Can I Refuse to Update My Windows PC/Laptop?

Technology Technology: Chat / Discussions
41

There is the ‘if’ factor and if correct, that is quite a number. I have read that as many as 50% of Windows users get problems with updates. Could be true I suppose but I don’t know of anyone personally that has had any. If there are others like me who don’t know of anyone in their circle that has had problems, then multiply that …well, there always will be statistics and the Internet press I suppose.

There is a wariness of Windows updates but I always like to install them straightaway to see if I experience the problems being written about. As a typical user (I think), I never come across them.

I have found this with Microsoft products over the years. I’ve often thought that those writing about Windows operating system releases must be using a different Windows to me because I’ve always found them to be pretty good. Hardly any problems with updates …apart from Windows Millennium. That never worked well for me.

42

I used to install all Windows Updates ASAP on multiple PCs, documenting the process throughout, but after several “issues”, major and minor, I now defer most updates until I’ve checked user responses on the internet then defer them again if the responses are negative - and I no longer bother with laborious documentation but manage with notes … life’s too short … :!:

43

Yes indeed. If it wasn’t raining, I’d be at the allotment or out riding my bike or doing things around the garden instead of writing about computers. :slight_smile:

44

To be honest, that’s the real reason why I have always avoided Crapple computers.

I suppose I’m just a tight-fisted Yorkshireman.

45

There are many, like me, who only have 2 or 3 PCs.

Statistically, we are not in the same boat as some, like the big Pharma Company whose DP Manager I spoke to this week.

They have a lot of PCs, running into thousands. It’s highly important that they have a policy to minimise outages.

They have DP Managers with DP staff and there is a role there to plan everything, in their Computing world, to make sure all their staff, including a lot currently working from home, have a PC which does not suffer due to any updates/upgrades.

They will, like yourself, update a few, to see how it goes. If all is well they’ll stage the rest.

Most don’t allow the staff to update anything, preferring to do it safely centrally, we don’t have that option.

They (the DP dept) will be all over MS if things go wrong.

That’s why I suggest a delay, for the rest of us.

Sorry if this is boring, but it is a discussion topic.

46

I think what you say makes a great deal of sense.
I know that Windows Updates can, on occasion, mess up your system.
I’m afraid I’m not knowledgeable to understand all the details of how Windows works, but I would have thought that the experts at Microsoft must have some idea of what changes are likely to create problems for users and, consequently, should avoid them unless absolutely essential.

47

The discussion can go round in circles quite a bit. That’s not a criticism because there are always new readers who won’t have seen previous discussions.

One of the reasons I believe Microsoft updates might cause problems (although they haven’t for me) is that it is impossible for MS to know how people are going to use a computer.

An update can’t take into account what programs are installed, how much people might try to modify the system, perhaps alter it in order to prevent updates etc. How clean is the system from possibly uninstalled programs. What combinations of security programs people are using. Might that even prevent an update from going as it should? Probably other factors I haven’t thought of …and Microsoft haven’t either.

It just won’t be possible for MS to cater for all those variables because they don’t actually control what people can do with their computers. As a result, an update problem might only come to light when an update is released into the wild (available to everyone).

While this is only a theory of mine, it is something I believe could be a factor when it comes to people finding problems with updates.

48

Mart,

Okay, I agree with much of what you are saying.

What might well be a big factor, in failing updates, is when the user has not met the basic system requirements for W10 - which went to new levels at the time of the May 2020 Update!

This can be seen here:-

My final comment, a Coder once said to me “I could create the perfect software package, if only the buggers would tell me everything about what they will use the machine for!”

I can’t argue with that.

49

I worked in the printing and publishing industry where in the early days, around the mid- to late-1980s, only Macs could run the software we used. Eventually that software was developed for Windows but from what I saw Macs were still better than the Windows PCs. Usually there were problems with the Windows PCs regularly ‘crashing’ and when production is stopped in that way it’s a loss of profits so unacceptable. Macs were very stable in that respect so companies preferred to use them.

I did at one time buy a cheap HP Pavilion laptop, a ‘special deal’. The cost of that, with software already installed, was cheaper than buying the software for the Mac to open files I was receiving from clients. It was running Vista and within 18 months the hard drive was obviously so full of updates, which made it very slow and almost impossible to start up, so I found other ways round opening those files.

Some links below that may be found interesting. My Apple Macs, a 27” iMac and a MacBook Pro, both purchased in 2012 when I was self-employed, are able to run Windows and I guess that would mean similar problems with updates some others have. No idea really and I have no reason to use the dual platform facility so never have.

Here’s the ‘proper’ way to run Windows on a Mac:

This website give a lot of information and also answers the question of running Windows on Macs:

I found this website but wouldn’t like to try what is explained on there, despite being on Macs for years I have never attempted anything like this:

https://towardsdatascience.com/how-to-install-a-free-windows-virtual-machine-on-your-mac-bf7cbc05888e

50

That’s like the Windows/Linux dual-booting set-up that can be installed on a PC.

I have found it better to have a computer dedicated to each platform so that they can run side by side if wanted. I have a switch that can switch each computer to use the same monitor. That’s quicker than closing down one system and booting into the other.

Can a Mac’s monitor be shared with another computer? An input that can be switched? If so, it may be found better to have a small size Windows computer and share the monitor.

51

Windows/Microsoft updates will eventually use up ALL OF YOUR SPACE. When that happens they will hound you many times per day to “free up space” for their latest update, which, of course. you don’t have because windows updates are clogging up your computer.

The average person has no need for all of windows fancy up dates that are intended for 24/7 computer geeks.

52

Not sure updates are for geeks. Maybe even the reverse. They are for those who don’t want to be bothered with the ins and outs of looking after the system. There are a lot of people who just want to use the computer and not be bothered with looking after the condition or security of it.

I think part of the purpose of updates is that they attempt to do that for users. Microsoft themselves hope to take over looking after the system by making updates automatic but as we see, this isn’t welcomed by everyone. The updates are thought intrusive and forced. The situation will never keep everyone happy.

About disk space. The updates themselves probably overwrite existing files and so perhaps no extra disk space is needed for that. It’s the update back-ups that take up disk space, which can be especially relevant for computers with small SSDs. Microsoft saves back-ups in case anyone wants to remove an update. If they didn’t, there would be people of other opinions asking why there wasn’t a way of removing an update that they have found causes a problem. Again, a situation that will never keep everyone happy.

It is possible to regain disk space by removing those back-ups and other unnecessary files using the provided disk clean-up tool but having to use any tool to look after the computer might be thought geeky I suppose.

53

Got to remember that, in the event of a large update, and possibly even on the smaller ones, the Installation/Registry must be preserved, somewhere, so that all can be restored in the event of trouble.

So, at the start, the Registry will be stopped & some, or all, of Windows, will be cloned. I suspect that they will chose where the clone is parked, depending on the size.

The Windows drive will be checked to ensure space is not a problem.

When it goes back on, in the event of trouble, all of the MS & Other Progs will need to run just as they did before. The Registry knows where they were & what they used at the time.

Once the PC is “stopped” the various code parts can be found & changed, as you would not want to do this while the registry is alive & active.

When that’s done, the Registry will be restarted & updated to include whatever changes were made. (the cloned copy would not be touched).The Registry has got to be kept up to date with whatever changes have been made. Any Registry entries for previous apps will have to be corrected so that they are recognised by the revised system.

If any of these activities fail, MS would have to put it all back, probably using the Clone, wherever that was.

MS would call out the error and supply you with an error code to help.

A lot of disk space will be used, during all of this, as repeatedly having to download files would slow it all down too much.

Hence MS have made the rule, already posted, about the minimum drive space you must have to use their systems.

That’s my opinion.

:surprised: