Should i automatically update windows

This led to many people disabling those automatic updates. But Windows has improved since then. Windows 7 and 8 are configured to install updates at more convenient times, often when you reboot or shut down your PC if possible. On Windows 8 and 8. You can actually use your computer without being harassed! If only Windows 8 and 8. A registry hack allows you to prevent these automatic reboots from occurring. The registry hack flips a setting you can change in group policy on Professional and Enterprise editions of Windows.

Some people are scared to install updates because of potential system problems, from blue screens and corrupted Windows installations to various other issues. Such problems have been very rare. This year, there was an update for Windows 7 that caused blue screens of death on some PCs.

In some cases, driver updates have broken some drivers. Exactly how many computers were affected by these problems? On the other hand, there are millions and millions of computers that are part of botnets , often because they refused to install security updates and ended up infected. Some people have estimated that million computers each year become part of botnets. Far, far fewer computers than that experience problems with updates. One is very rare — and can be fixed with System Restore or a similar recovery feature if it ever happens — while one is much more common and can result in the theft of your important data.

You can choose what you want to do with optional updates in your Windows Update settings, and you could have Windows only install critical security updates. You could then install optional updates on your own schedule.

If the reason is to avoid reboots, Windows 8 is better about this and all versions of Windows allow you to avoid that annoying reboot with a single registry hack. Windows will also allow you to install updates while restarting or shutting down your computer, so Windows respects your time much more than it used to.

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Share this story Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share All sharing options Share All sharing options for: Windows 10's forced automatic updates are a good idea. Linkedin Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email. Windows users are concerned over two potential scenarios Windows users are concerned over two potential scenarios: forced downloads and faulty updates. Next Up In Tech. Sign up for the newsletter Verge Deals Subscribe to get the best Verge-approved tech deals of the week.

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