Windows Update
 

Hey once a week I get an auto update in my task tray and it makes me install some stuff then reboot. Is this stuff really important? I would like to disable it because its really annoying. If there is a way lemme know please :)

Updates
 

I have mine turned off.

I would say that if you don't like the automatic update feature, turn it off. But be sure you go to the Windows Update website once every while to check if you need some critical updates. Other than the critical updates, I would say the other updates can be ignored most of the time.

Are you running Windows XP? If so, you can disable automatic updates when you go to "Control Panel", "Settings". Under the "Automatic Updates" tab, you can disable it.

Or you can try going to "Control Panel", "Administrative Tools", "Services". Find "Automatic Updates" in the list, then right-click to choose "Properties". Choose "Disabled" in the "Startup Type" setting.

Hope it helps!

I am assuming you are running Win XP. These updates are generally security patches from microsoft and shoul be installed for the safety/security of your system.

Yes, you can turn them off, click start/Control Pannel/System. Click the Automatic Updates Tab and uncehck the box that says Keep Windows Up to date.

If you have not made the control pannel a menu item, or switched back to classic view, you will need to search for your system icon in the Control Pannel

i have mine turned off. there are lots of useless updates that dont apply to me and i dont want them installed.

Thanks for the help :)

I would turn it off, I have had a case where Automatic update downloaded the wrong video driver and screwed the whole computer up

Hey I ran windows update just now! Yea! Darn drivers update are quite inaccurate.

Anyway, I run windows update manually. I just blindly updated an available (latest) driver for Synaptics Touchpad.

Guess what? It's meant fer Dell Notebooks. Mine's a Compaq Notebook.

It works, but everytime my Notebook boots up, the synaptics program will display a message saying something like "OEM has not certified this driver. This message will persist until OEM has certified it"

Good thing I could rollback the drivers.

There was a situation a couple weeks ago where an automated Windows Update package contained bogus networking drivers and screwed up a BUNCH of users. Like hundreds of thousands.

I don't trust it. If it wants to install an update to a piece of hardware that's working, I don't do it. I take security updates, but that's about it.

I have had this happen as well. :mad:

My helpdesk got a lot of calls from people that blindly installed the "Euro Update".

You should only blindly install critical updates. Suggested updates like the Euro thing or driver updates will not (or atleast, should not) be included in there. The windows update feature in XP should only inform you of critical updates.

I turned it off. Just check for updates yourself

Perhaps that happened to me. I let auto-update install something last week and it caused my computer to hang after a few minutes. I had to restore to a point before the update. Now I'm afraid to let auto-update install anything. Is it safe now?

Would leaving the auto-update on under the "notify me before downloading any updates and notify me again before installing them on my computer" setting be alright?