Windows 7 updates come how often? I have dial up.

[byzantine]

Hi, I have, or will have, if I ever get it configured on this new Windows 7 machine, dial up access via an internal 56K modem (basically to save money, plus other reasons).

I heard Windows 7 pesters you with lots of updates. I wonder how long each update will take using a 56K modem, and how often Windows 7 wants you to update.

On my old Windows ME machine, I don't get any pestering for updates and so far (knock on wood) no problems.

I'm just anticipating needing to eventually ditch the Windows ME machine due to age, and then will try to use the Windows 7 machine.

Thanks

 

[LMiller7]

With a modem you would probably want to turn off automatic update and do manual updates only, maybe once every couple of weeks. Depending on your connection speed you can expect updates will take several hours at the least. Recently many people with even fast Internet connections are waiting hours for updates to complete. When or if this will be corrected remains to be seen.

Some members of this forum have suggested not doing updates at all while the computer is working well. I wouldn't go that far, but I am not using Dial up either.

You are not bothered by updates in Windows ME because it passed beyond extended support on July 11, 2006 and there have been no new updates since then. And ME has not been compatible with Windows Update for years anyway. ME has known security problems that will never be fixed. But malware is OS specific and malware authors gave up on ME a long time ago.

 

[unifex]

I would advise turning off automatic updates regardless of your internet connection. There is nothing urgent whatsoever about any of them and doing manual updates once a couple of months is absolutely sufficient. It's true that there are lots of updates time after time, but most of the "critical" or "security" updates are rather small to download, so even with the dial up it should be no problem. At the same time, you will be able to choose which updates to install. With the dial up you probably would want to avoid the "upgrade" to Windows 10.

 

[byzantine]

Thanks, guys, for the answers!