Windows 10 latest update.

[trkilliman]

Around a week back when I switched on my laptop it said that a Windows 10 update was available. Like most people I went ahead and started the update. It told me it was a large update and would take some time, with my p.c closing and restarting. I therefore left it to get on with it.

When it had reached the 80% complete stage it all went t**s up as they say. My laptop was sort of frozen in a set cycle, with a returning screen asking me what language I required for the keyboard input. Try as I did I could not get out of the cycle. A trip to the repair shop once again.

The chap in the shop said "Oh' another one"     Apparently they had a spate of pc's with the same or very similar problem. He said the download was so big many pc's could not cope with it. As I was collecting it a chap came in with what sounded an identical problem.

As I have had problems with Windows crashing before, I went for a new hard drive, a solid state one which he said was much quicker than the manufacturer fitted one. He transferred the bulk of my data over and as many will have guessed this episode cost me a few quid...

I said that maybe I should resist future prompts for windows updates, but he said that after some 30 days or so they will automatically download.

[emjaybee]

That sucks, but it's PAR for the course with MicroShaft.

If you really want to you can actually stop updates completely  (with the exception of security ones). I spent a lot of money on a very fast laptop (45s boot time), the first system update extended that to 120s. I backed it out, and found an easy, easily reversible if required, way of stopping updates completely. I also don't use MS email or web browser. My laptop remains stable, crash free, and fast. I do run a comprehensive Norton antivirus etc. package.

The future's bright, as long as MS aren't involved.

[Snowwolflair]

This is an age old problem.

Unfortunately PC manufacturers make down specked models, to get the price down, that only just meet the version of windows that they ship with their machine at purchase. 

These, usually Chinese, manufacturers don't care about future upgrades as they will have changed their models by the time the next big upgrade comes along.  So if you have a low price, usually notebook, expect problems if you let it upgrade as soon as a big upgrade is released.   

As a point of habit I wait three months before allowing major upgrades to my machines as by that time Microsoft has generally added fixes to make windows compatible with these rouge designs.

Also check your notebook manufacturer website for BIOS upgrades, as these are usually released to correct upgrade incompatibilities.  NB upgrade BIOS before OS.

Also if your preferred PC manufacturer does not have an upgrade download site DO NOT BUY FORM THIS MANUFACTURER.

[BobB]

You may be correct in all you say "Snowwolfair" but that does not make it acceptable. We have countless stories on this forum about tales of woe from this manufacturer or other (even had one about a Union Mills locomotive the other week !) but Microsoft have been selling bad products for years and everyone accepts it because they need their computer to produce compatible data.

I am surprised that the judicial powers that be have not insisted on re-calls, compensation and other penalties for Microsoft. They have yet to produce an operating system that works reliably since the first Windows. Whenever they seem to get close, it's enhanced, re-issued and messed up again.

With all of the concerns about data security, how is it that Microsoft gets away with taking every thing from our computers and we needing third party software to stop them. Then Microsoft have the gall to try and neutralize that software so that they can carry on seeing what we are doing.

I wish the rant was over but my clients use Microsoft so I have to; therefor I'll probably rant again next time !

[Bob G]

if its your hobby computer, its a bore.
if its both your work computers, and you are self-employed, using a laptop and PC 24/7, it's a nightmare.
And these are what I consider high spec new machines by Acer and Dell.

I have had to hire an IT wizard to fix the last two W10 upgrades. I call him a wizard as I dont understand half of what he says.
His first comment was - there are lots of people in the same boat Bob, so don't feel so bad.
His next was - if you wait a couple of weeks MS will have issued the patches to fix it.

Bob

[NinOz]

I said that maybe I should resist future prompts for windows updates, but he said that after some 30 days or so they will automatically download.

Win10 sure does, no option to prevent downloads and install unless you own the pro version and even then you have to edit the registry; I got home version.  Damn pain in the butt.

My Win10 laptop would not boot properly after an update, just continuous reboots.  Some problem with new USB drivers that were part of the download.  Could get it working by reverting to a saved system image of 7 months ago but it would slowly download the update over several weeks (selected paid connection option to throttle download speed) and then automatically install.  Just had to revert again and again for 6 months.  Couldn't find any solution on the web even though many other people reported the same problem.  Eventually even the system reset didn't work so had to bite the bullet and reinstall windows 10.  Didn't lose data but had to download and/or install most programs.  However updates didn't cause a continuous reboot anymore.

Interesting story about waiting for a period to install updates.  At work our IT security group had a policy of not installing any upgrade or update for 3 months.  Guess who didn't install a security update for a worm exploit and had over 200 computers infected within an hour.  Were saved from all 450+ comps being infected as over half had been shut down for the night.  Some embarrasing explanations to management required.

[Snowwolflair]

Oh I upgrade security updates regularly but I also have three anti-virus programs on my machine as well

[port perran]

Since I retired, I haven't used my laptop. I used to use it for work as I found a tablet a bit too small.
I rely entirely on my ipad now though as it allows me to access all my old work files (predominantly Excel and Word). I can access my HMRC calculations etc and all my photos.
So....do I still need my laptop?
I'll keep it but if I haven't used it for 7 months I giess I'm not going to need it now.
I suppose I can also cancel  my Norton subscription as I don't use it on my ipad?
Can anyone think of a reason why I sho7ldn't take this  course of action?

[PostModN66]

Exactly this happened to me last week, in the middle of delivering a training course in Germany. Fortunately I had my material on USB and I could borrow a laptop.  It cost me £70 to have windows loaded from scratch at my local PC shop.  My laptop is a Lenovo. 

Not impressed.

Cheers Jon

[emjaybee]

Since I retired, I haven't used my laptop. I used to use it for work as I found a tablet a bit too small.
I rely entirely on my ipad now though as it allows me to access all my old work files (predominantly Excel and Word). I can access my HMRC calculations etc and all my photos.
So....do I still need my laptop?
I'll keep it but if I haven't used it for 7 months I giess I'm not going to need it now.
I suppose I can also cancel  my Norton subscription as I don't use it on my ipad?
Can anyone think of a reason why I sho7ldn't take this  course of action?

Why haven't you got Norton running on the iPad? That would be a concern for me, I have Norton running on my phone!

[RailGooner]

Windows can't install an update that it can't download. Windows (any version,) will not download updates over a metered connection.

I have a tablet that only has 6 GB of free space, and a virtual machine that does lengthy video transcoding jobs. The former doesn't have enough free space to reliably complete major version updates without fettling. The latter, I don't want Windows deciding to restart in order to complete updating in the middle of a transcoding job. both have their network connections set as dial-up (i.e. a metered connection) and never cause me any grief.

Knowing the importance of installing security updates in a timely manner, I manually check for and install updates on these two machines at least monthly.

[njee20]

Yes, stop paying for Norton PP, should've done so years ago, Windows Defender is plenty good enough these days.

Also Snowwolflair... 3 AV programmes? No wonder you have problems with your system!

I've literally never had a problem caused by a Windows update, I think the problem is usually conflict between Windows and some quirky software or hardware, and it's hardly Microsoft's fault that they can't test compatibility with every such item.

[Snowwolflair]

Yes, stop paying for Norton PP, should've done so years ago, Windows Defender is plenty good enough these days.

Also Snowwolflair... 3 AV programmes? No wonder you have problems with your system!

I've literally never had a problem caused by a Windows update, I think the problem is usually conflict between Windows and some quirky software or hardware, and it's hardly Microsoft's fault that they can't test compatibility with every such item.

I never have problems with my system, but I am running an industrial 8 core system with 16gb memory and quad monitors.  Think bridge of USS Enterprise. 

But seriously I sit behind a serious firewall and I use a mail service that blocks all threats and is professionally maintained, so I do my best to stay clear of problems.

I have been around PCs since I designed some of the first ones so I trust no one and nothing in the IT space unless they prove they know what they are about.

Oh yes I forgot my system backs up every file update in real time through my local network to a secure server.  So if I was ever to crash I can re image my machine to within seconds of the crash.

Me, paranoid, never.

[PostModN66]

I've literally never had a problem caused by a Windows update, I think the problem is usually conflict between Windows and some quirky software or hardware, and it's hardly Microsoft's fault that they can't test compatibility with every such item.

Maybe....but they should design the upgrades that in the event of a conflict it doesn't completely destroy your operating system and all your data......whilst messages appear on screen saying "leave it to us" and "almost done".

In my eyes Bill Gates owes me £70 for the reinstallation - and maybe a few hundred for the stress and embarrassment!  I am not expecting to get it! 

Cheers Jon 

[guest311]

off topic, but I remember having a problem with my laptop years ago, so I took in to work on my next shift, and asked one of the IT guys to look at it.

he gave it to me on his way out when he finished a couple of hours later, and told me it was all fixed.

"what was it ?" I asked.

"just an I-D-10-T fault" he replied, with a smile.

took me ages to work out what he meant