I read about this. This is definitely a time to turn off automatic updates, and do a few at a time followed by checking the system operation for a day or two.

DA

I will be waiting a few days(my norm) and following the forums for problems if I spot any I sure will report them here. I watch the risk takers and see what the fall out is!

Thank you for the heads up and for the advice on not doing them all at once. I'll keep checking back.

I will be waiting also. I know up dates are important, but I am hung up on "if it ain't broken, don't fix it". But according to what I read in here a couple of years ago it's, "if it ain't broken, keep trying". LOL

I will be waiting a few days(my norm) and following the forums for problems if I spot any I sure will report them here. I watch the risk takers and see what the fall out is!

Bless you Ravencajun, It is very well appreciated and you are doing us all a GREAT service.

Urlee

Gosh I didn't hear anyone sneeze. Anyway, a look at the Executive Summaries on the Advanced Bulletin reveals a possible manual grouping of updates as to restarts. I anticipate installing "may require restarts" together and "requires restart" together with no more than three at a time. If there are other updates available not related to this batch of critical/important they will be done independently. I just don't like too much new code floating around all at once.

DA

DA sounds like a good plan you have. Since I followed your orginal advice many years ago about not doing to many updates at once... I think I'll adopt this plan as well:- )

Bob

I'm going to let it fly automatically. I'm just wild and crazy like that. :) If you don't see me here for a while, you'll know why.

I might just happen to feel like doing a full backup tomorrow, though.

Since you wish to be knowingly daring, if you do have concerns will you be coming here and asking for help?

By the way, does this reckless computer life style extend to no firewall, no anti-virus, and poor surfing habits?

I just want to know so I can gauge the effort to put forth to assist in resolving any concerns.

DA

Not to worry, DA. My firewall and AV are intact and up-to-date. I run Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware now and then just for the exercise. And I don't click around recklessly. I am competent to reinstall Windows and all my software if it comes to that.

I've never had any problems with MS updates before. I'll present myself for a big I-told-you-so if I make a mess of it.

Susan

creating an image, doing a backup, and at the very least creating a restore point are all very good ideas when facing any large number of updates.

On another forum I visit a couple of people have created some very nice user guides for how to use Acronis true image and also the free version of Macrium. They were created in hopes of helping people see how easy it can be do do an image backup. Here are the links to both of those.
Imaging with Macrium Reflect Free 4.2
Step-by-step instruct on creating image: Acronis

good discussion on both of those threads with nice follow up info.
Much easier to just replace the image than have to do all that re-installing of windows and the rest of what that entails.

I always dread this stuff. I am the only person, in my family who handles any computer maintenance. We run a business and I have two computers at work which can only be updated after hours (or before.)I can't tie them up with all these various updates and restarts. Three home machines which are used to connect to the work computers remotely will have to be updated.

These updates should be able to go in automatically to avoid tying up computers which need to be used to run a business. Updating takes so much time and can cause problems with computers which absolutely must work immediately. You can't shut down a business because you have to do updates in mini pieces. They need to go in and work. I dread tomorrow.

Sorry for the rant.
Jane

Jane,

Just do them over time. Put your own procedure into place and complete your tasks as you see fit, and when you can. Yes, they do have to be done, but time is on your side. Having read your prior postings I am sure you will get it done, and get it done right.

The sky is not falling.

DA

agree, I would wait till the weekend if that is possible when the systems will not be in use.
I have made it a habit to wait a day or so anyway so I can check the forums to see if anyone is reporting problems with any of the updates that way I know to be prepared or will wait till they put out a fixed version of that particular update. Unless of course it is a special out of band update that is for an immanent vulnerability, I do read up on those too but I do them more timely. Also it can go faster when not everyone else in the world is trying to get the updates from the servers at the same time.

Did not mean this post as an alarm just a heads up that it is coming at ya so be ready. LOL

just to let the fence sitters know, I just finished updating three laptops one Win7 Home Premium, one Vista Ultimate and one XP Home SP3, each of them had more than 15 updates...did them in batches of five and nary a problem

Hmm.... I have a custom-built computer with Windows 7 and a cable connection. I have updates set to automatic. In Control Panel it said the last check was this morning, but in Control Panel > Windows Updates > Security > View Update History it shows only one update done today:

Definition Update for Windows Defender - KB915597 (Definition 1.87.1528.0)
Installation date: âÂÂ8/âÂÂ10/âÂÂ2010 6:32 AM
Installation status: Successful

I wonder.... will the other dozen or so be waiting for me tomorrow morning ?

I should also mention that I'm told one important update is waiting for me:

Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile for Windows 7 x64-based Systems (KB982670)
Download size: 41.0 MB

I'd like to avoid unnecessary .NET updates since people here have said they can sometimes be more trouble than they're worth !

I did the eight security updates that required a restart on my Windows 7. The others will wait for another day. The XP machine will have to wait until we return from vacation, but I'll do them a few at a time on it, also.

By the way, I'm sitting in a state park campground quite a distance from an Interstate highway, and I'm pulling a good cellular 3G signal, so no problems getting online. Isn't technology wonderful?

You lucky dog! I'm sitting at home with a wired connection and having a difficult time loading a WEB PAGE...Got the blues. Wildblue....

not2bright you can certainly hold off on the .NET 4 that is an update of the platform and until you actually have some thing that requires the new 4 to work and then it will tell you it needs it and often times it will offer to install or just install it.
So not a biggie there, I skipped it. I have not run into anything I use that requires higher than the 1.1 that came on my xp pro.

glad to hear the updates are going well. Only seen one report of problems and again it was for the ESET NOD users it is recommended if you have that to turn off protection prior to the install. Here is the tread on the updates at BBR.
Microsoft Security Bulletin(s) for August 10, 2010

DA and Raven, thanks for the heads up! Sorry, as I get older, I have so little patience for things. I find all these updates (not just MS) so annoying. They interfere with work and bombard you with windows popping up telling you this and that needs updating. Then ZA is popping up telling you it is blocking something, FF found an update to your add-on, boxes are sliding up from above and below 'update/upgrade NOW!

I realize I am no good at multi-tasking. To much goes on at my office what with phones ringing, people asking questions etc. I need to access info quickly. I don't know how other people handle these numerous updates at work which appear almost daily. If not Microsoft, its Firefox, add-ons, anti-virus updates, Adobe, Flash, Quicktime (used by United HealthCare) software updates, ZA popping up blocking something or other...on and on.

Even at home it delays what you need to use the computer for. They always seem to appear when you are rushing and need to get something quickly. Forget it! I keep telling the update 'later' but it keeps annoying you.

Today I needed a document for a person and when I tried to open it, I get a message from Word that something or other is corrupt and I need to do something or other. I had no clue what was going on and didn't have time to figure it out. Luckily, I had made a copy of the document and pulled it out of the chart and gave it to the person (after making another copy.) I worked as a secretary for many years and I still think it is faster to open a file drawer and pull out a chart than trying to get it on the computer.

Well, got that off my chest. Time for me to retire..but not before updating all these marvelous machines.

Jane

What is ESET NOD?

Thanks, RC, for the information on .NET. :-)

Also,
ravencajun wrote: glad to hear the updates are going well. Only seen one report of problems and again it was for the ESET NOD users it is recommended if you have that to turn off protection prior to the install. Here is the tread on the updates at BBR.

Well, it's not so much that they're going well as that they're not going at all. Except for the one update that auto-updates did yesterday (and the .NET update that I'm free to hold off on) I have nothing telling me that there are a dozen or more waiting for me to get. If these updates were mostly for XP users I could understand (since I have Win 7 Pro), but other W7 users here have gotten the updates (manually or otherwise). But I don't even have a manual check showing a list of critical items. ??

Since auto-updates has been working just fine for me since I got this computer (Nov '09) I don't really know why it wouldn't be working now. I can only assume that, despite the daily check it makes, I'll either get them in the near future or (less likely) it's determined I don't need them.

Thanks again.

Scott.... waiting for the other shoe(s) to fall......

I have done all the updates in three batches without any concerns. The system appears to be running just fine.

Besides the updates of topic, I also had an IE8 Cumulative and a Windows Software Removal Tool update.

Remember folks, when the Removal Tool update is downloaded it scans your entire system so there is an installation delay. Be patient and don't be concerned as it does take a while.

DA

ESET NOD is an Antivirus company, like AVAST, AVG etc but it is one that you have to pay for no free versions.

Yes the removal tool always takes a while to do it's scan so slows down the whole finishing of the installs.

thanks for the info everyone on how it is going.

and Scott often times they do break it down so that their servers are not hit at once so I would wait a day or so but also try a reboot to see if maybe that will trigger something, you might also go into your settings and make sure it is still set for auto update, that nothing changed it.

I did the install in 3 groups and no problems. I had to hide IE 8 update AGAIN. You really have to pay attention dealing with this stuff.

All updating done here as well. No problems or concerns and the removal tool does take a while. I did that one first as a stand alone.

V55,

Why did you hide the IE8 update? It is cumulative and you probably have most if not all the included updates already installed if you keep your updates current.

DA

I have a dumb question. The security shield came up on my tray saying there were updates. I chose all but the Win 7 (I have XP) to look at (I said OK) and then nothing happened....no additional window. Usually a window comes up and starts the download. Where can I go to get the updates? Thank you.

with xp you can go to the windows update site itself and get the updates, go to Start> all programs and at the top Windows updates or usually in all versions of IE the windows update site is listed in the bookmarks. Choose custom then you can select which to install and how many at a time etc.

I keep my computer updated. I didn't do this one because of reading in here. I thought updating could be a problem I read where others had problems.

If I don't have (use) microsoft office, do I have to DL all those updates for it?

This laptop came with the 60 day trial but I did not open it as I am thinking of uninstalling it.

Thanks Ravencajun (eset nod)

Urlee

Thank you rc. I learned something new....again! Should updates always be done through IE and not any other browser? I have FF.

Urlee, if you have anything from Office installed on your computer (I have Power Point Viewer) and Works (which has a version of Word), you need to get the updates, since the vulnerabilities in these leave you open to attack, even if you do not use them. So do the update.

you have to do windows updates with IE. There are ways around that but it is easiest to just use IE for that.

Urlee until you remove that trial version you probably should get the updates just in case. I use Open Office now on all my computers so no more MS office.

Thank you, rc and everyone. This is such a great forum. I did the downloads and everything seems fine.

Finished the rest of the downloads this afternoon, and all installed without a problem.

Zep, I lived with WB for two years. It serves a purpose, but it certainly is not ideal. Nice thing about Verizon cellular is that it is available almost anywhere I happen to travel, so I don't have to rely on public wi-fi for internet service.

Like most everything else with Windows there is more than one way to achieve updates. You can gain access to the portal through the Control Panel.

Never recall reading anywhere of a cumulative IE update of any version causing a problem.

Yesterday(Thursday) was when my laptop had the update symbol down near the time. I installed the updates and had to restart but other than that, no problems just a few days late. My desktop did not get the update notice until today.

After reading here that there were problems with Net Framwork security downloads, I put off downloading any of them. I don't even know what Net Framwork is or does. Should I be downloading those security updates. I also am still using IE6, should I update to IE8? I have XP sp3.

Updates on all computers (4 at home, 2 at work) went without a hitch.

Hi "mate"I also am still using IE6, should I update to IE8?
I Too have hung onto IE6 because of my convenient setup and use and was afraid I wouldn't like IE8.

I now just purchased a laptop that came with IE8 and am finding it to be pretty neat and was wondering if others like IE8 better than IE6?
Yes, I know it's outdated but-------hard to turn the page at my age?

I had IE 7 and didn't like it at all, to cluttered. Thanks goodness for FF. I did do all the updates that came out Tues and a couple of days of thinking about it I did IE 8. No problems, but talk about clutter. Wow! I worked with it just to see what I could get rid of and it is a lot better now. It looks like it might (?) be an improvement over the older IE browsers.

I have no idea as to what is IE8 clutter, but whatever the perceived clutter might be IE8 is viewed as the most secure IE version available. To use a "leaky" version rather than upgrade is to place your system in jeopardy. Safety first.

I support the passing on the Net update offerings until a user requires it. Way too much potential grief. I just hide mine so they are there readily if I should come to need them.

DA

anyone still hanging onto IE6 definitely needs to move on up to 7 or preferably 8 but get rid of 6 it is no longer supported and is a huge security risk. Most web designers are no longer creating their pages to work with IE6 so you will be running into problems viewing some sites.
If you don't use IE you still need to make sure you have the latest version just for security reasons. I never use mine except to go to windows update site, I use firefox for everything else but I have IE8 fully updated.

raven,

When IE8 first came out there were concerns about it and people had problems with it. I spoke with the techs that built my computer and they told me that they were having problems with it and that I should not download IE8 since I have windows XP,so I hid it and I still have IE7.

I just read that if you have Win XPSP3 and you downloaded IE8 and didn't like it that you could go to add, remove, programs and delete it from there and it would automatically put IE7 back. If you didn't have Win XPSP3 then it would be permanent and you couldn't go back to 7.

I have Windows XPSP3 and my question, is it safe to download IE8 now or should I just stay the same? My computer is doing just fine like it is at this time, but I remain confused as to rather it is safe to use on Win XPSP3. Thanks a bunch.

Oh gee, gotta go we are getting storms again.

thirdfrt!!!

If a user is looking for a certification of operational compatibility with any system effort, it will be a long waiting time. Computer science by its foundation is an exact science, but the variables after leaving the drawing board are voluminous. No task will be without concern for someone. Our goal as users is to each minimize the task at hand. 100 users may voice contempt for, in this case, IE8 and XPSP3 compatibility when thousands are completely satisfied with the upgrade. We must ignore the general concerns aired by some, and look at the remaining whole of satisfied users. In general with good protocols, procedures, and habits, we can always move forward.

DA

the early problems with IE8 were legit, but it has been out for quite some time now and it is now a pretty good browser and is more secure than the other versions of IE.
the choice would of course be up to you.

Thank you Raven, the makes me think I have not lost it completely.

I understand being secure that is why I upgraded.

FWIW, after I finally got (and successfully installed) my updates for my Windows 7 computer on Thursday, I decided to do the updates for my aunt's computer (HP laptop with XP SP3). I set auto-updates to "notify, but don't install" and it took nearly half an hour for the scan to tell me what updates were needed. And when it was over, it was quite a list of updates to choose from !

But since it took so long for the scan to take place I decided simply to have the updates installed in one big gulp, rather than breaking it up into smaller chunks. (I didn't want to have to go through the whole scan process again.)

Well, it turns out that there was a total of...... thirty...two.... updates... installed -- and successfully at that !! :-)

Just thought I'd mention this in case anyone gets nervous about installing 8 or 10 updates at once. Apparently, large quantity updates can be done !

Scott (no longer biting my nails....)