Thursday, December 7. 2006Update Junkie It seems that Microsoft has a lot to answer for in creating a world of 'update paranoia'. I remember the first time I received that New updates are ready to be downloaded message. I thought it was great, that Microsoft would provide me with a better version of Windows. Now, more than 300 updates down the track I can honestly say that none of these updates has done anything at all to improve either my productivity or my experience of Windows. I can think of no other reason to carry on this practice other than that I am addicted! I update Windows, I update Avast, I update my hardware drivers, I update my applications, I update my bios, I update my drive firmware and even my phone firmware. Always looking for my next fix I scour the web for anything I can use to update something that already apparently works well. To be fair, many of these updates have improved the way my PC works, the stability of my environment, added new functionality and given me confidence in knowing that my system is up-to-date. But I can honestly say that in all thoses updates my experience of Windows has never changed… …Robert Trackbacks
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Ah, the good old Windows Update. It's interesting that you acknowledge the effects of the updates but say that your experience of Windows never changed. I suppose that must be Microsoft's worst-case goal. If they can't improve your perception of your experience with Windows, at least they can aim to avoid your perceived experience from being tarnished (by crashes, viruses, functional flaws...) - and avoid some of the bad-mouthing of Windows that inevitably follows.
Of course, the whole situation of needing to be caught up in the software/firmware upgrade cycle in the first place just reeks from the the poor quality of code that is being endlessly churned out (although not by TDA-Tech I'm sure!  ) It always makes me shudder when I hear someone comment on how easy it is get code cut, particularly when it's to do with electronic communications. People seem to expect to be able to pick up a C programmer (as it's inevitably C) on practically any street corner. /me sighs Long live FORTH!
I just saw the following tip from Daniel Turini on CodeProject:
I found this after a lot of Googling, so I'd like to share the solution. Yep, this may not be new or even advanced but it surely helped me... Anyone who is running Windows XP SP2 know what I'm talking about. That stupid, annoying, most ill-designed dialog box ever invented in the history of the computer science that asks "Updating your computer is almost complete. You must restart your computer for the updates to take effect. Do you want to restart your computer now?" And there are only two options: Restart Now/Restart Later. "Restart Later" means that this stupid thing will ask you again in 10 minutes. Yes, if you're willing to work for the next 4 hours until lunch before rebooting, this means you'll need to answer this question 24 times. Did I mention that the dialog steals the focus? Now, to get rid of it: Start / Run / gpedit.msc / Local Computer Policy / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Windows Update / Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations You can configure how often it will nag you (I re-configured it for 720 minutes, which means I'll be asked twice on a work day), or completely disable it. Oh, I almost forgot: this setting is only loaded when Windows starts, so a reboot is needed. If that stupid dialog is on your screen now, just stop the "Automatic Updates" service (but keep it as Automatic, so it gets reloaded on the next start) and you won't see it again.
Please be advised that there are no more girlfriend updates and that you have reached your quota.
Please contact the system administrator if you have any issues. (The guarantee is also null and void as she is perfectly functional and functionally perfect.) No need for reboot (but she'd like a new pair of shoes). End of message. OJ xo |
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