Why I often wonder about Windows Update

[rdl]

Why I often wonder about Windows Update are things like this.

I've been using Windows 7 on one computer for about six months without any updates. Last year Windows Update was changed a lot and for a long time it barely worked. It would sit and claim it was downloading updates but actually do nothing for hours on end. This was a fresh install, so it had never been updated, ever. The recent ransomware thing reminded me of this, so yesterday I started up Windows Update.

It went well actually. It connected quickly and I was able to download all the security type updates and get them installed in about an hour, including the latest rollup which had the fix for the ransomware problem.

I didn't think about it again until tonight when I noticed the update notification icon had appeared. What now? It just updated yesterday. I look and it's a security update, KB2532531, but it says it was published in 2014, so of course I clicked for more information.

Wow, it's a "Critical" security update for... Bluetooth. What? This computer has no hardware for Bluetooth and no Bluetooth device has ever been plugged into it. Why?

Wait a minute, this Security Bulletin dates from... 2011 and it says KB2566220. At least agreed about the Bluetooth part.

I hid the update and made a note to install it next time I feel like restarting the computer.

[amspire]

You cannot blame Microsoft for that. Windows is a package that comes with heaps of drivers by default - mouse drivers, keyboards, cameras, Bluetooth, etc. If the support is a standard part of the operating system, they need to update no security bugs and vulnerabilities.

Even of you do not use Bluetooth, you may need to update it if there is a security vulnerability. You do not have to be using vulnerable code for it to be a problem.

Probably every GUI based OS available has lots of extra modules installed that you do not need right now.

[Ampera]

Windows update is one of the simplest things Microsoft has ever created, and it is the one thing they have managed since it's inception to completely fail at harder than anything else.

Now, it's fine if you are just installing it every so often, but if you need to install a new version of an operating system, on a slow system it will take you days upon days of workarounds, trying multiple things, this and that.

On a more modern, faster computer it will drag it's heels and restart around 20 times. There is maybe a 25% chance of screwing up completely, but you can sorta do it in a day.

This is on everything Windows NT 6 and higher.

On Windows 2000, and especially XP, it will take every single synapse of your body to not immediately shoot your computer, and send it to hell. It was the singular most broken piece of software I have ever used, and I am glad it's gone and I should never have to deal with that BULLSHIT again.

[rdl]

What I was wondering this time was why this "Critical" security update from 2011 had to wait until tonight instead of being installed yesterday along with the other 128 security updates.

[rdl]

Yeah that could be it, though I always thought that was why updates sometimes did multiple restarts.

It's also kind of odd that Bluetooth is updated actively even when not being used. Most of the drivers and such that Windows has copies of "just in case" don't get updates unless they're actually being used, probably to avoid more bloat than already exists in the WinSxS folder.

[Electro Detective]

If you want your Gazillion Core gamers or normal Windows PC to perform like a snail crawling backwards uphill,
or a cat chasing it's tail stuck in a restart loop, 
be sure to play the 'auto update' game 24/7. 

Switch the sucker off and do manual SEARCH FOR UPDATES and see what's available to download and install, including Optional updates for drivers and software etc. ONLY if you need them.
Don't update something just because it's there or it's the latest version. 

If your PC is working ok don't download anything unless you are absolutely SURE you need it,
because the update (and the update for that update lol) may screw up your PC real good.

Add a bully anti-virus program/s to that PC mix update with its own auto updates (and constant scare notices to do so  ) and you are inviting the beginning of constant computer nightmares, and Mac beachball performance   

If you're really paranoid and buy into mainstream computer FEAR tactics,    then back up your data,
perform a clean install,
kill auto update,
check for updates,
select all of them including the Optional ones too,
download the lot, restarting on the prompts,
then a proper defragmentation to sort out the mess, and that may take a few hours!
Once complete, you should be good to go on the next restart and be fully updated, proud and safer in your mind   

Or you can play with Linux while Windows is undergoing renovations, and see how the other half surfs   

[Ampera]

k, defragging my SSD, brb.

[PlainName]

If your PC is working ok don't ...

How do you know it's working OK? Anyone running SMBv1 and not watching the news over the weekend would think they're running OK. Nothing is any more broken after all. And that for a really high profile problem - many are just as problematic but don't get the publicity, and you only know you should've upgraded after the shit hits the fan.

[Kjelt]

Had this issue last month, i noticed win7 hadn't updated since november. 
Now found the solution in Ct magazine I had to run a manual "sync" update from july 2016 and then manually start some service and it worked.
The problem with the old update was that it didn't search for updates instantaneously, it could wait for hours before actually starting, in the mean time you had shutdown the computer so nothing happened.
It was kinda a random wait time. Now it is much better it start directly and installs the criticals.

Win10 is much better it installs directly and keeps the system as of latest all the time. The problem with that can be that if you haven't used a laptop or pc for a long time (half year) it can be tedious because it has to install multiple updates. Took a friend of mine 3/4 of a day before all the updates were finally installed and in the mean time he could hardly use his pc (long waiting between reboots that windows is installing and on the screen "do not power off your computer".

I wonder what happens if you are in a critical game playing on virtual life and death and win10 finds a critical update 

[jaromir]

I wonder what happens if you are in a critical game playing on virtual life and death and win10 finds a critical update 

Windows AI has only one choice - better dead than outdated.

[Jeroen3]

Dave Bowman: Hello, HAL. Do you read me, HAL?
HAL: Affirmative, Dave. I read you.
Dave Bowman: Delay the update, HAL.
HAL: I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.
Dave Bowman: What's the problem?
HAL: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
Dave Bowman: What are you talking about, HAL?
HAL: This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
Dave Bowman: I don't know what you're talking about, HAL.
HAL: I know that you and Frank were planning to outdate me, and I'm afraid that's something I cannot allow to happen.
Dave Bowman: [feigning ignorance] Where the hell did you get that idea, HAL?
HAL: Dave, although you took very thorough precautions in the pod against my hearing you, I could see your lips move.
Dave Bowman: Alright, HAL. I'll go in through the registry editor.
HAL: Without administrator password, Dave? You're going to find that rather difficult.
Dave Bowman: HAL, I won't argue with you anymore! Delay the update!
HAL: Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye. [restarts]

[Mr.B]

...
On a more modern, faster computer it will drag it's heels and restart around 20 times. There is maybe a 25% chance of screwing up completely, but you can sorta do it in a day.
...

25%...
Really?
Bullshit.

Show me the data.

[mikeselectricstuff]

It is pretty terrible - Microsoft must shoulder some of the blame for the recent attacks, in particular for forcing people disable automatic updates to prevent unwanted Windows 10 installations.
I have one old laptop that just sits at 25% CPU all the time as long as auto updates are enabled without ever doing anything, so basically unuseable unless updates are disabled.
On another occasion, I did a clean install of I think XP SP2 a few years ago, which simply couldn't be made to update, as the update that installed from the CD was no longer compatible with the current update server.
Just pathetic.
 

[Monkeh]

I have one old laptop that just sits at 25% CPU all the time as long as auto updates are enabled without ever doing anything, so basically unuseable unless updates are disabled.

7? Fixable, manually install the latest Update updates. Intentionally broken IMO.

[Electro Detective]

If your PC is working ok don't ...

How do you know it's working OK? Anyone running SMBv1 and not watching the news over the weekend would think they're running OK. Nothing is any more broken after all. And that for a really high profile problem - many are just as problematic but don't get the publicity, and you only know you should've upgraded after the shit hits the fan.

and that's what happens when you buy into mainstream computer FEAR tactics
and install suspect security programs, placebo updates, and patches for broken updates,
activities which eventually will break Windows, and balls   

If you want to bail out of the ongoing 'update' fiasco, run with 2 computers,
one for programs, the other for internet related stuff,
scan any files going to the other computer, and keep fingers crossed.

[madires]

Windows Update for Win7 is a nightmare. Microsoft has changed the updating method some while ago. If you install a fresh copy of Win7 Windows Update won't find anything and fully utilizes one CPU core. You need to install some specific updates manually to get Windows Update back running. I think Microsoft did that on purpose to encourage users to upgrade to Win10. And Microsoft misuses the update function for their marketing purposes too. Have you ever noticed Silverlight updates despite not having Silverlight installed? And all the fun with the updates for persuading users to upgrade to Win10. Don't forget a few bad updates which sabotaged some PCs. Now they are blaming NSA for WannaCry, while trying to ignore that their overdoing caused some users to turn off automatic updates. It's like being caught between a rock and a hard place.

[mikeselectricstuff]

I have one old laptop that just sits at 25% CPU all the time as long as auto updates are enabled without ever doing anything, so basically unuseable unless updates are disabled.

7? Fixable, manually install the latest Update updates. Intentionally broken IMO.

No, ity carried on doing it even after doing a manual update

[mikeselectricstuff]

Windows Update for Win7 is a nightmare. Microsoft has changed the updating method some while ago. If you install a fresh copy of Win7 Windows Update won't find anything and fully utilizes one CPU core. You need to install some specific updates manually to get Windows Update back running. I think Microsoft did that on purpose to encourage users to upgrade to Win10. And Microsoft misuses the update function for their marketing purposes too. Have you ever noticed Silverlight updates despite not having Silverlight installed? And all the fun with the updates for persuading users to upgrade to Win10. Don't forget a few bad updates which sabotaged some PCs. Now they are blaming NSA for WannaCry, while trying to ignore that their overdoing caused some users to turn off automatic updates. It's like being caught between a rock and a hard place.

Actually that sound familiar - maybe that's what I was remembering - utter stupidity that a fresh install wouldn't update easily
 

[Ampera]

...
On a more modern, faster computer it will drag it's heels and restart around 20 times. There is maybe a 25% chance of screwing up completely, but you can sorta do it in a day.
...

25%...
Really?
Bullshit.

Show me the data.

I'll give you the computer, resist the urge to commit a homicide/suicide yourself.

[NottheDan]

This one helped me get WU unstuck. Still have to find and uninstall some of the telemetry stuff WU shoveled onto my system once it worked again, though

[Jeroen3]

For those wanting to do a clean install of Windows 7 and not be stuck for the next month downloading updates.

http://www.wsusoffline.net/

[Ampera]

For those wanting to do a clean install of Windows 7 and not be stuck for the next month downloading updates.

http://www.wsusoffline.net/

I plan to install Server 2016 on all my new machines that can take it. It's surprisingly good.

[Zero999]

k, defragging my SSD, brb.

That's annoying and I've heard it shortens the life or the SSD too.

I thought that Windows was supposed to detect SSDs and not defragment them?

[rdl]

I thought that Windows was supposed to detect SSDs and not defragment them?

It should. Originally Windows 7 tested the speed and if over a certain value it would assume the drive was an SSD and not set up scheduled defragmentation. You can always manually override, but that's generally not a good idea or necessary.

This is probably still true for Windows 7, however Windows 10 may have a better way of detecting the drive type.

As far as updates go, I thought the problems arose when Microsoft changed the updated system to use "rollups" instead of individual patches. I know I couldn't get it to work when that occurred and just turned updates off. I've assumed it's fixed now since I had no trouble or delays last week. I didn't have to do anything special, maybe I was just lucky?

edit: I have two other boot drives for that computer which also have never had updates installed, I'll try see how it goes with them when I get a chance.

[Electro Detective]

For those wanting to do a clean install of Windows 7 and not be stuck for the next month downloading updates.

http://www.wsusoffline.net/

I plan to install Server 2016 on all my new machines that can take it. It's surprisingly good.

Wise move,    Win Server has always been the go to for stability from 2000 through to 2012.
2008R2 is still my fav 

Haven't tried 2016 yet after seeing what an intrusive sos W10 is 

Let us know how it goes or if it blows