Do you update your Windows regularly?
@lordwarwizard (35747)
Singapore
March 13, 2009 11:15am CST
Take the question literally this once. Do you update your Windows regularly?
I don't know much about Macs (the computer not the food) but I would assume you get regular options to patch your machine like the case for Windows. Anyway, do you patch your machine regularly by installing those new patches once they are released?
For Windows, one way to do it is to just run the update via your Internet Explorer (I know other browsers don't quite work). I used to do that regularly but there came a time when Microsoft started releasing rotten things and my computer went down because of their patches. Sometimes they destroyed my computer; other times my access to the Internet was wiped. I know the patches were the culprits because I did troubleshooting and rollbacks.
So now, I just keep my fingers crossed and live without new patches. Better that than have my days disrupted to no end by installing patches that are supposed to heal but end up killing. FYI, I am using original Windows so it's really kinda crappy.
So, do you update your Windows regularly? 
21 people like this
74 responses
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
13 Mar 09
I just wait for the regular prompts to pop up telling me there's Windows updates and then install them as my PC is shutting down. This happens every few weeks or so I guess? Thankfully I've never had any issues with it so far! (Touch wood!) If it wasn't automated like this, I'd probably never update Windows at all.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
14 Mar 09
So you just let the alerts come through for your case. I used to do that, then I would manually download then install... but now, I just offed the alerts totally since I don't intend to give my computer any more chance of being wrecked by Microsoft. 
@sunilganta83 (22)
• India
13 Mar 09
I do update windows regularly but i avoid installing the deriver updates through windows. Make sure you do not install hardware updates from windows as they are the ones usually causinh harm.
So don't let the OS install updates automatically, rather you be the judge by understanding their importance.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
14 Mar 09
I have had cases where my hardware doesn't work after I installed Window's recommended update for it. Had a great field day.
@srirambond007 (524)
• India
19 May 09
i am having a 64-bit edition of windows vista running on my laptop. Last week i updated it. after all the downloading and installation it rebooted. When it booted it said 'Updates failed.Trying to rollback'. Great . I thought it will be automatically rectified. Nothing happened for hours it was like that. Then i hard reset the system and re-installed with by recovery disk. Now i am also in ur state..
Keeping my fingers crossed and hopping that no virus,malwares attack my PC. I have a antivirus and a firewall running so i believe i am on the safer side. Anyways lets home Microsoft rectifies their updates and really rollout patches rather than bugs!!!
2 people like this
@srirambond0071 (2)
• India
22 May 09
he he ... no exactly rollback. it said it was rolling back but nothing happened .. simply was showing me a progress bar ... stuck...
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 May 09
Good thing Vista still has rollback. I thought they removed system restore already.
Better run your scans! 
@saigonwarrior (1331)
• United States
13 Mar 09
No, I don't update my Windows until a few days after the updates come out.
The reason being, I want to wait to see if anyone else has problems with the
update before I install it myself and yes, I remember when service pack 2 came
out that nearly crippled a lot businesses because quite a few things were not compatible with the update.
I will not allow my computer to auto update..
"I ain't stoopid".
As for my Mac Ibook. Yep, I update it every time there is an update for the operating system, browser, java or what have you. Nothing ever messes up on there, I don't know maybe they actually test the updates before releasing..unlike "you know who". 
2 people like this
@saigonwarrior (1331)
• United States
14 Mar 09
You may be right about the wait!
For some reason Microsoft uses it's clients as guinea pigs, I don't know
of any other business that would get away with that sort of thing.
Hey, thanks for the medal, I am going to wear that the next time that I go out if it
matches my outfit..
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
14 Mar 09
In fact a few days may not be sufficient lol. The bigger the update, the longer you might want to wait, ha!
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
14 Mar 09
Normally they will auto download but you will have to approve the installing (I think).
@walijo2008 (4644)
• United States
14 Mar 09
Yeah, thats what my computer does too, it updates itself automatically, I'm glad it does that because if it were up to me I would forget to do it.
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
22 Nov 12
This is the default setting for Windows, so unless you have manually altered it then it will certainly be working this way.
I always reset my system so that it will download the updates but let me choose which ones to install. I prefer this because there are a few updates that I do not want. Microsoft often provide a new Malicious Software Removal Tool every month, so I have no desire to place that onto my computer.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
14 Mar 09
Personally I just feel it is giving your computer too much control!
@Jemina (5770)
•
16 May 09
I have read a similar thread in Webuser several months ago and one information that sticks to mind is, "if it ain't broken, don't fix it". I think they were referring to the same problem you had with MS updates. I used to have it automatically downloading everything there is a new update but now I changed the setting and only downloads the important ones. The rest are optional and I just ignore them.
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 May 09
I think it's because what they have isn't perfect and people keep finding ways to exploit the loopholes... and they are forced to step in to rectify the problems...
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
18 May 09
Yup, don't fix what isn't broken, that's one philosophy to adopt. 
1 person likes this
@mummyofthree (2715)
•
13 Mar 09
My computer updates automatically.
Touch wood I've had no problems so far with it.
If I had to manually pick the updates I'd end up forgetting lol.
2 people like this
@Jellytang (698)
• China
19 Mar 09
I don't have this good habit.And I think updating the windows regularly is a waste of time.Because my computer doesn't have important things.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
23 Mar 09
Well if you are always doing something important on the computer then yes...
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
14 Mar 09
I thought so too and recommended to same to all my friends... till Microsoft started acting funny for my computer.
@indigo2385 (44)
• United States
13 Mar 09
I have the windows update do it automatically so I don't have to worry about it. Just every once in a while I have a little icon that tells me updates are ready to be installed other than that I do nothing.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
14 Mar 09
Yes that is convenient - though if something goes wrong, you might never realize that the update was the cause if you do leave your computer unattended and allow the patching to be done automatically (though sometimes patching will require restarting so you might know).
@Darkwing (21583)
•
17 Mar 09
I have my security set to advise me when there are updates available in windows. It doesn't update automatically, but it advises me so that I can choose whether to install the update. I generally do, but I like to check it out first as there was a virus carrier going around on one of them a short while ago. I'm using XP and once or twice I've had to turn down or rescind updates. There was a note floating around about the virus carrying one though, so I watched out for it. Better to be safe than sorry, my friend.
Brightest Blessings.
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
17 Mar 09
At one stage, I do not do any updates. However, I learnt the necessity to do updates especially when I am using Original software. Though there is a possibility of bugs in the patches, the patches are meant to do more good than harm. As such, I do regular selective updates. Any update on features I do not use, no, i would just not do the updates so as not to congest my registry.
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Mar 09
How do you explain the crashing of my computer or cutting of of internet when I install some Microsoft updates for my original Windows?
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
19 Mar 09
Well, you can always use the customized option when installing the patches. And choose only the security patches to install. The rest, is up to your disgression. I have yet to install a patch that caused problems that you mentioned.
Maybe because I have only been installing the security patches and nothing else.
Keeping up to date with their security patch is important as they usually plug the loop holes in their OS which was previously targeted by trojans and spywares.
Unless you have a super solid firewall and a super solid antivirus and antimalware system in place, it is better to install all the security patches that are released by MS from time to time.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Mar 09
But the problem can be caused by security patches too... I just won't know which one will work and which one won't. If I have patience to do rollbacks, etc, I will install all.
1 person likes this
@ratyz5 (7808)
• Philippines
15 Mar 09
In my case, I always add the ones that seems important.
Malicious software removal tool isn't that important to me so I don't install them. Custom install whenever I get the updates. Look them up if I really do need them or ignore them until a new patch gets available.
So far, the latest update that I had was Service Pack 3. I had ignored it for a few weeks and just recently, added it up. So far, my computers aren't weird at the moment.
I don't just immediately add updates, I look and see if they are necessary.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
15 Mar 09
I thought malicious software removal sounds important lol.
1 person likes this
It would just take space and does what your anti-virus program already does for you.
@grunge_avenged (552)
• Canada
16 Mar 09
Yes, I regularly update my Windows with the Windows updates. I have never had such a problem where the Windows updates crashed/failed my computer or made anything run slower, etc. Im not saying youre wrong, I simply have never experienced it myself though :) That is unfortunate, though! I work in computers, and we are constantly having to do re-installation of Windows XP and sometimes we get new computers with Windows Vista but the people want XP so we have to erase the Vista and do an installation of XP. Ah, the joy of working in computers haha ;)
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
16 Mar 09
I would recommend auto updates too but somehow that messed up my computer.
@csrobins (1120)
• United States
16 Mar 09
Yeah I try to but I only usually do if I have time, I don't even know how they help or what they do
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
16 Mar 09
They stop potential threats... supposedly. Try once a month or 2.
