OT(windows updates and patches)

  • Thread starter Thread starter yar
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Y

yar

this is a little off topic ,but i respect the opinion of those that
post here. is windows updates and patches a good thing? i see all
sorts of problems that are generated for users by doing this. the
solutions are just about as bad. in fact everything that MS does seems
to be very , how should i put it......not done very well.
 
yar said:
this is a little off topic ,but i respect the opinion of those that
post here. is windows updates and patches a good thing? i see all
sorts of problems that are generated for users by doing this. the
solutions are just about as bad. in fact everything that MS does seems
to be very , how should i put it......not done very well.
Click to expand...
The updates have never given me a problem...
Perhaps you need to realize that only people who have problems post
messages..
Jim
 
yar, 10/25/2005, 1:16:34 PM,
this is a little off topic ,but i respect the opinion of those that
post here. is windows updates and patches a good thing? i see all
sorts of problems that are generated for users by doing this. the
solutions are just about as bad. in fact everything that MS does seems
to be very , how should i put it......not done very well.
Click to expand...

I administer 30+ computers at work and am required to install patches
and updates Microsoft releases. In the 5 years I have been doing this
on W2K and WXP machines I have only had a problem on two computers.
One was my own, which has so many installations and registry tweaks
that I would expect something like that to happen more often.

In my opinion you are better off installing patches -- mostly for
security reasons. If you have problems after installing it is related
to other software or hardware drivers on your computer. Regardless,
keep track of what you are installing and if necessary you can always
uninstall it from the Add/Remove Programs applet unless it is one of
thse that you can't uninstall of course.
 
this is a little off topic ,but i respect the opinion of those that
post here. is windows updates and patches a good thing? i see all
sorts of problems that are generated for users by doing this. the
solutions are just about as bad. in fact everything that MS does seems
to be very , how should i put it......not done very well.
Click to expand...

The WU (Windows Update) Trojan is a necessary evil if you are
interested in improving Windows (*cough *sputter) security. The WU
Trojan is likely to undo your network security settings and reverse
your internet port closing work, so make sure you are behind a
firewall or external firewall/router before activating the Trojan or
you may get hacked or hit by some internet worm.

Art

http://home.epix.net/~artnpeg
 
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this is a little off topic ,but i respect the opinion of those that
post here. is windows updates and patches a good thing? i see all
sorts of problems that are generated for users by doing this. the
solutions are just about as bad. in fact everything that MS does seems
to be very , how should i put it......not done very well.
Click to expand...

I have updated more machines than I can remember and have had very rare
problems which have either been solved by uninstalling the patch or
restoring from a backup.

You should always keep your operating system was well as programs that you
use up-to-date. IMO the tiny risk of a patch going wrong is far, far
outweighed by the large quantity of hacked computers automatically trying
to hack others while sitting on nice fast broadband Internet connections.

Regards
- --
Adam Piggott, Proprietor, Proactive Services (Computing).
http://www.proactiveservices.co.uk/

Please replace dot invalid with dot uk to email me.
Apply personally for PGP public key.
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this is a little off topic ,but i respect the opinion of those that
post here. is windows updates and patches a good thing? i see all
sorts of problems that are generated for users by doing this. the
solutions are just about as bad. in fact everything that MS does seems
to be very , how should i put it......not done very well.
Click to expand...

Updates and patches are definately needed.
As hackers and such keep finding new ways or exploits in the OS,
they find fixes and you need them.It would be like surfing the net
without using at least an antivirus program.They also include support for
newer technologies that seem to emerge overnight.

I've only had problems with older machines w\older hardware.
And then only with Xp SP2.I have had problems with the original
win2000 installs,ages ago.

Just my opinion,

C.
 
this does fit my situation,when one gets a new computer then he should
do the upgrades first.
 
From: "yar" <[email protected]>

| this is a little off topic ,but i respect the opinion of those that
| post here. is windows updates and patches a good thing? i see all
| sorts of problems that are generated for users by doing this. the
| solutions are just about as bad. in fact everything that MS does seems
| to be very , how should i put it......not done very well.

The most important updates are MS Critical Updates. Many patch holes or vulnerabilities in
various aspects or modules in the Win32 software that are more than often exploited. Thus,
patching the OS is as important as chaning the oild in your vehicle. In both cases, without
proper maintenance, you will end up with a broken system.

Now there is always the "Chaos and Complex Systems" postulate that will indicate that the
more the OS goes from plain vanilla to and well used PC, the OS can become corrupted or end
of with bugs or unexplained problems. As one; installs, removes, updates, modifies, alters
and tweaks a computer OS the greater the likley that a patch may cause negative
reprecussions. That's the Chaos. The OS is the complex system based upon software
components actions and reactions with other software and with the OS. The more the PC is
plain vanilla, the more stable it will be.
 
thank you!

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Hash: SHA1


I have updated more machines than I can remember and have had very rare
problems which have either been solved by uninstalling the patch or
restoring from a backup.

You should always keep your operating system was well as programs that you
use up-to-date. IMO the tiny risk of a patch going wrong is far, far
outweighed by the large quantity of hacked computers automatically trying
to hack others while sitting on nice fast broadband Internet connections.

Regards
Click to expand...
 
thank you
Updates and patches are definately needed.
As hackers and such keep finding new ways or exploits in the OS,
they find fixes and you need them.It would be like surfing the net
without using at least an antivirus program.They also include support for
newer technologies that seem to emerge overnight.

I've only had problems with older machines w\older hardware.
And then only with Xp SP2.I have had problems with the original
win2000 installs,ages ago.

Just my opinion,

C.
Click to expand...
 
i used an old win 95 machine for 10 years,it was vastly less
complicated to keep up with than this new win xp pro. i am 60 and i
guess i am starting to resist change which is exactly opposite of what
i should be doing!
 
From: "yar" <[email protected]>

| i used an old win 95 machine for 10 years,it was vastly less
| complicated to keep up with than this new win xp pro. i am 60 and i
| guess i am starting to resist change which is exactly opposite of what
| i should be doing!

Each new OS is more complex then its predecessor. Wait till 'ya see Vista !!
 
yar said:
i used an old win 95 machine for 10 years,it was vastly less
complicated to keep up with than this new win xp pro. i am 60 and i
guess i am starting to resist change which is exactly opposite of what
i should be doing!
Click to expand...
Quit using the age card!!! I am 75 and going strong... Wind 95 was a big
big improvement over Win 3.1. But XP is quite a bit more robust than any of
the Win 9X versions.
Jim
 
yar said:
this is a little off topic ,but i respect the opinion of those that
post here. is windows updates and patches a good thing? i see all
sorts of problems that are generated for users by doing this. the
solutions are just about as bad. in fact everything that MS does seems
to be very , how should i put it......not done very well.
Click to expand...

Having to patch your OS (and other software) with possibly problematic
patches is sort of like growing old - it kinda sucks but is better than
the alternative.
 
this is a little off topic ,but i respect the opinion of those that
post here. is windows updates and patches a good thing? i see all
sorts of problems that are generated for users by doing this. the
solutions are just about as bad. in fact everything that MS does seems
to be very , how should i put it......not done very well.
Click to expand...
I do antivirus for a very large university. The largest group
of people that get infected are those who don't patch - new
kids arriving with brand new laptops bought by daddy, academics
coming back from vacation so are a few months' patches behind
and then power up with no firewall, etc. Next biggest group is
people with no passwords.
We make a CD of all the latest patches every month, as soon as
Microsoft release them, so that people can patch without going
online (though it's fairly safe if a firewall is on)
We've had remarkably few problems with the patches, over a
campus with what must approach 100,000 machines.

On the other hand, my XP Home machine at home refuses to
install Service Pack 2... As it's behind a router, I don't
worry too much about it.
 
Quit using the age card!!! I am 75 and going strong... Wind 95 was a big
big improvement over Win 3.1. But XP is quite a bit more robust than any of
the Win 9X versions.
Jim
Click to expand...
Remember the people who invented computers are all abotu 75
now, those that aren't dead.
 
I am at home with a win 95b and a xp pro,i am on a local dial-up. i
run a firewall and several virus malware scanners.

"In article <[email protected]>,
"(e-mail address removed) says...
"> this is a little off topic ,but i respect the opinion of those that
"> post here. is windows updates and patches a good thing? i see all
"> sorts of problems that are generated for users by doing this. the
"> solutions are just about as bad. in fact everything that MS does
seems
"> to be very , how should i put it......not done very well.
">
"I do antivirus for a very large university. The largest group
"of people that get infected are those who don't patch - new
"kids arriving with brand new laptops bought by daddy, academics
"coming back from vacation so are a few months' patches behind
"and then power up with no firewall, etc. Next biggest group is
"people with no passwords.
"We make a CD of all the latest patches every month, as soon as
"Microsoft release them, so that people can patch without going
"online (though it's fairly safe if a firewall is on)
"We've had remarkably few problems with the patches, over a
"campus with what must approach 100,000 machines.
"
"On the other hand, my XP Home machine at home refuses to
"install Service Pack 2... As it's behind a router, I don't
"worry too much about it.
 
Jim said:
Quit using the age card!!! I am 75 and going strong... Wind 95 was a big
big improvement over Win 3.1. But XP is quite a bit more robust than any
of the Win 9X versions.
Click to expand...

What gets me is those guys who go 'demented', like they didn't have a
choice! Bloody layabouts, the lot of them!

Shane
 
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