Windows XP auto updates stinks!!

[home_user]

Once the Windows XP auto-updates mechanism installs the updates on the
system, a dialog keeps coming up - every few minutes - asking "Do you want
to restart the PC".

The dialog has two buttons:
1) restart now (the default)
2) restart later

Of course, the genius who designed this annoying dialog made the "restart
now" the default button. And because I have set the mouse pointer to
automatically move to the default button in a dialog, the mouse pointer
points to the "restart now" button. I was working on something important
and then this STUPID dialog comes up and the mouse pointer is automatically
on the "restart now" button. My mouse click was meant for a different
application. However, this stupid dialog comes up and the "restart now" is
pressed without giving me a chance to save any of my work or any of the web
pages I had opened.

This has happened to me before. This system is not user friendly at all.
Now I have turned OFF the stupid automatic updates. I hate it!!

And why does the reminder have to come up so often? If I said, "restart
later", I am responsible for the consequences. I don't want to be
interrupted or reminded every 5 minutes or so. This is a really terrible
design!!!



Thanks,
Joe.

 

[Kerry Brown]

When installing an update some files can't be copied as the old file is
still in use. This means that some Windows files may be a new version and
some an old version waiting to be overwritten on the next reboot. What if a
new .dll file is not compatible with one of the old files that are still
there? What if this incompatibility causes file system corruption and you
lose all the data on your hard drive? This is an extreme example but it is a
possibility. It is best to wait until you can install the upgrades and
reboot immediately. Simply put the upgrades off until you are ready.

 

[home_user]

If there are dire consequences for not rebooting right away, then the
initial dialog that comes up should say "A reboot will be done at the end of
the install. Click here to install the updates and reboot". It should not
be an option to reboot later. That way I would not have accepted the
installation of the updates until all my work is completed and saved.

 

[Guest]

I'd have to say (at the risk of flames spurting in my direction) that the
computers with Windows Update set to automatic always seem to give a lot more
trouble than those without.

Not only that, I encountered a middle-aged Dell yesterday which had had WU
turned-on for its entire life - and a fast connection - but _STILL_ was at
SP1 level. Which only goes to show... Well, I'm not sure what it shows, but
it raises some perplexing questions.

For security, IMHO you're better-off installing a good firewall and AV, and
avoiding the use of Internet Explorer altogether.

 

[LittleMoo]

If there are dire consequences for not rebooting right away, then the
initial dialog that comes up should say "A reboot will be done at the end
of the install. Click here to install the updates and reboot". It should
not be an option to reboot later. That way I would not have accepted the
installation of the updates until all my work is completed and saved.

Here's a thought: why not disable the Snap To option for the mouse pointer?
I would find something like that to be very inconveniencing. And it also
doesn't take that much more mouse movement to get the pointer to a button.

Or turn off Automatic Updates and install them manually when you're not
doing anything else.

-Dan

 

[R. McCarty]

Service Pack install requires a EULA agreement or manual
intervention by the user which may explain why SP2 wasn't
applied to the PC.

No browser is "Bullet-Proof", One week IE has a documented
vulnerability and the next week it's a Firefox flaw. Remember
almost all browser code is a descendant of Mosaic.

For my own needs I use a combination of IE and Opera. I've
used Opera for years now and would recommend it over FF.
In fact for portable devices, Mobile Opera is an excellent app.
I have several clients who use Opera 9 Mobile on their Pocket
PCs.

Many times it's not the browser, but the content that is accessed
with it.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

Now I have turned OFF the stupid automatic updates. I hate it!!

THANK YOU. Maybe that will keep the rest of us from having to read
your infantile rants.

 

[home_user]

I apologize to everyone for the ranting. It is really frustrating to lose
important data.

I did have 2 intentions for the original post:

1) hopefully Microsoft will see this post and maybe change the Windows
update behavior in newer versions or Vista

2) to ask if there is a way to stop a Windows shutdown process from
occurring after it has started. I searched the Internet and did not find
anything.


Thanks for all the feedback and suggestions.
Joe.

 

[Bob I]

This is a "user" populated group, "Microsoft" only owns the server and
doesn't "read" anything here.

info on stopping shutdown? look in help and support

command line or at the run box

shutdown -a

 

[Rock]

Once the Windows XP auto-updates mechanism installs the updates on the
system, a dialog keeps coming up - every few minutes - asking "Do you want
to restart the PC".

The dialog has two buttons:
1) restart now (the default)
2) restart later

Of course, the genius who designed this annoying dialog made the "restart
now" the default button. And because I have set the mouse pointer to
automatically move to the default button in a dialog, the mouse pointer
points to the "restart now" button. I was working on something important
and then this STUPID dialog comes up and the mouse pointer is
automatically on the "restart now" button. My mouse click was meant for a
different application. However, this stupid dialog comes up and the
"restart now" is pressed without giving me a chance to save any of my work
or any of the web pages I had opened.

This has happened to me before. This system is not user friendly at all.
Now I have turned OFF the stupid automatic updates. I hate it!!

And why does the reminder have to come up so often? If I said, "restart
later", I am responsible for the consequences. I don't want to be
interrupted or reminded every 5 minutes or so. This is a really terrible
design!!!




Thanks,
Joe.

I wouldn't say what happened to you is due solely to the automatic updates
default choice to reboot now. You do, after all, have the mouse pointer
snap too function enabled, and you chose to have the system download and
install updates automatically. So maybe you need to take some ownership of
the issue?

For updates if it wants to do a reboot it is a good idea to let it rather
than put it off. That said I don't use automatic updates. I go to the
windows update site periodically and scan for new updates. Most of the time
updates come out on the second Tuesday of the month - called patch Tuesday.
There are exceptions, like last month, where a mid month update comes out,
but that is not the norm. Use the custom install option to see what updates
are offered, and then review them to see if you want it on your system.

I download the updates individually and install them off line one at a time.
That way you have control over what gets installed and when. Never get
hardware driver updates from the windows update site.

 

[Kerry Brown]

The UI could be improved there's no doubt. Now that you know how it works
set Automatic Updates to notify you when there are updates. Always assume
that the updates will require a reboot. Don't download and install the
updates until you are ready and can do a reboot immediately after they are
installed.

If you look at each update before downloading them the ones that may require
a reboot always say so.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Once the Windows XP auto-updates mechanism installs the updates on the
system, a dialog keeps coming up - every few minutes - asking "Do you want
to restart the PC".

How curious. I've *never* seen any such reminder. Why do you have you
Update feature so configured, if it annoys you so?

The dialog has two buttons:
1) restart now (the default)
2) restart later

Of course, the genius who designed this annoying dialog made the "restart
now" the default button.

As a convenience for users, certainly. This is common practice among
software developers.

And because I have set the mouse pointer to
automatically move to the default button in a dialog, the mouse pointer
points to the "restart now" button.

Now, how could anyone elso possibly know that you deliberately set you
mouse to such an unsafe (data-protection-wise) option?

I was working on something important
and then this STUPID dialog comes up and the mouse pointer is automatically
on the "restart now" button. My mouse click was meant for a different
application.

Were that the case, the pointer wouldn't have been anywhere near the
default button, would it. In fact, that reminder dialog box shouldn't
even have been "active>"

However, this stupid dialog comes up and the "restart now" is
pressed without giving me a chance to save any of my work or any of the web
pages I had opened.

Ah..... Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the one who clicked
the mouse button without paying any attention to where the cursor was
located? I'd say that, given the way you've configured your system, you
got exactly the kind of behavior you wanted.

This has happened to me before.

I can see it happening once, the first time you ever used the OS and
installed updates, but if you made the same mistake more than once, it's
definitely no one's fault but your own.

This system is not user friendly at all.

On the contrary; it's dumb-down to the point that I almost dislike
using it. It's far too simple.

Now I have turned OFF the stupid automatic updates.

Well, as it was never a good idea to let updates install automatically,
anyway, this is all to the good. I really don't like to see people use
the Automatic Updates, unless they take precautions to ensure that no
patches get installed without the user's express permission, given only
after he/she has researched each individual patch to ensure that it
applies and is necessary. Due to the nearly infinite number of possible
combinations of hardware, device drivers, and applications on any given
PC, it's impossible to guarantee that all patches will be 100% harmless.
In a very small number of cases, patches and hotfixes can cause
conflicts or other problems. So, as with all changes to an OS, caution
is advised.

All "Critical" updates should be installed. These address serious
issues that can affect a large number of computers. There will be only
rare occasions when a Critical update will not apply. Of special
importance are those that address security vulnerabilities. If people
had installed the available critical updates in July of 2003, the
Blaster and Welchia worms would not have spread throughout the Internet
the following month. In the unlikely event that problems do develop,
you can always use the Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs applet or a
System Restore Point to uninstall the troublesome hotfix.

For the "Recommended" updates, simply study the information
provided to see if these updates apply in your specific situation. If
they don't apply, or you're not experiencing the problem(s) addressed,
you needn't install them. For instance, I have no use for WinXP's
MovieMaker, so I ignore any updates to it. Again, in the unlikely event
that problems do develop, you can always use the Control Panel's
Add/Remove Programs applet or a System Restore Point to uninstall the
troublesome hotfix.

In general, though, I've found it best not to download the "Driver"
updates from Windows Update, unless they're for a hardware device
originally manufactured by Microsoft. Device drivers provided by each
component's manufacturer's web site are likely to perform better and
offer more features than will the watered-down, "generic" drivers that
those manufacturers provide to Microsoft for distribution via Windows
Update.

I hate it!!

Wouldn't be more productive to learn a little about using your
computer, rather than venting spleen?

And why does the reminder have to come up so often? If I said, "restart
later", I am responsible for the consequences. I don't want to be
interrupted or reminded every 5 minutes or so.

Then look for a way to turn off the reminder.

This is a really terrible
design!!!

Not once you've configured it to meet your needs.

You could try to click Start > Run, and enter "shutdown -a" if you're
fast enough.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[home_user]

The reminder is not a configurable feature that I turned ON. This is the
way it works on several Windows XP professional PC's that I use. I do not
believe it can be turned OFF.

Setting the mouse-pointer to go to the default mouse button is a convenience
feature that I am sure many users take advantage off. Microsoft's Quality
Assurance department should have software tests that include this mouse
pointer functionality being turned ON.

I clicked on my application. However, since the Windows Update reminder
dialog came up so fast, the click went to the default button on the Windows
Update dialog. Hence, the PC was restarted.

 

[Nick Goetz]

The reminder is not a configurable feature that I turned ON. This is
the way it works on several Windows XP professional PC's that I use.
I do not believe it can be turned OFF.

Setting the mouse-pointer to go to the default mouse button is a
convenience feature that I am sure many users take advantage off.
Microsoft's Quality Assurance department should have software tests
that include this mouse pointer functionality being turned ON.

I clicked on my application. However, since the Windows Update
reminder dialog came up so fast, the click went to the default button
on the Windows Update dialog. Hence, the PC was restarted.

Hard to fathom anyone would post something as nitpicky as this...
- change the mouse pointer behaviour
- change the way Windows Update Works
- learn how tie your own shoelaces

NG

 

[Guest]

At the risk of being accussed of "ranting", or "nitpicky", I have had a
similar problem with Auto Update, which caused my to lose a lot of work and
time

Briefly, I was working on an MS Word document late in the day. The documnet
had been saved earlier, and I have Word set to automatic save every 10
minutes (the Word default). I was called away, and ended up leaving for the
day without returning to my desk.

Windows Update did an automatic update, and then auto restart, during the
night.

When I came in the next morning, I found my computer restarted with Windows
sitting there waiting for me to supply my windows password. When I did,
after boot up, I opened Word, but no autorecover documents sprang up. I
opened the document that I had been working on the previous afternoon, and
most of it is gone. I ran the document recovery program, but it only turned
up the document that opened when I pulled up the document from the folder it
was originally saved in.

I admit I have become some what lax due to the autosave feature and dont
always hit the save button as often as I should, but I have not figured out
where the rest of the document that I was working on has gone.

Bottomline, if Update wouldn't restart until I told it it was O.K., I would
have first manually saved the document and then rebooted.

Now, in order to avoid this same problem in the future, I have disabled
automatic updates and put a reoccuring event in my calendar to remind to once
a week manually update windows. A huge pain, but less than having to restart
all the work on the document that was lost.

 

[Bob I]

Nope, Murphy has a law addressing that. "What can go wrong, will go
wrong, and usually at the most inopportune time." Never, NEVER walk away
without saving.

 

[Alias~-]

Nope, Murphy has a law addressing that. "What can go wrong, will go
wrong, and usually at the most inopportune time." Never, NEVER walk away
without saving.
Amen!

Alias

 

[Don Burnette]

Why not just set windows update, to notify you, but not download, any
updates when they are available? You can do this from the windows update
site.
Then , you don't have to remember to check periodically or set another
program to remind you.
That is how I have mine set - when I get the notification, I then, at my
convenience, go to the windows update site, set it to custom, and scan for
available updates. I then review and then download and install any updates I
feel I need. I do this at a time, that I know is convenient for me keeping
in mind, I will most likely need to do a reboot after installing the
updates.
As others have mentioned, I generally get all critical updates, review the
software updates, hide the ones I do not need, and never get any hardware
driver updates from windows update, I only get them from the device mfg's
website.

 

[kojaks43]

Well, as it was never a good idea to let updates install automatically,
anyway, this is all to the good. I really don't like to see people use
the Automatic Updates, unless they take precautions to ensure that no
patches get installed without the user's express permission, given only
after he/she has researched each individual patch to ensure that it
applies and is necessary. Due to the nearly infinite number of possible
combinations of hardware, device drivers, and applications on any given
PC, it's impossible to guarantee that all patches will be 100% harmless.
In a very small number of cases, patches and hotfixes can cause
conflicts or other problems. So, as with all changes to an OS, caution
is advised.

All "Critical" updates should be installed. These address serious
issues that can affect a large number of computers. There will be only
rare occasions when a Critical update will not apply. Of special
importance are those that address security vulnerabilities. If people
had installed the available critical updates in July of 2003, the
Blaster and Welchia worms would not have spread throughout the Internet
the following month. In the unlikely event that problems do develop,
you can always use the Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs applet or a
System Restore Point to uninstall the troublesome hotfix.

For the "Recommended" updates, simply study the information
provided to see if these updates apply in your specific situation. If
they don't apply, or you're not experiencing the problem(s) addressed,
you needn't install them. For instance, I have no use for WinXP's
MovieMaker, so I ignore any updates to it. Again, in the unlikely event
that problems do develop, you can always use the Control Panel's
Add/Remove Programs applet or a System Restore Point to uninstall the
troublesome hotfix.

In general, though, I've found it best not to download the "Driver"
updates from Windows Update, unless they're for a hardware device
originally manufactured by Microsoft. Device drivers provided by each
component's manufacturer's web site are likely to perform better and
offer more features than will the watered-down, "generic" drivers that
those manufacturers provide to Microsoft for distribution via Windows
Update.

As I seem to be closer in ability to "Home User" I feel compelled to respond
to your point of view. While I agree with all that you have said, AND I
will no longer allow Automatic Updates to happen to my machine, I must point
out that Microsoft's own policy is to recommend Automatic Updates. I
realize that recommendation was written for people just like me. People
that are barely able to turn on their machine. But understand, the
alternative, from my point of view, provides no information. I realize I
can select those updates I wish installed, and I probably would IF, the
description of the update was written using language even closely
approximating my native one. I am not an Alpha Geek. So when the advice is
written thus, I am lost. Yes, you are correct, I should learn more. But
reality being what it is, it is easier to follow the recommendation of the
company that made the operating system. Would they intentionally want to
harm me or my machine?

Just my $.02's. Please don't burn me alive!
k

 

[kcmunchkin]

The reminder is not a configurable feature that I turned ON. This is the
way it works on several Windows XP professional PC's that I use. I do not
believe it can be turned OFF.

Setting the mouse-pointer to go to the default mouse button is a convenience
feature that I am sure many users take advantage off. Microsoft's Quality
Assurance department should have software tests that include this mouse
pointer functionality being turned ON.

I clicked on my application. However, since the Windows Update reminder
dialog came up so fast, the click went to the default button on the Windows
Update dialog. Hence, the PC was restarted.

i think this is turning into a circular argument. this was more of a
rant rather than a request for advice, right?

you do realize that you can just hit "enter" whenever one of those
little dialogue prompts pops up, right? i must declare my ignorance on
the "snap to" function though, as i've never seen it enabled on any
computer i've ever used. it seems like this option is causing you more
trouble than it's solving.

just add up all the extra time you save by not having to move the
pointer to the dialogue box when it prompts you (roughly 1 second per
instance), and subtract that time from the quantity of time you wasted
by inadvertently causing a reboot.

if you get a negative value, then you've saved time.

if you get a positive value, then you should turn off the "snap to"
option.