OT: Stopping Windows from installing updates

[Mike Kujbida]

Kelly, the following is from the Windows Help file on my Windows 7 machine. Hope this helps.

If you don’t want updates to be installed automatically, you can choose to be notified when updates apply to your computer instead. Then, you can download and install them yourself, or you can set Windows to automatically download updates, and then notify you so you can install them yourself. Here’s how to change how Windows installs or notifies you about updates:

Click to open Windows Update (Start – Control Panel – Windows Update).

In the left pane, click Change settings.

Under Important updates, click one of the following:

Install updates automatically (recommended)

Download updates but let me choose whether to install them

Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them

Never check for updates (not recommended)

[Kelly Griffin]

Thanks Mike! YOODAMAN

–KG

[Mike Kujbida]

My pleasure Kelly. Always glad to help 🙂

[Aaron Star]

I understand not wanting to be nagged about updates, but those updates are there for a reason. In the words of Agent Smith, those updates ” are given for your protection…” Is it a bandwidth reason?

[Kelly Griffin]

Not at all. After years of “experience” (i.e., “having crap just ‘happen’ over time”), I’d have a system all dialed in, and would install updates religiously, and then watch that system over time all-of-a-sudden have this problem, then that problem, then too many problems.

So now, I go with what I know seems to work– get my system dialed in, then LEAVE IT ALONE.

I’m so damn tired of “updates” on so many things that, over time, just wind up painting me into some PITA corner I didn’t bargain for.

So, I leave it alone unless I have a specific problem that an update might fix.

–KG

[John Rofrano]

[Aaron Star] “but those updates are there for a reason. In the words of Agent Smith, those updates ” are given for your protection…” Is it a bandwidth reason?”

It’s called “if it ain’t broke… don’t fix it!”

Any professional should turn off automatic updates as a first sep in setting up a production system. Then you should only apply updates after you have a full system backup so that if anything goes wrong you can recover quickly.

I had Microsoft mess up my system the day before I had to go NAB to demo some software. I had to find another computer that hadn’t been updated yet to get my work completed. After that I turned off automatic updates and I keep them off so that I control when my system gets updated… and you should too.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Aaron Star]

I agree with “if is works, don’t fix it,” especially if you have a deadline presentation like you are referring to. I also would not want my machines with known vulnerabilities that have patches, sitting connected to the internet, whether you think your network systems are secure or not. Even if you have a layered approach to your security, IPS, and HIPS, you are still at risk to downloads. I recommend staying patched when times are not so critical.

[Bob Peterson]

Kelly said his machine is not normally connected to the internet, so he has eliminated the need for most updates. That said, I think a periodic system image type backup is absolutely essential before anything runs any serious changes. My system image backups produced by Acronis True Image have saved my bacon on many, many occasions.

That’s also one of the main reasons I am very reluctant to upgrade to a new release of Windows. In a real, professional environment, all such changes and updates are thoroughly tested before they can be installed. Such testing may require several months to insure that no production systems are adversely affected. I don’t have the time to do that kind of testing. I do allow security updates, but I keep my backups handy.

[Steve Rhoden]

I detest Windows Automatic updates, it offers no benefit or good to a
Video professional system. But if you dont make a living from your PC and only
use it in the evenings after work for a few minutes, then it really doesn’t matter, lol.
Dont be mislead by these security updates!

Steve Rhoden (Cow Leader)
Film Maker & VFX Artist.
Owner of Filmex Creative Media.
Samples of my Work and Company can be seen here:
https://www.facebook.com/FilmexCreativeMedia

[Bob Peterson]

The issue is not how much you use your machine. The issue is whether or not your machine is connected to the internet. If it is, you would be foolish in the extreme to skip security updates. That is one of the ways that Sony was penetrated. Machines that were internet connected, but which had not been updated to close well known, open holes. I routinely allow all security updates because my computer is always connected to the internet. I almost never allow optional updates for things like video cards. I look to the vendor or manufacturer for those. I also aim to backup my system image often enough that it won’t hurt me too much if I have to revert to the backup.