I'm probably wasting my time with this post but here goes:
If you're using W7 and it's running OK, turn OFF Windows updates. Leave updates OFF forever.
This from an old PC builder and fixer who has always run W7 with updates OFF. Last time I rebuilt the system, then checked only Windows updates to see if I wanted anything (there wasn't) was eight years ago.
I always leave updates off, on any O/S I'm running (doesn't apply to any devices that family members use etc). I manually check for updates as and when. But I do check for updates moderately regularly. When I want to check.
Yes, I know that. I have already installed all available updates, there are only the optional (display languages) left. I was just curious if Simplix was unofficially updating Windows 7, much like the unofficial SP4 for XP. Well, Curiosity killed the cat, as they say. I will never trust any automatic updates or driver tool again. Especially when it just starts installing without giving you a list of the available updates to choose what to install and without any way to stop it once it starts. Unless of course this one I downloaded was a fake, not the real Simplix and that would make sense why it screwed my PC instead of improving it.
System Manufacturer/Model Number: custom OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit CPU: Intel Core-i3 3220 3.3GHz Motherboard: Asus P8H61 Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600Mhz Graphics Card: nVidia Geforce GT 620 Sound Card: Creative SoundBlaster Audigy & Realtek HD Monitor(s) Displays: Sony 19" LCD TV via VGA PSU: unknown Case: unknown Cooling: Intel's provided with CPU Hard Drives: Seagate 500GB SATA III Browser: Internet Explorer 9 Antivirus: Avast Antivirus Free
I suspect that most people get Simplix UpdatePack 7 from MajorGeeks. I have used that site for more than 20 years and have never had a problem. You used to be able to get Simplix from its author site but I can't find that site anymore. That is probably because its Russian.
I haven't had any problems running Simplex on the three computers I have with Windows 7. It was a real time saver for me.
The only problem I had with Windows 7 updates was on one computer because its CPU didn't support SSE2. Starting around 2018 Windows 7 updates starting assuming that the CPU supported SSE2. These updates broke Windows 7. The only thing that saved me was System Restore. That worked but was a real pain when there was 50 or more updates. I ended up removing Windows 7 and going back to Windows XP.
I'm probably wasting my time with this post but here goes:
If you're using W7 and it's running OK, turn OFF Windows updates. Leave updates OFF forever.
I get "Security Intelligence Update(s) for Microsoft Security Essentials" daily and also "Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64" monthly. What's wrong with doing that.
Computer Type: Laptop System Manufacturer/Model Number: Dell Latitude E6540 Laptop OS: Windows 7 Professional 64bit CPU: Intel Core i7 4600M @ 2.90GHz Motherboard: Dell Inc. 0CYT5F (SOCKET 0) Memory: 16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 797MHz (11-11-11-28) Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 4600 (Dell) 2048MB ATI AMD Radeon HD 8790M Sound Card: Realtek High Definition Audio Monitor(s) Displays: HP ZR30w (2560x1600@60Hz) Hard Drives: 256GB LITEONIT LMT-256M6M-41 mm SATA (SSD)
1TB Samsung SSD 860 EVO mSATA SATA (SSD)
2TB USB 3.0 USB Device
115GB SanDisk Ultra Fit USB Other Info: Multiple Dell E-Port Plus II Port Replicator/Docking Stations 0Y72NH USB 3.0 + 130W AC Adapters
I get "Security Intelligence Update(s) for Microsoft Security Essentials" daily and also "Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64" monthly. What's wrong with doing that.
Definitely this. also W7 MS Security Essentials updates don't need reboots..
These are the only updates that I see too. Security updates, no new features. Every other update (apart from display languages) has already been installed. Once in my friend's computer I installed all the display languages, just for fun, and it reduced the hard disk space by over 1.5GB Too many languages, too many data. And they don't even include all languages. Many more other languages require a Language Interface Pack (LIP).
System Manufacturer/Model Number: custom OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit CPU: Intel Core-i3 3220 3.3GHz Motherboard: Asus P8H61 Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600Mhz Graphics Card: nVidia Geforce GT 620 Sound Card: Creative SoundBlaster Audigy & Realtek HD Monitor(s) Displays: Sony 19" LCD TV via VGA PSU: unknown Case: unknown Cooling: Intel's provided with CPU Hard Drives: Seagate 500GB SATA III Browser: Internet Explorer 9 Antivirus: Avast Antivirus Free
I suspect that most people get Simplix UpdatePack 7 from MajorGeeks. I have used that site for more than 20 years and have never had a problem. You used to be able to get Simplix from its author site but I can't find that site anymore. That is probably because its Russian.
Not to be pedantic, but technically it's Ukranian. And it's still there.
As far as updates go, though, I'm of the same mind as teckneeculler: just don't.
teckneeculler said:
If you're using W7 and it's running OK, turn OFF Windows updates. Leave updates OFF forever.
I have installed no Win7 updates (except Microsoft Defender) since Dec 2017, just before Microsoft started pushing out BIOS firmware updates for Spectre and Meltdown in 2018 that irreversibly slowed down older computers. My Win7 desktop, laptop, and VMs continue humming along just fine.
spapakons said:
I downloaded Simplix, [...] I didn't like the fact that it started updating without giving me a list of available updates and let me decide what to install.
Microsoft went to a single, consolidated "rollup" strategy around nine years ago, and you haven't been able to pick and choose individual updates since. That is, unless you're like the Simplix developer, who can take each month's consolidated update, reverse engineer it to extract the individual patches, and remove the patches that are data tracking, telemetry, or otherwise non-critical. He also seems to be including recent Microsoft patches without you having to pay Microsoft for that extended support subscription thing they started doing.
IMHO, the Simplix updates are better than the updates Microsoft is putting out. I don't update my own Win7 computers anymore, but when I have to update someone else's old computer, Simplix is the only option I consider.
Just tried the Supermium browser (clone of Google Chrome). It can open any site because its User Agent is a modern Chrome version. In Windows 7 32-bit it worked at the first time, while in Windows XP it was complaining about too many api-ms-win-xxxxxx.dll files missing. So I copied all the .dll files starting with api-ms-win from Windows 7 32-bit (folder C:\Windows\System32) and pasted them in C:\Program Files\Supermium folder in Windows XP. Never complained again, it worked as expected. Since they say it is XP compatible, all these .dll files should be included, if not in the application archive, at least as an additional download. Of course the application loaded after complaining a specific .dll file was missing, but why risk having any issues?
System Manufacturer/Model Number: custom OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit CPU: Intel Core-i3 3220 3.3GHz Motherboard: Asus P8H61 Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600Mhz Graphics Card: nVidia Geforce GT 620 Sound Card: Creative SoundBlaster Audigy & Realtek HD Monitor(s) Displays: Sony 19" LCD TV via VGA PSU: unknown Case: unknown Cooling: Intel's provided with CPU Hard Drives: Seagate 500GB SATA III Browser: Internet Explorer 9 Antivirus: Avast Antivirus Free
Not to be pedantic, but technically it's Ukranian. And it's still there.
Sorry, I didn't find it last time I did a Google search but am finding it now. I had forgoten it was a Ukranian site. So maybe I should have said Russian speaking. OK?