F*****G Windows updates
nick205 - 25/8/14 at 08:34 PM
Is it just me or have Microsoft absolutely lost it....?
Every time I turn my Win7 laptop on or off it goes mental with bloody Windows updates. It's got to the point it's barely usable 
The latest round of updates seem to have blocked Google Chrome and DropBox from accessing the flipping internet
Is Windows 7 really that pi55 poor that they have to work this hard to "improve it"?
Android and iOS devices seem to be running just fine.
....and why is Internet Explorer displaying Locostbuilders with everything centre justified....???
[Edited on 25/8/14 by nick205]
big_wasa - 25/8/14 at 08:55 PM
After the last update several sites just crash. ebay being the worst just as I try and sneak in a bid. As you say Chrome is blocked full stop,
haven't tried drop box.
r1_pete - 25/8/14 at 09:03 PM
Change your settings to 'download updates but allow me to choose whether to install them'
Control panel
System and security
windows update
change settings
drop down menu
[Edited on 25/8/14 by r1_pete]
nick205 - 25/8/14 at 09:16 PM
quote:
Originally posted by big_wasa
After the last update several sites just crash. ebay being the worst just as I try and sneak in a bid. As you say Chrome is blocked full stop,
haven't tried drop box.
A bit of digging lead me to check the Antivirus (corporate McAfee) settings, which for reasons unknown had decided to block internet access for Chrome
and DropBox. Once re-allowed, both applications work again.
Might be worth checking on your antivirus settings too!
JoelP - 25/8/14 at 09:17 PM
I don't update now, for the reasons you say. There's nothing wrong, it updates, and then stops working. Absolute bollocks.
iank - 25/8/14 at 09:28 PM
On the subject of internet exploder making locostbuilders centre justified you need compatibility mode
For ie11 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/internet-explorer/use-compatibility-view#ie=ie-11
For ie10 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/internet-explorer/use-compatibility-view#ie=ie-10
nick205 - 25/8/14 at 11:15 PM
quote:
Originally posted by iank
On the subject of internet exploder making locostbuilders centre justified you need compatibility mode
For ie11 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/internet-explorer/use-compatibility-view#ie=ie-11
For ie10 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/internet-explorer/use-compatibility-view#ie=ie-10
Thanks, that's sorted that one as well.
jossey - 26/8/14 at 05:28 AM
Ye it's been a mad run with updated recently but you can schedule them for 10pm so it doesn't effect your work day, I turned on my media
centre yesterday for the first time this month and tried to watch a film on Netflix. Totally ruined by 180000000000 updates from java, windows, apple
and other. One thing to bare in mind is, there has been over 6000 new vulnerabilities introduced this year so far so a lot of work goes in to
remediating these and some are pushed out well too quick and effect things like explorer etc.... But it's one of those.... Would you prefer a
virus or being hacked over useability issues?
No right answer I guess if it effects what you need your pc for.
Plus it keeps me in a job :-)
Slimy38 - 26/8/14 at 05:38 AM
quote:
Originally posted by iank
On the subject of internet exploder making locostbuilders centre justified you need compatibility mode
For ie11 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/internet-explorer/use-compatibility-view#ie=ie-11
For ie10 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/internet-explorer/use-compatibility-view#ie=ie-10
Two new versions of IE, and yet we still have to turn the version back to get things working... nuff said.
(LCB isn't the only site that needs compatibility mode...)
spegru - 26/8/14 at 10:19 AM
Personally I havn't used windows at least at home, for years
I'm on Linux Mint which you can get here www.linuxmint.com
Does everything I need and even works with my old printer which isn't supported by MS anymore
Even supports games under Steam now (so I'm told)
You still get security updates etc but you can decide when to download them!
David Jenkins - 26/8/14 at 01:43 PM
I get updates on my Linux Mint machine every day or so - the update process starts with a special icon indicating that there's something to
download. If I click on that I get a list of the changes, and if I tell it to go ahead then I get asked for my password to authorise the update.
This whole process takes about 5 seconds.
Once the download starts I can go and do something else, as it's always a low-priority job. As often as not, the download is over and installed
in a few seconds - the longest I've had took about 1 minute. I've only ever been asked to reboot my machine once in several years of using
Linux.
The only exception to this is when you do a new installation of Mint from a DVD - then the updates can take 5 - 10 minutes, but that's a one-off
event.
If anyone fancies trying Linux, then I have a PC with Mint already loaded for sale at the moment!
LINKY 
jeffw - 26/8/14 at 01:51 PM
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
quote:
Originally posted by big_wasa
After the last update several sites just crash. ebay being the worst just as I try and sneak in a bid. As you say Chrome is blocked full stop,
haven't tried drop box.
A bit of digging lead me to check the Antivirus (corporate McAfee) settings, which for reasons unknown had decided to block internet access for Chrome
and DropBox. Once re-allowed, both applications work again.
Might be worth checking on your antivirus settings too!
So naff all to do with Windows 7 then....you guys make me laugh
sickbag - 26/8/14 at 02:24 PM
Still Windows fault really - there's so many viruses and malware out there for Windows that you need an antivirus program to protect it. Linux
has so few viruses that you don't need one at all.
jeffw - 26/8/14 at 02:31 PM
Lets just consider that statement for a moment....Do you think it might have something to do with the popularity of Windows OS over the years. Why
try and infect something that three bearded blokes with no money run in their shed?
Minicooper - 26/8/14 at 02:32 PM
quote:
Originally posted by sickbag
Still Windows fault really - there's so many viruses and malware out there for Windows that you need an antivirus program to protect it. Linux
has so few viruses that you don't need one at all.
It's not Windows fault at all, it's the fact it is incredibly popular and therefore targeted, if Linux ever gets as popular it will be
targeted in the same way.
When people who have nowt better to do, start targeting Linux it will have the same problems as Windows.
David
sickbag - 26/8/14 at 03:00 PM
Not really - unless you're stupid enough to log in with admin rights (root) as you do with Windows as a home user.
Paul Turner - 26/8/14 at 03:10 PM
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
A bit of digging lead me to check the Antivirus (corporate McAfee) settings, which for reasons unknown had decided to block internet access for Chrome
and DropBox. Once re-allowed, both applications work again.
Might be worth checking on your antivirus settings too!
A similar thing happened to me with McAfee some years ago. I stopped getting e-mails, some of which were rather important and I went ballistic at my
ISP and e-mail service. They kept saying it was not them and eventually I had to accept that since the messages were still on web mail.
After some googling I discovered I was not alone. On a McAfee update just before the problem started they had decided to decree all e-mails as junk
but instead of putting them in the junk folder they simply deleted them before they landed on your mail client. Some were not as lucky as me, at least
my ISP did not delete e-mails off the server when they were downloaded. You simply had to go into setting and tell them to allow e-mails.
Only had a few weeks of my subscription left so simply uninstalled McAfee (not simple in itself without the removal tool) and installed Avast Free.
jeffw - 26/8/14 at 03:46 PM
quote:
Originally posted by sickbag
Not really - unless you're stupid enough to log in with admin rights (root) as you do with Windows as a home user.
Been a long time since you where near a Windows machine then.
spegru - 26/8/14 at 05:08 PM
I wasn't expecting to get into some kind about this stuff of argument on this forum. It was just a suggestion that could be highly relevant if
you've got some naff old crufty windows installation that you can't even upgrade because your PC hardware is too old. Particularly if
you're worried about XP or Vista installations now that they're out of support.
Nevertheless I shall just wade in a bit more and point out:
a) Potentially highly relevant to windows users (as above)
b) Windows has a history of being buggy and insecure that it cannot leave behind. Yes often the cause of this is the users but that's exactly why
it's a problem - people expect it not to use passwords etc and to be insecure - otherwise many of the so called ease of use features
wouldn't work any more.
c) Linux is not supported by men in sheds with beards as someone put it - it's supported by thousands of developers from professional IT
organisations across the world and almost certainly has more development behind it than either Windows or Mac. This is due to it's use in
datacentres, embedded systems in routers and Smart TVs etc, not to mention that it's the basis of Android.
d) Yes Linux is more under attack than it used to be, due to the Android version - but it's still a heck of alot better than windows (see
above).
This is not a popularity contest. I don't even care about being in the minority. I'm still right, and it suits me.
Many of us here are into kit cars and special build cars. So we are used to using our brains - It may suit you too.
Quite a few variants, so pick one you like. They all do basically the same thing.
http://www.linuxmint.com (very complete out of the box)
http://www.ubuntu.com (more phone-like these days)
http://www.opensuse.org/en/ (very complete)
http://fedoraproject.org/ (very complete)
http://www.puppylinux.com/ (especially suited for old or low powered hardware, but a bit crude looking)
FYI I reckon on taking less than an hour to set up Linux Mint from scratch - and that includes email, browser, office, media and many others.
Oh yes, I nearly forgot: Mint and most of the other Linux versions are also cost free (unless you want to make a donation)
[Edited on 26/8/14 by spegru]
sickbag - 26/8/14 at 05:38 PM
You put it a lot better than I could. I moved over to CentOS for my servers and Ubuntu for desktop when I priced up updating Windows, etc for my
businesses - over 20k for software and licenses and another 10k for server hardware. Going Linux meant I could keep my hardware as it is. I've
even donated 4 VMs to the CETI project
More and more local authorities are moving over too due to cost cutting.
David Jenkins - 26/8/14 at 07:33 PM
In all fairness to Windows - I have Win 8.1 on a virtual machine (soon to be on a real one) and it's a lot better than Windows used to be... with
maybe the exception of Win 7. In my case, I got 64-bit Win 8 Pro in a special offer from MS, as I wasn't prepared to pay 3 times as much for Win
7 Pro. Win 8.1 came as a free update.
Also in fairness to Windows - many instances of the dreaded blue screen are caused by drivers written by 3rd parties outside MS control.
I do hate the perpetual updates though, and the way that 3rd-party software is often written for the lowest common denominator - too many times I get
annoyed when software gives far too much hand-holding, with no direct route for the knowledgeable user.
I much prefer the directness of Linux - but I'm now well along the learning curve so maybe I have a rose-coloured view!
Though as stated above - cost is a big factor - I'd have to pay many hundreds of Pounds in Windows for the software I use for free on Linux,
although I now use LibreOffice and Gnu on my Windows machine!
[Edited on 26/8/14 by David Jenkins]
jeffw - 26/8/14 at 08:15 PM
Yeap....expensive stuff this Windows. I spend £250 per year for multiple licenses for every Server OS & Server product MS make, plus 10 Win8.1
seats and 10 Office 365 seats.
nick205 - 26/8/14 at 08:43 PM
quote:
Originally posted by jeffw
Yeap....expensive stuff this Windows. I spend £250 per year for multiple licenses for every Server OS & Server product MS make, plus 10 Win8.1
seats and 10 Office 365 seats.
MSDN subscriber?
sickbag - 26/8/14 at 08:47 PM
I used to be in the Partner program too but I need 12 servers and it only allows 2 so that is no use to me or many other companies of any size. Seems
funny that MS server products are moving back to scripts again for doing anything useful with their products - after more than 20 years in the
business I feel that they have gone full circle.
Paul Turner - 27/8/14 at 02:03 PM
I gave up with Windows XP on my 2 oldest laptops several years ago. It took forever to boot up (the oldest was only 512mb or RAM in all fairness)
virtually ground to a halt when using it and when it updated the computers became unusable.
On the newer of the 2 (Pentium Dual Core with 2 gB ram) I installed Mint which was brilliant. The printer took an age to configure and never got it
working wirelessly. There were free programmes to replace the usual Microsoft suspects already installed but unfortunately one of my programmes, a
Family History database had no Linux version. Looked at various free programmes but none were totally compatible with my existing data (which had
taken 6 years to compile) so I then tried running my preferred programme in Wine, almost worked but even with forum help was simply too buggy.
Eventually I was invited to obtain a free licence for Crossover (basically Wine but with specific settings for known programmes) which had a set up
specifically for my software. It was much better but still not good enough, did not want to risk the database I had compiled.
6 months ago I gave up and installed a clean version of Widows 7 professional without the usual bloatware. Bought a legitimate Licence and installed
using an up to date image which included all the updates. Simply brilliant, fast and only uses a fraction of the 2gB of available RAM. Very happy.
On the older laptop I still use a version of Puppy. The laptop is 12 years old and for some reason will only work with Linux kernel 2.6 or older. The
newest and best specified Puppy that will work is Slacko 5.3.3. With this the old lappy works a treat with no bugs. Wireless works a treat but cannot
print wirelessly, minor issue.
And yes I do have a beard.
jeffw - 27/8/14 at 02:38 PM
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
quote:
Originally posted by jeffw
Yeap....expensive stuff this Windows. I spend £250 per year for multiple licenses for every Server OS & Server product MS make, plus 10 Win8.1
seats and 10 Office 365 seats.
MSDN subscriber?
Actual MS Partner benefits....but same sort of thing.
britishtrident - 27/8/14 at 03:40 PM
What really annoys me is the cost of MS Word and Excel, for 99 percent of Word users and 95 percent of Excel users there has been no real improvement
in the product since the mid 1990's if anything they are more difficult to use. The problem is MS Office is defacto industry standard and while
Libre Office and Open Office will work with MS file formats they make ordinary non-techie a bit apprehensive.
Internet Explorer I haven't used for over 16years on doing a Windows install my first action on getting web connected is download Chrome,
Firefox and Thunderbird, initially this was because of security concerns these days it is more because like most current MS products the user
interface is horroble.
With Linux I notice the rate of development has to a large extent stalled as a lot of the developers are now into Android apps.
Paul Turner - 27/8/14 at 04:01 PM
I use Libre Office instead of MS office and Thunderbird instead of MS Outlook on all my computers now in both Windows and Linux. Other than the
outdated look of Libre Office everything appears to integrate beautifully and be cross compatible with one small exception.
Files saved in MS Office as .DOCX or .XLSX files with password protection will not open in Libre Office, OK they do open but its a load of
gobbledygook. If you save them as .DOC or .XLS with password protection they open fine and save perfectly.
Bit surprising when DOCX and XLSX files are supposed to be more universally compatible.