Windows Update - How will it change your system?

Anonymous
2016-10-14T16:11:13+00:00

You need to make a decision about where you want to be with your system.

My advice is to change the Windows Update (WU) setting to never.

It really depends on where you want to be with your Windows 7 system.

Woody Leonhard has described the situation something like this.  Note, I am using my own words here and describing it from my own perspective:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3128983/microsoft-windows/how-to-prepare-for-the-windows-781-patchocalypse.html

Group A:  Roll over and just let MS install what ever they wish on your computer and just don't worry about privacy and the spyware they will install.  With this option you leave WU as Delayed start, and set the WU setting at Recommended.  This is the easy way and requires no effort or concentration.  You just let happen what will.  This is essentially what you have with a Windows 10 system.

Group B:  Refuse to accept any updates except Security ones.  In that case you follow my initial recommendation and leave WU set at Never.  You get the Security only updates from the "catalog".   There is risk here in B.  You are trusting that MS will not put anything in that group that does things you do not want done. A sort of level of trust in MS that I am not sure they deserve.   Keep in mind that they have done the same thing with this set of updates they did in the main one.  It is all one agglomeration of whatever number of security updates they decide to put in it. 

Group C (AKA W): Shut down WU permanently and never again accept a Windows Update.  This group feels that the risk of MS changing their machine in unacceptable ways or even bricking it is greater than the risk of a hacker breaking in because some security patch was not installed.   I suspect that most people who even think about this topic will opt for this.  However since most people think of their computer like a potato peeler, they will not even think about this and things will just happen without them even knowing.  They will be Group A and won't even know it.

I am in Group W and would like to be in Group B.   It depends on whether I can find a satisfactory way for my 150 or so client machines to be updated.  They are average Joes and Janes.

Note that this may not apply to NON-Windows updates such as Office.  I am not sure how you can be in group B or W and do this, but I am working on it.

UPDATE November 19, 2016:

It now appears that B is an impractical strategy for 99% of users.  And, here is the reason why:  When an error is made in a security-only update, if the error turns out not to have a security affect, it may be corrected in a non-security update.  In that case if you were following B strategy, you would be left with an un-corrected defective update installed on your computer.  If you were extremely diligent and knew about it, you may be able to get the correction in specific cases.  This would entail an extreme amount of diligence that few would be willing or able to provide.

The new rollup style of updates that Microsoft is now providing to what we would call Group A, which include all kinds of updates (security and non-security), are cumulative.  That means if you miss a month or even more, it will not matter because by installing the latest month's rollup, you would be up to date.

NOTE well, that Security-only updates are NOT cumulative.  Which means if you miss a month, you may never get the missed updates.

So one strategy that you may wish to consider is following Group C, but still updating .net and Microsoft Office through Windows Update, but installing no Windows updates at all.  It would be advisable in this case that you stop using Internet Explorer because you would not be getting those updates, but instead use an alternative browser.

Then, after following this strategy for some time, if things take a turn for the worse, and you decide you made the wrong choice (Group C with .net an Office updates), you can easily shift to A by simply using the latest offered Rollup offered in Windows Update.

So, as things have evolved, it looks like the vast majority have really only two choices:  A as described above or C (modified as described above).  The good news is that if you follow the modified C strategy, you have a way back to the Microsoft way, that is easy to implement.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-11-06T05:36:59+00:00

    I also agree that many people will be upset by Windows 10, and the changes in Windows 7, if they aren't already.  I do have a tablet with Windows 10, and I will never make a purchase on that machine. Online businesses should listen up.  I WILL NOT MAKE A PURCHASE FROM A WINDOWS 10 MACHINE **EVER** 

    The risk of using my CC number and having it end up in some Microsoft database is far too great. And Microsoft doesn't say they will definitely remove that information when they get it (they admit they will get it, though they claim that's "inadvertent"), they say they will do so "if they detect it." 

    So the simplest solution for them to avoid responsibility is to fail to detect it.  As a result, when they have data breaches, they will not need to inform anyone because the CC number wasn't supposed to be in there.  But criminal actors now have a new way of getting that data, along with my name, email, and who knows what else.

    I also notice they didn't mention medical information at all (in their whitepaper referenced in this thread).

    When my Windows 7 computer "dies" I will buy a Mac.  I've had enough.  I don't think Linux will ever be ready.  I've been looking at Linux since 1991, and it has never been ready.  They still claim they don't need Antivirus.  Ha!  Honestly, I didn't mind Microsoft so much when Bill Gates was at the helm, I think it has steadily gone downhill since he left.  The company may have been greedy before, but the current behavior makes his misdeeds seem tame.  I am actually wishing he'd return and kick some butt.  I trust him more than the current establishment.

    I don't buy the party line that they're using this information only to improve the product.  They have mountains of data from users complaints all over the internet that would tell them what users want.  Data gathering from forum posts would get them father than this scheme.  At least if their stated purpose is honest. If not, then they're just gathering valuable database information and giving themselves a reason to avoid responsibility if the data is leaked. 

    While "moved cheese" is always annoying, the  part of Windows 10 that bothers me most, and actually angers me beyond simple annoyance is the privacy issue. I hope it is challenged in court ASAP.  Starting with the inability of most users to remove Cortana/Store or disable it. Even Android makes it possible to opt out of the Store, just don't set it up, the phone and all functions work fine.  You get no such choice with Windows 10. I had to devote a lot of time into finding a fix that worked to remove Cortana and I'm honestly afraid to share it lest the ability to do that should be defeated.  That fear itself speaks volumes for the future of Microsoft products.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-11-05T18:53:42+00:00

    I agree that security updates are roll-ups also but he specifically mentions:

    Step Four: Install the Windows 7 SP1 Convenience Rollup-kb3125574

    I've read the Convenience Rollups have spyware (telemetry) in it. This is what I was warning him about.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-11-05T18:20:34+00:00

    You can get the security updates only in another Rollup.  Best advice I have read so far is that they do not contain telemetry stuff, but no guarantees. 

    October Security only roll up: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53990

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-11-05T18:11:27+00:00

    You do realize by using "roll-up" updates that there is a high probability that you are installing spyware (telemetry)? It's not recommended for privacy reasons.

    From what I understand, the .net updates will be separate from windows updates. If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will correct it.

    EDIT: I just saw how my post might be misleading because I forgot to add the word "convenience" when I mentioned the roll-up updates.

    It should have said:

    You do realize by using "convenience roll-up" updates that there is a high probability that you are installing spyware (telemetry)?

    (I think I need another cup of coffee... Or maybe I had to much already!)

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-11-03T16:48:02+00:00

    The convenience and monthly rolls up are great….!!! I was growing tired of it taking 2-4 days to get a fresh w7 install up to date while it searches for updates for hours on end :-(.

    So here is my new method:

    Step zero: Disable windows updates

    Step One: Install Service Pack 1, If You Don’t Have It Already

    Step Two: Find Out Whether You’re Using a 32-bit or 64-bit Version of Windows 7

    Step Three: Install the April 2015 “Servicing Stack” Update-KB3020369

    Step Four: Install the Windows 7 SP1 Convenience Rollup-kb3125574

    Step Five: install Oct2016 monthly rollup w7sp1-kb3185330

    I did not install Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, or Sep monthly rollups

    1. But I am somewhat confused… after doing all those steps above, there were still over 300meg in updates needed when I ran a windows update. And they were not optional updates. Can you explain why.
    2. Are are all the .net and security updates included in the monthly rollups? Or do I need to do them separately. I’d rather not
    3. For every monthly rollup are all previous updates included from all previous monthly rollups? From what I read….it seems to say they are, but why would the AugMonthtyRollup file size be smaller than the July rollup ?? Jul=29,941kb and Aug= 2,379kb. Seems that the Aug would have to be bigger that the July rollup.

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