download but not update. It wouldn't let you re-boot (or maybe it was shutdown completely - I'm going from memory here) unless you installed the updates. It looks like that's been fixed. The same problem was in a Win7 beta or release candidate. I haven't looked at the production release.

11-14-2009, 11:18 AM	#36
ryan s Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,383	Originally posted by RichardS Some time ago (months?) there was a problem with XP where the choices you got at shutdown were limited if you had downloaded but not installed some automatic updates e.g. if you had automatic updates set to download but not update. It wouldn't let you re-boot (or maybe it was shutdown completely - I'm going from memory here) unless you installed the updates. It looks like that's been fixed. The same problem was in a Win7 beta or release candidate. I haven't looked at the production release. Yep! XP and 7 RC both have that issue. You can "shut down and install updates" and that's it for a shut down option (it has a little yellow icon next to the normal icon). Oh well. And I should have clarified an earlier post of mine: There is also an option to only install urgent updates, like security related ones

11-14-2009, 11:24 AM	#37
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	What really annoyed me was when I couldn't get rid of this updater thing which would, just about at the end of my evening, come on every five minutes and say, 'We're restarting your machine unless you hit cancel in the next few minutes.' No option to say. 'How about... No.' You'd have to either drop what you were doing or pay constant attention if you didn't want to lose your place in umpteen things. It seems they got rid of that eventually.

11-14-2009, 11:44 AM	#38
ryan s Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,383	Ugh I hate that... On Win7, you can tell them to postpone it up to 4 hours at a time, and it won't restart itself anymore.

11-14-2009, 11:50 AM	#39
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Originally posted by ryan s Ugh I hate that... On Win7, you can tell them to postpone it up to 4 hours at a time, and it won't restart itself anymore. My old Mac has the opposite problem, though, about the only time she'll ask for a confirmation on anything is a few minutes after you hit shutdown. And are out the door, go out, go to bed, go back into that room next and find that she's waiting for you to say 'OK, shut down yesterday,' ....and then you can't say, 'Oh, just forget about it.' What's the point of asking if you can't say 'no?'

11-15-2009, 09:34 AM	#40
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,553	I've been pretty lucky with Windows updates I guess, none of them has ever crashed my computer. I have had some issues with other updates which caused some serious problems, Adobe Reader in particular. That damn program decided to take over my computer one day while I was in the middle of doing my taxes when it forced an update on me after I clicked "no" or "update later" or whatever the prompt was. It updated and began installing and my computer locked up. I lost all my work on the tax program and had to start over. I was pissed and removed Adobe Reader from my hard drive. I got done with my taxes and guess what? The tax program forced me to install Adobe Reader again. I have another computer with Ubuntu on it and I get an update notification that updates are available but it never force feeds it and that's the way updates should be.