Obscure setting gives users more control over Windows

Really don't see the point of this article. Had to read through it twice to get my brain to even understand why the author was writing the article. Hmmmm!, guess this ole' brain is getting worst than I thought.

I had thought most people wanted to stop Windows from automatically restarting to finish installing Windows Updates, and manually restart when they wanted to??

Windows Update - Enable or Disable Automatic Restart - Windows 7 Help Forums

Since I've used Windows 8 since September 2011, I LITERALLY have NEVER, been forced to restart to update in Windows 8. At all. I restart and update when I feel like, because that's how Windows 8 works over 7.

7's updates were annoying, those bloody pop up boxes to restart....

That is because you have always done it before the 3 days.

Brink said:

I had thought most people wanted to stop Windows from automatically restarting to finish installing Windows Updates, and manually restart when they wanted to??

Windows Update - Enable or Disable Automatic Restart - Windows 7 Help Forums

Click to expand...

You mean, other than just shutting off Automatic Updates? Just open the Control Panel go to Windows Updates, open it, and change it to "Never Check"?

XweAponX said:

Brink said:

I had thought most people wanted to stop Windows from automatically restarting to finish installing Windows Updates, and manually restart when they wanted to??

Windows Update - Enable or Disable Automatic Restart - Windows 7 Help Forums

Click to expand...

You mean, other than just shutting off Automatic Updates? Just open the Control Panel go to Windows Updates, open it, and change it to "Never Check"?

Click to expand...

Nar. Some folks may still want Windows Update to automatically install them, but just not automatically restart the computer if needed when the count down runs out. You might be in the middle of doing something on PC, and wouldn't want it to restart on you like that.

Or even worse on a laptop with 15 percent battery left you want to try to conserve and you're nowhere near a power outlet; you hit Shut Down and BAM! "Windows is installing updates, please do not unplug or turn off your computer. Installing updates 1 of 22..."

Oh my gosh.

Back then in the days of 7, I would ALWAYS go through Windows Update and change settings to check for updates, but not to install them. The little icon in the notification tray would pop up and a bubble would notify the person of updates. Well, after I would install 7 on a laptop or desktop, (which was rare) and then months later I was doing some service on that PC, I would notice a lot of updates not installed, some updates not installed, or needs to be updated.

Now in Windows 8, this situation basically never happens. When things update, you honestly can't tell, it's that seamless. If you need to restart, you have like two days with NO annoying popups about that. With Hybrid Boot, you usually can just shut down the PC and no go through the updating at restart. If you have the time, you can update and restart, as the power option in the Settings Charm says, "Update and Restart." I never even have to check Windows Update anymore.

I used to keep that setting "On" - It seemed like it would only restart when I wanted to. Maybe it depends on what update was installed?

I have to have control over what and when I downdate, I usually do it on the day they release a particular downdate.

Huh?

I use "downdate" when I refer to update, I never liked "automatic updates". So when I do do em, I want to have total control over which ones I choose, I only choose the ones that will affect my particular system. I've never updated any of my Windows 7 machines to service pack 1, it's not that much of a service pack, compared to Vista SP1 which was necessary. This will probably screw me when they stop supporting Windows 7 with no SP's - When THAT happens, I'll finally update. I always try to keep my operating systems more or less exactly how they were when I installed it, so that I can do in-place installs.

My Windows 7 disks are all original,. with no SP, so I keep it that way mostly, only allowing a few updates that are necessary.

This also causes me problems when I have to repair my one computer with XP, because my install disk for that is SP2, but on that system I prefer SP3 so I can install Office 2010. When I need to repair that system, I have to uninstall SP3 and then reinstall it after the in place install is finished.

This system here, started out as Windows XP... I've updated it through Vista and 7 and now 8. I've got stuff running on here that I've had for years, still works great.

That's a tad odd to me. I prefer to keep my software up to date, as there are usually not many reasons not to. Basically, it's more good than bad, that is unless if an update screws something up. OK, I see that, but having gone from Windows 7 to SP1 and ALL the way to Windows 8, I haven't had issues due to updates.

XweAponX said:

This will probably screw me when they stop supporting Windows 7 with no SP's - When THAT happens, I'll finally update.

Click to expand...

Erm... that just happened, earlier this week on 9th April
Windows 7 RTM End Of Support Is Right Around The Corner

Windows 7 RTM (with no service pack) will no longer be supported as of April 9th, 2013

Click to expand...

Coke Robot said:

That's a tad odd to me. I prefer to keep my software up to date, as there are usually not many reasons not to. Basically, it's more good than bad, that is unless if an update screws something up. OK, I see that, but having gone from Windows 7 to SP1 and ALL the way to Windows 8, I haven't had issues due to updates.

Click to expand...

Yah I know, but I prefer to do all of my own security, I don't think it is on Microsoft to give me a "security downdate this" or that. *I* protect my system, besides, if Anonymous wanted in to my system, I'm sure they could do it regardless of security patches, and they are the only ones I am worried about doing that. I rely on my router and a good firewall program to keep nosy people out. It's like this, if *I* can't hack my own computer remotely, then the usual pimply-faced hackers can't do it, and I'm sure they have tried, I see evidence in my firewall log.

I do get all of ther updates that say "compatibility" and "reliability" if they are appropriate for my system. I don't just install the updates, I read em up and down first and make sure its somethig I want.

DavidY said:

XweAponX said:

This will probably screw me when they stop supporting Windows 7 with no SP's - When THAT happens, I'll finally update.

Click to expand...

Erm... that just happened, earlier this week on 9th April
Windows 7 RTM End Of Support Is Right Around The Corner

Windows 7 RTM (with no service pack) will no longer be supported as of April 9th, 2013

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

This is why I have also saved all updates that were important, separately. But it was odd fdor Microsoft to end Windows 7 no SP before Windows XP. I have some Windows XP SP2 installs, where the download manager still works (windowsupdate.com) - Because those systems were activated abd updated long before they stopped supporting SP2. But SP3, you can install new right now, and get updates. Why would they do that, but I suppose it's for hospital and government institutions that still use it.

I just had a helluva time with a network I maintain. It's a Windows 2003 server station feeding two XP machines and one Windows 7 Ultimate machine. The server serves up an informational database to the workstations. Oi Vey! This is a circumstance where I may upgrade the whole thing to Windows 8, if I can set up a Windows 8 Server the same way I set it up for Windows 2003 Server.

It's mostly serving Microsoft MDB databases across the network, the client program reads the MDB file, makes changes in the Tables, and then updates the database. It's a bad system, because the database file becomes bloated. I;ve been maintaining this system since I installed it in 2002, so it's seen a LOT of changes.

I wonder if Windows 2003 can serve to Windows 8? It seems to work with Windows 7. Doh, it does work.

The problem I had today was that the on the server machine, the Computer Browser service fails and locks up the whole network. So I told it to keep restarting it.

On these machines, I do install all of the updates. But I always look at it, soon they will stop supporting the OS's, so I need to be able to fix them even if there is no support from MS, that's why I keep a library of every important update. I do have clients where there is no internet, they just use a local network. That's a pain, but I have to carry all the tools with me to fix them out in the field. Ive got a 100% success rate with field repairs- that's since 2001.

XweAponX said:

It's mostly serving Microsoft MDB databases across the network

Click to expand...

Microsoft Access databases and the word "network" in the same sentence are never a great combination I'm afraid.

You are absolutely CORRECT! But it's how the program was designed, so we're stuck with it. The newer versions use SQL. And I already found out, the older databases cannot be migrated to the newer format. Sucks.