Windows 10 Updates - Aaargh!

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6.2K followers

From all of the work I've lost on any of my computers, Windows Updates has to take the cake!

Once again, Wednesday evening, it was very late. I was working on some research and had my documentation compiled a long way. I was very tired and it was extremely late, in fact, the wee hours of Thursday morning. I forgot to save my work. This wasn't the only thing I had going. I capture my nighttime dreaming by writing them in the morning when I get up. This was yet another thing I do - get the anchors of the dream down with intent to write it all out. But I had to go to work, so I left it.

When I did the work on proof of income, that was still there as well. I intended to name its file and finish that as well.

Didn't happen.

When daylight arrived, I slept through the alarm to get up and go to work. I had to slam myself together and get to the job site. Of course, I had no time to go on the computer and save any of my work, nor did it occur to me.

After a hard and long day, I came home tired and the first thing I saw - as I have many times - the log-in screen!

There went all of my work! Windows took it upon itself once again, to restart my computer when I was away from the desk!

This is the third time this month!

Ironically, when I logged in, the first thing that came up was, "You need updates." It took a half hour for the updates to download. I fell asleep from the hard day and heard the chime twice. When I awoke, there was the log-in screen again!

Used to be able to prevent Windows from installing and restarting the computer. Now with Windows 10, so far as I can see, this is no longer allowed! This is the one major flaw I can see in the new operating system and it makes me repent for having upgraded to it.

I can only imagine just how many cumulative hours, days, months, even years of lost work, from Windows Updates, over the whole spectrum of folks that use the Microsoft operating systems!

If there is any way to prevent Windows from doing this, I'd like to know about it. I might have missed it somewhere. It might be in deeper settings. I'm sure this must be in here somewhere, but I really need it, even though I might get behind on the Windows Updates as I usually do, it's far better than losing valuable work I've been working on when this happens! I realize the updates ARE important, but as it always has been, Windows is full of holes and they have to keep patching things up because the operating system is built on the cow paths of the early days of Microsoft. It really needs to be started from scratch and built from the bottom up.


Thanks!

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Recent Comments

39

How terrible for you Daniel but if there is one thing I have learned with Windows 10 is to SAVE your work to a folder the instant you start then every hour or so all you have to do is click save or CTRL+S which is easier... Hope this helps ease some of your pain...

I've got Windows to announce that I need updates - something I didn't have before I hacked the Registry. That helps, but not when I'm away from the computer. When that does come up, I close everything down and then run it.

LOL! Now I like that third option!

I don't mind the downloading. It's the restarts I don't like, so I will check that one first, and the second one of course, since the restarts can only occur after a successful download.

That third? It's coming!

Thanks for the humour! It did make me audibly laugh!

Update:

I went to that first article. This works for Wi-Fi connections but not for Ethernet connections like mine.

Article #2 is one I've already consulted. It has the option of hacking the Registry, but doesn't do the trick. The only other thing that is available is the 12-hour time window to let Windows 10 have at it. This doesn't work for me because it doesn't allow for a 4-hour window, which would suit me just fine. Between the hours of 3-7 am, I'm usually not on the computer. Albeit all the other hours this shifts and I'm likely on the computer any of the other hours depending on the day and what I'm doing.

Option 3, as you have it, seems to be the best one!

I'm still on Windows 8.1 myself. At some point I'll probably buy a Windows 10 license and upgrade my laptop to it, but I want to do it on my schedule and not Microsoft's. The last time I changed OS's I went from Vista to Windows 8.1...lol.

Don't get the Home Edition. You can get any of the others and have the option available to you insofar as the updates and probably other things as well. However, you will still find these options hidden in them as well, but at least they're there!

The Home Edition for Windows 10 has done well to remove these options, affording Microsoft more control of your computer!

I've had Microsoft since my first computer in 1993, and I'm ready to dump it!

Yeah, I've been thinking about just installing Linux on my laptop for awhile now. I did it before, but I think I had issues with my wifi adapter. I'd really like to just go that route and run windows in a virtual machine and just use the virtual machine when I need to use certain windows programs.

Linux might be better now than it was. I experimented with it in 2005. The thing with Linux is that there is a lot more hard core coding you have to know and apply in many instances. It's not like Windows. It's about half between Windows and DOS. You do have to use a prompt sometimes with it and this is not suitable for most people these days who are spoilt on Windows.

It was throwing me sometimes because the commands are different than they were in DOS. For one, I remember you need to "mount" or "unmount" certain things, like drives, etc. before you can use them. I used Ubuntu, which is a distributor package. there are many, many of these to choose from. Linux is much like Open Source. You take it and build your own to suit.

That is why I stayed and still use windows 7 professional.

That was one of their best OS, besides 3.1 and Windows 95. They all had the same issues, and one of these has always been the frequent updates. They are occurring almost on a daily basis now on Windows 10. It would not surprise me that, before midnight, there will be another one!

You are right. When I had Windows 7, I had the fewest problems with that OS.

I know what you mean, I liked 3.1 and 95 to, and I am not changing for a while,

It is most definitely a pain!

It has some very good features but it certainly sucks in a lot of things!

I am on a mac now because I just can't deal with windows 10. I looked for the setting you need, but couldn't find it because its been awhile. There is a setting that allows you to manually update rather than automatically update. I will keep looking and let you know if I find it.

Not available for the Home edition :(

Marion is right. They've removed it completely. Windows 8.1 had it but not 10. Free doesn't always mean totally free. In this case, you can't turn off certain programs that come with it and some options were removed. This applies to the Home Edition.

Thanks for stepping in Marion. I had to go to work after writing this blog and you've been helpful on here! :)

One of the numerous reasons I refuse to use Windows 10. When my Windows 7 no longer works, I will be going Mac. I agree with Trish, Daniel. Always Save and always Backup. Regards

I would like to go to Mac myself. However, I don't have the funds right now to get a Mac computer with the memory and hard drive space the Windows PCs have. Using the operating system will also have a learning curve.

I am sacrificing quality, I know. The computers, as well as the OS can't be beat by any stretch of the word, by Microsoft. I am hoping that a Mac computer WILL be my next one!

I never hear of "updates" with Mac computers. What happens when there are updates? Do you just check for them?

As for backing up my data, yes, I've done a pretty good job with that, it's the saving of current files that I sometimes fail to do, and she is right. I should be doing this every five minutes or so.

So, my goal is to try to make saving every five minutes a habit, since Microsoft has removed the ability to determine when these updates occur for the Home Edition (This is the edition for consumers and in Microsoft's eyes, besides marketing, is that most consumers don't have a clue about stuff like this and so it has to be done for them, and the way to do this is to simply remove the options.)

The next big windfall of money for me will mean a Mac computer, probably a desktop first and then a laptop, to replace these Windows devices!

Thanks for replying :)

I don't know if you use MS Word for documents, Daniel, but I think you can set up an autosave in that.
Word

Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Word Options.
Click Save.
Select the Save AutoRecover information every x minutes check box.
In the minutes list, specify how often you want the program to save your data and the program state.

Yes, the Macs are too pricey but I refuse to go to Windows 10, I really dislike it and went back to my 7 where I am comfortable.

All the best.

I don't use any Microsoft products at all except the OS. My office suite of choice is Open Office. It does have some problems but I can get by with it. Sometimes it doesn't autosave properly and when something like a Windows update occurs and it restarts, I sometimes lose the data.

Hey Daniel,

Back at DOS 3 to 5 and on to Windows 3.1, we were taught to save our work ever so many minutes (I think it was every 5 to 10 minutes) so to prevent any issues of lost work. This way, you might lose a few sentences ... or even paragraphs but not the entire work.

Also, never walk away from your computer leaving anything ('cept maybe email) open. In this way ... again, your work will be a lot safer.

I have found that leaving, say, Photoshop open over night ... or a Word document ... my computer has created sooooo many temp files that it slows my computer down ... needing a restart (or I use Ccleaner) to flush the system properly.

Just a thought...

Trish

I know. I do have a bad habit of not saving my work and most of the time this happens when I get very tired or in a hurry. Otherwise I do save it. Sometimes I just simply forget to save it. Most of the time it's Notepad, where I do most of my work. I wish that program had an autosave, but it never did.

One of the things I do is record my dreams. I have done this for a long time and have hundreds of them captured, some of the most surreal things caught in writing! The trick to this is to not wait a second when you wake up, but to hold the last thing you dreampt in your mind until you get it on paper or onto Notepad.

If you can remember some part of the dream, doesn't have to necessarily be the last thing, but usually is the best thing, you can recall back the rest (or most of the rest) of it.

If you wait, even a minute and you begin thinking about your day, or the phone rings, etc, BAM! It's lost! On rare occasions, I've written blogs on WA a dream I've had. These can sometimes be some pretty wild stories - and it takes no effort to think them up - your mind just does it on free-wheeling during sleep.

Dreams are an important part of my Journal. They do reveal much about things that, in real life, are issues, or unfinished business, and even things that mean a lot to you. They are literally the windows to your mind's eye.

Unfortunately, on a work day, when I awake, I might not have much time but to jot down a few notes that anchor to the dream. I very often forget to name the file and save it, especially when I've got to get ready for work very quickly.

I choose to use the computer because I can type much faster than I can write by hand. I have gotten better about making sure these notes or the finished writing, if I have time in the morning, to do (preferable!) have their files named and saved.

You are absolutely right. I have work to do with regard to getting these things saved, even not relying on "autosave" features in some programs. Regardless of this fact, this stuff still falls through the cracks and next thing I know, another Microsoft-inflicted restart has occurred, and there's usually something lost!

Think I might have a resolve to your problem Daniel.

Why not purchase a recording device ... you know, one you could setup on your night stand. Now ... speaking out loud has to be a whole lot quicker than even typing ... yes?

Just a thought.

I too took quite an interest in dreams and have one dream written down. Funny how our dreams can play out at times ... some of mine have even predicted the future ... some, I SWEAR I was out-of-body experiencing... seriously!

Trish

Wow! That's a great idea! And I just threw away a cassette recorder!

If you have a cell phone, maybe there's a APP ... or ... consider something like this: http://bit.ly/2dks5k7 with is also offered on Amazon http://amzn.to/2cVtlcJ ... and if you are in the States you probably could purchase that even cheaper than I could. :-))

I have a cell phone but it's one of the old-school type. It does not have any of the features that the modern "smart" phones have.

Google these exact words:

Stop automatic windows 10 updates

I did :(

There are two things on there I've already tried, the metered Internet trick and the Registry hack.

1. the metered Internet trick does not work on ethernet connections like mine. It only works on wi-fi and devices that you tether your computer to, such as a smart phone device.

2. I tried hacking the Registry by adding a key exactly as prescribed in this article for "download the update but notify for install." I'm getting the notifications okay but if you don't respond (or don't see the message when it occurs, before long, Microsoft steps in and installs it anyway, including restarting the computer.

I don't mind installations occurring but it's the restarts I don't want happening until I execute it myself.

The other thing Windows does is fills up my hard drive with "history" These are file backups and I keep having to delete this because it completely overtakes my hard drive. I have an external drive where I back up my stuff but I have always done this myself and I don't want Windows doing it for me.

I had 5 automatic updates in 2 days. Not happy! The only control I can find (so far) is to choose my "Active Hours". And it only lets me have a maximum of 12 "Active Hours" a day.

Get real Microsoft, my active hours are when I'm not asleep.

Not only did Windows force all these restarts but now it wants me to enter a password that I've never used before.

YIKES Marion!

You're making me DREAD having to eventually update to Windows 10 :'( next year.

Trish

@Trish: Don't do it! You will not like it. Plus now you have to pay for it (unless you have some sort of pre-arrangements.)

I have made up my mind that the next computer I get will be a Mac! I'm done with Microsoft. It's JUNK! It is truly THE computer for consumers, and it's getting worse.

I tried Ubuntu (Linux) but it doesn't support near the software supported by Microsoft and Macintosh. It's a very solid OS, but it's inferior because of the support issue.

Thank YOU Daniel for letting me know that Linux isn't worth the frustration. I was seriously considering using that once.

I will wait until the BIG GUYS (industries) change over next year. If they go MAC, so will I ... if they update to Windows10, so will I. Because they are using software that is a waaaaay older than my software.

I'm also hearing that Windows10 is IT for Microsoft? Really? Huh, some how I find that a liiiiittle hard to believe ... but time will tell.

Thanks,
Trish

It's well time for Microsoft to bite the dust for darned sure!

Personally, I would not want only one OS offered computer users. That's how prices escalate to beyond ridiculous.

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