Windows Updates Advice needed

GunJack

bod1467 wrote: »

Who powers off their PC without shutting it down via Windows? It has NEVER been recommended to power off a PC via the power button. Whenever I have updates being applied (Windows 7, but I'm sure Vista was the same) then there is a message saying to not power off until the updates have been applied. (And an according message at the next power On).

You'd be surprised, especially if the individual is impatient.... and it tends to happen before you get to the "don't power down..." message, e.g. in normal useage when people aren't aware the update is happening in the background. Some machines may not respond very well while the update process is going on, also prompting inexperienced users to power-off with the on/off switch'coz they think it's crashed/crashing. Even closing the lid on a lappy putting it into hibernate has been known to corrupt the OS before now if done during updates.

In all, there are many ways in which this can and does happen......

grizzly1911

For what its worth I have always allowed auto update and only ever had one issue in XP which neede a reinstall in the end to kill the update. In this instance it didn't noticeably hinder the system it just narked me that the update always failed.

When they do update does it cancel out the existing bit, if it is being replaced, or does it just layer up? Some of the downloads can be numerous and sizeable?

GunJack

^^^ it's a mixture, depending on what needs to be done to an individual file...I would hazard a guess that most windows ones are updating the existing file, rather than completely "new" versions..

Muppet81

Thanks all.
Just back from work and reading your replies.
Think I will settle for being asked before download and install. That way I can at least ensure this happens when convenient for me i.e. not in the middle of doing something important.
I will google updates before downloading just to see if there are real problem ones but will probably allow most in the end as I don't know enough to differentiate.
Hoping that the fact there are so many is down to it being a new laptop (2 weeks old) and ht things may calm down .... or am I just being too optimistic