Solved Installing Windows Updates

[Anak]

I like doing my updates in groups, what I don't like, is after every group update I have to restart the machine.

Is there a way or setting to pause the restart until I'm finished, and I decide I want to restart?

What about the balloon pop-up at the taskbar, is there a way to stop it from appearing?

 

[UsernameIssues]

I like doing my updates in groups, what I don't like, is after every group update I have to restart the machine.

Is there a way or setting to pause the restart until I'm finished, and I decide I want to restart?

What about the balloon pop-up at the taskbar, is there a way to stop it from appearing?

Let's say that you had 15 updates and you install 5 of them (but you find a way to not restart).

Then you install 5 more and put off restarting.

Then you install the final 5 - then restart.

That is the same thing as just selecting all 15 to be installed all at once. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)

I know that lots of people suggest doing updates in small chunks... but I've not had any issues letting MS manage the updates. Maybe it because most of my experience with doing a lot of updates is within a VM.

As far as allowing more updates without restarting: I was able to do that by changing some registry values, but let's not post "solutions" like that for the general public to play with. I did my testing inside a virtual machine where there was nothing to lose.

 

[Anak]

I'm not sure if you are right or wrong, but now that you mention it, if my memory servers me correctly, updates are not "fully" installed unless the user restarts his machine so your hypothesis would seem to be accurate.

If I want to maintain some control to see if a particular set or group of updates are troublesome, I'm going to have to restart after each group.

Not that I don't value your opinion, but I'm going to ask Noel to stop by and get his thoughts.

 

[UsernameIssues]

No problem. Looking forward to Noel's insights.

 

[NoelDP]

The reboot is almost essential - especially if installing a large number of updates (such as when batch-installing on a clean install)
Some updates actually test for pending installs, and will error out if any are found, although they will install if the pend is from the current installation session. (the error is I think 80080005)
depending on how you sort your batching (by date, by type, by importance, etc.), it gives the system a chance to properly organise the patches and set up both registry and file locations in readiness for the next batch.
90% of the time, you can get away without the reboot - but that other 10% it may lead to corruption which can be extremely time-consuming to sort out (think about having to change permissions on half-a-dozen registry keys to change a single character in a single value in each, and then change the permissions back again - AFTER working out which values need to be changed! - and then maybe having to source files to correct manifest or cat/mum errors.)

All in all, it's just not worth the risk, and I prefer to play safe and reboot as often as required - it may add 10 minutes or so to the process, but can save hours in the long run.

The only patches I routinely install separately (on patch Tuesday/Wednesday) are the .NET ones - because historically they have given me more problems than any others. Since they tend to be released only every 3 months or so, it's maybe only one extra reboot every three months

e.g. I just checked this month's batch - a total of 13 updates for me....
I'll actually split these up a little more than usual because of the recent problems with IE10, so I'll end up with 3, or maybe 4 reboots

KB 2820197, 2829361, 2830290, 2798162, 2813956, 2820331, 890830
reboot
KB 2843636 (MSE Pre-release update)
reboot
KB 2804579 (.NET)
reboot
KB 2829530 (IE10)
reboot
KB 982726, 2553147, 2810068 (Office 2010)
reboot - even if not requested.

(OK - that makes a total of 5 reboots! - the extra because of the MSE update)

 

[Anak]

Thanks Noel!

After UsernameIssues's insight I started to see the logic of the restarts, and you confirmed it. I'll continue to restart after each batch.

I just checked and found twelve (12) for me with two small .NET to do, well I guess I'd better get busy

Marked solved!, thanks again guys!

Steve

 

[UsernameIssues]

Funny that you should mention .NET Noel: I installed the 10 updates that were automatically checked. Then restarted and tried the remaining 2 updates.
View attachment 268145
They failed. I restarted again and tried again. They installed. .NET is so fun.

 

[Anak]

I just finished up, my machine found it hard to swallow those two .NETupdates.

Didn't ask for a restart, but I gave it one and it took about triple the time to get to the desktop after the HDD was done churning away.

 

[NoelDP]

It always does, with .NET updates - you're effectively rebuilding the whole core application every time.

 

[Anak]

I can believe that.

There were two listed in Updates:, one for 3.5.1 and 4.

In installed Updates, all 23 for .net4 were updated today, it didn't touch my .net4 extended, and I can't find any listing in installed updates for 3.5.1 though I did have it listed once. I'm thinking 4 absorbed 3.

But both were successful, and I'm a happy camper .