how do you handle microsoft updates?

Hi

how do you handle microsoft updates?

 

I have them set to notify, but since I know when they are going to be released I usually just go to the win update website and download them from there when they are available.

If that's what you meant by how I "handle" them.

Edit: it looks like this was what you meant, as I now see the poll. Even though this is how I do it in XP.

 

I usually check them out first since not all of them are applicable, such as Microsoft updates or whatever.

 

On Win 7 I leave it for about 3 weeks then install the lot.

On XP I use rising pc doctor v5 to manually download, install and save them for that rainy day.

 

I install straight away what is important and recommended, they usually harden the system against new exploits.

 

I leave Windows set to notify me when there are updates available. After I allow the download of updates, Windows will not install them until I approve of the installation.

 

Install knowing I have AX64 Time Machine and Parted Magic as fallback.

 

I install all available important and just about all optional updates from time to time.

While I would like to have Windows Update set to automatically download and install all important updates, its insistence to keep prompting me to reboot to complete installing the updates no annoys me no end, as the only time I ever want to reboot my computer is when Windows or some other software stop working properly and I need to reboot to fix it.

Edit: Any delay I take to install new drivers is because I really hate rebooting after new updates are installed, not to wait and see if any of the new updates are causing problems for others. If it was not for being hounded to reboot I would check for and install new Windows Updates daily.

 

Windows XP Pro w/SP3 with Windows Update turned off.

 

I just manually update once a month preferably on Tuesdays.

 

I avoid all non-critical updates even if they're in the recommended section. I also avoid the malicious remover tools.
I install all security updates.

 

i install everything except device drivers suggested by Windows Updates such as NVIDIA.

for those, i go directly to the manufacturer websites.

 

I usually install just the security updates because the other ones sometimes cause more problems than they solve.

 

Wait some days (or months) and install selected updates.

It's funny that when I installed drivers from the manufacturers' sites, M$ wants to update it again via the Windows Update and put some of them in the critical updates. I'm not sure which one is newer though, didn't bother to check.

 

In theory the updates from Microsoft should be more recent, however MS Update wants to install video and network drivers which in both cases are much older than my current drivers.

 

I check all the updates 1 by 1 (Only read the description) and install the important ones. (Security & stability)

 

I just choose whichever is the newest. Note that Microsoft drivers are usually more bare-bones.

 

Speaking of updates, I was just being trolled by that feature. I set it to check only but let me choose whether to download and install updates. And today, when I rebooted, the screen said "Installing updates x of x". I checked the setting and guess what? It changed to auto install mode. Had some thoughts, it probably because I installed Movie Maker a few days ago. I understand that it might be useful for average users, but at least notify me when my settings are altered. OA 6 didn't give me any popups, maybe because I whitelisted it somehow or because OA 6 doesn't integrate properly in my Windows 8 PC.

 

Something like Microsoft Updates is most likely on Online Armor's default whitelist. Maybe try hiding updates next time? You can restore them later.

 

Disabled auto-update. I use offline update tools like WSUS Offline Update and Portable Update.

 

After the Office update issue which occurred recently, I wait a few days and install all updates.

 

When running Windows, I let the OS install all of them automatically. This is sufficiently painful that I basically don't use Windows any more; balancing security and user convenience is just too hard.

That said, I may have to try out one of the offline updates mentioned by safeguy. Now that I have a decent workstation again to handle the virtualization stuff, it would be nice to have Win32 on the laptop for experimentation.

Edit: OMG THANK YOU safeguy. WSUS Offline Update is brilliant. It had my Win7 SP1 install fully updated in a couple hours, download time included (and install and download time for .NET), plus now I can create an automatic update DVD. I don't know how people manage to use Windows without software like this.

 

I deleted OA's default whitelist and rebuild my own. Microsoft programs tend to change your settings when you installed them. MSE also altered the update to auto install mode.

 

I HATE, HATE, HATE that.

 

HEY! Everything is supposed to be "Auto" these days..but yes I hate that too