Every time I install Windows Update my computer slows way down

tman69
wrote....
I build computers for myself and anyone who wants a high end machine.
point #1. I personally know code writers who work for MS and they find the whole 'updates' thing to be a running joke.
point #2. I've yet to meet a 'high-end' gamer with a truly high-end rig, who has 'updates' turned on--in fact very few even run an AV program as AV programs tend to slow down their machines.
point #3. my advice is free and it's not advice--it's experience and knowledge...if you want to be one of the 'sheep' that follows the accepted line of thought then that's up to you--but please--don't judge me.

am out

Wow, This is very, very bad information.
Telling people not to do the Microsoft updates is like telling people to let the air out of their tires.

I work for a TV station as an IT / Broadcast Engineer and have over 26 years experience in computer support.
We had an instance about three years ago where the Chief engineer decided all station computers did not need to do the windows updates. So he had the engineering staff turn them off.
A few months went by and I started seeing workstations that were misbehaving to he point they were unusable. At the Time I had no idea what the cause was. But I had discovered that making sure the windows was updated solved the issue.
We have two major departments at the station, sales and broadcast.
I had fixed ten ailing workstations. I spoke with the Chief and he agreed that the other 130 workstation needed to have windows brought up to date. I was going to go home for the evening but decided to stay and do the 50 broadcast workstations. When I came in the next day, I was stopped at the door and told that all of sales had been brought to their knees. No computer had been working properly and most of the sales staff had gone home because they could not use their computers. I asked about the broadcast department and was told that they were not experiencing any issues.
So for the next 19 hours the senior engineer and myself went through the station and completed all the windows updates and ran malware bytes on every windows computer. Later that week corporate had us replace the Anti Virus programs with Symantec END point. Turns out that all of tribune broadcast had been hit with a virus that exploited a hole in the OS. The Microsoft updates closed this hole.
Every body patted me on the back saying that if I had not stayed, worked overtime and completed the broadcast department windows updates, the station would have been off the air.

So think what you want, but not doing windows updates is just a bad idea.

Narissa,

I realize my post is 4-1/2 years late to the forum but this problem remains prevalent to many windows 7 users.

I too have noticed a considerable performance drop with the auto updates. And while Microsoft says you need them for "security reasons," many PC users already have an outsourced security program running for them. That being said this issue is up to you.

Just think about the invested interests in this. Your computer was designed to be thrown away after 3-4 years so that you'll buy a new one, just like your phone. Does Microsoft have invested interest in getting you to update to Windows 8? Well, yes. Does that mean they deliberately make updates that slow your computer? Maybe.. Maybe not.. But it would be a conflict of interest and just bad business if their updates actually sped up your PC or made it completely safe.

If you'd rather continuously update your computer to stay in tune then that's fine. If you want to avoid those updates to maintain your computer's speed that's fine too. For the time being, though, I suggest finding independent software that you trust to run your security--a company that doesn't have invested interest in your computer running slower over time.

seavixen32 said:

tman69 said:

narissa,

"How long has it been working without updating windows? Any other downside I should know about if I have to do that long term?"

three years with NO updates--no downsides that I've experienced

IMO--most people truly believe that they 'must' protect themselves with 'security' updates--but--no one has ever given me a 'good valid' reason--they just follow the MS credo that says they 'must' for security reasons...following that reasoning...we should ALL update our cars and appliances and cell phones, etc, etc, because the manufacturer says so...

but you must do what works for 'you'...it's really a matter of choice...myself...I build computers and always disable windows updates and Internet Explorer

Obviously you do what is best for you, but I feel you are doing people a disservice by advising them to dispense with updates.

Updates are cost-free and plug holes in security breaches so why wouldn't people use them?

Makes no sense to me.

If I had a desktop PC that slowed down after downloading a ton of updates, and the slowness doesn't go away, there's no way in hell I am getting them.