Does EVERYONE update Windows?

Although I used to keep Windows up to date when I first got my comp, I now tend to re-install Windows quite a lot because I try out lots of different software
and tend to mess things up.
I stopped updating Windows altogether because, being on dial-up, it would take days to get everything back up to date after each re-install.
After nearly 2 years without any Windows updates, I haven't had a single virus, any malware or any other security problems at all.
The only MS software I use is Windows itself, no IE or Outlook Express etc.
I have security some software including avast AV, Kerio 2, Spybot, Adaware, Ewido and SSM.
I have followed various articles on the net suggesting ways to make Windows more secure and which services to disable etc.
The reason I am saying all this is that I'm now on 2 meg broadband so updates would be pretty quick to download but after nearly 2 years without a single problem should I bother with them?
I'd be interested in your opinions.

One thing though, I did briefly go on to Windows Update twice today and each time installed one optional update but the download speed both times was only around the 20 kb/s mark, just after the second one I downloaded OpenOffice and it was hitting between 350-470 kb/s. Does Windows update slow down connections for any reason?

 

Yes, I do. I am on broadband too. My set up is download automatically and inform me when ready to install. I will monitor the install that way.

 

I certainly do, as soon as patches are made available. These days you can't have a system that's secure enough and keeping Windows up to date is one way of making sure that it's at least as secure as it can be before adding additional security provided by anti-virus, anti-trojan and so on.

If you're on a 2Mbps broadband link, you'd be crazy not to keep Windows completely up to date, in my opinion.

 

I am on dial-up and I update.

 

Well I've decided to try going to Windows Update again and have now got everything completely up to date.
Although the download speed had increased to 90 kb/s it is still way, way below the sort of speeds I'm getting on all other sites.

 

i update. i have XP and use the SP2 CD then get the rest. you can still get the SP2 CD free from MS

 

If you frequently do reinstalls, then you might want to think about slipstreaming SP2 onto a bootable CD along with Windows XP. That makes the process even quicker and avoids lots of the older updates.

 

thanks i'm going to do that when i get a DVD rewriter. i'm still in the dark-ages

 

I don't use auto-updating but do a scan with MS Baseline Security Analyser.
It tells me if one or more updates are missing. In the result details you can read which ones and decide to download them or not.

I wonder how it is possible that Fannymites download at 350-470 KB/s with a 2 Mb connection or am I missing something?

Gerard

 

I guess I'm just one of the uninformed dunces that still trusts Microsoft somewhat. I have my PC set to receive Windows updates and download automatically (the "recommended" setting). I do review what has been done and manually check every so often, but since I'm using Microsoft's OS, I figure I may as well trust the manufacturer when they need to issue a "fix"....

 

I'm not sure what you mean, is that good or bad? I'm very new to broadband and I don't actually know what speeds I should be getting when downloading files.
I should point out that the speeds I got when downloading Open Office weren't that high all the way through and that it is the highest speed I have had so far, according to the Firefox download manager (don't know how accurate that is).
In general it is normally around 245-275 or a bit faster if I'm on Linux (don't know why).

 

I got the XP SP2 CD and downloaded the rest through dial-up...

 

here are some links i have bookmarked which may be some help. they are all the bookmarks i have under windowsupdate
http://unattended.msfn.org/
http://hfnetchk.shavlik.com/
http://www.codeproject.com/samples/whotfixcheck.asp?df=100&forumid=2568&exp=0&select=71876&tid=71876
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/hfnetchk.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...58-102e-47b0-a12a-bfab8cfccc03&DisplayLang=en
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/current.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/ms05-feb.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/security/default.mspx
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=75201

and this last one is probably only useful to me, but i'll give it just incase
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_winupd_netpolicy.htm

 

Sorry fannymites my fault,

I mixed up kbps (bit) with KBps (byte)
Theoretically you could download as fast as 1800 kbps (2000 minus 10%)
Regards,

Gerard

 

I Run XP SP1 and I do check for windows updates every weekend. I turned off Auto-update, because I know Microsoft doesn't just randomly throw updates on the servers. They usually are release on the same day of the week. I don't need one extra process checking for updates every hour when I can do it myself

I recommend keeping it updated, however you choose to do it

 

I did and do the same thing. I was also tired of that icon in the system tray.

 

the updates are supposed to be on the first Tuesday of the month, but often they release at different times.

 

The screen shot is that Microsoft base line analyzer

 

Indeed - I had a security update today, and unless my calendar is way out of step with the rest of the world, it certainly isn't the first Tuesday of any month.

 

Hello fannymites,

An alternative way of doing MS updates:

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp is the update catalog site. Find your update(s) and download them the way you do for any software update. Download to a folder - click thru to the executable (.exe extension) to install. Than keep them so you don't have to go on-line to download them again.

Regards - Charles