How crap is Windows update?

[baz1]

I'm not sure what a 'Refresh' is in a PC/laptop, do you mean a defrag & disk clean-up?

Mike, i think he means resetting PC/Laptop type it in search and it will come

[baz1]

FWIW, these should help:
- if you still have an "Old Style" HDD, get an SSD, clone the HDD to the SSD (Macrium Reflect Free works very well) and then replace the HDD with the SSD (lot's of info on the net on how to do that). The only m/c here that has not been updated with an SSD runs like a real slug when compared with those which have been.
- uninstall all the "c*ap" that comes with W10 (IObit Uninstaller - the free version - works well) - e.g. all the X-Box stuff if you don't have an X-Box, and there's a hell of a lot more that you will probably don't need!
- Do a regular manual check for possible updates when you have finished working on your machine and then keep it ON to let the update process "get on with it", but then take an occasional look to see if you need to tell it to Reboot to install the new stuff

its finding all this xbox stuff and other crap that gets installed

[Mike]

Ah OK, thanks for that. Mine is running great again since I did a disk clean and got rid of those old Windows update files, so I won't bother with a reset.

[slogen51]

It may unrelated but my win 10 lap top was running very slow recently after it had been just switched on

When I looked at task manager the sevicemanager thread handling event logging was using 100% CPU and acres of ram

In the application event log I could see an error saying log full - even though it should overwrite automatically. Anyway I emptied the application and security logs from the menu and the effect was immediate.

[James Cutting]

FWIW, these should help:
- if you still have an "Old Style" HDD, get an SSD, clone the HDD to the SSD (Macrium Reflect Free works very well) and then replace the HDD with the SSD (lot's of info on the net on how to do that). The only m/c here that has not been updated with an SSD runs like a real slug when compared with those which have been.
- uninstall all the "c*ap" that comes with W10 (IObit Uninstaller - the free version - works well) - e.g. all the X-Box stuff if you don't have an X-Box, and there's a hell of a lot more that you will probably don't need!
- Do a regular manual check for possible updates when you have finished working on your machine and then keep it ON to let the update process "get on with it", but then take an occasional look to see if you need to tell it to Reboot to install the new stuff

its finding all this xbox stuff and other crap that gets installed

It's in Control Panel, under Programs and Features

[baz1]

cheers James

[jeallen01]

FWIW, these should help:
- if you still have an "Old Style" HDD, get an SSD, clone the HDD to the SSD (Macrium Reflect Free works very well) and then replace the HDD with the SSD (lot's of info on the net on how to do that). The only m/c here that has not been updated with an SSD runs like a real slug when compared with those which have been.
- uninstall all the "c*ap" that comes with W10 (IObit Uninstaller - the free version - works well) - e.g. all the X-Box stuff if you don't have an X-Box, and there's a hell of a lot more that you will probably don't need!
- Do a regular manual check for possible updates when you have finished working on your machine and then keep it ON to let the update process "get on with it", but then take an occasional look to see if you need to tell it to Reboot to install the new stuff

its finding all this xbox stuff and other crap that gets installed

Unfortunately you can only find out what crap has been installed without you knowing by installing something like IObit Uninstaller - the free version download is here https://www.iobit.com/en/advanceduninstaller.php (BTW: IMHO, that's far better than Revo Uninstaller, and much more straightforward to use)
OTOH, personally, I would not then install the in-App touted Advanced System Care, or the Driver updater because that one screwed up the video driver for my laptop and disabled the ability to extend the display to the attached monitor (had to download and reinstall the older version of the manufacturer's drivers to reinstate the extended display function!).

[James Cutting]

Seconded!

[baz1]

strange thing is I had a look in programmes and some stuff is dated 2008 I didn't even have this PC then very odd

[jeallen01]

strange thing is I had a look in programmes and some stuff is dated 2008 I didn't even have this PC then very odd

Could have already been installed by "whoever" built, or sold you, the PC (assuming you didn't build it yourself) - many retail PCs come with a lot of such crap automatically (sometimes "incentivised" by the s/w companies!) already installed. That's why something like IObit Uninstaller can help you identify and delete the "things" you don't want.

[baz1]

here we go again a pain in the ass, windows updated last night and shut down, so turned pc on am today and sat forever waiting like a div finally managed to log onto FC thinking its neve taken this long before, so did a Disk clean up then thought i'll do a restart, Well after sitting for at least 10 mins looking at a black screen and the motif at bottom of monitor spinning for a good ten mins then low and behold I get a terracotter coloured screen saying please wait spinning around in center of monitor after 15mins I can finally log on and another five mins for log in box to appear.
checked updates one was security update for Adobe flash player KB4561600 Win 10 version 1809
the other Cumulative update Win 10KB4561608

anyone else had this problem with these updates

[Pen Pusher]

Windows version 2004 - started update at 12.08pm finished 9.45pm.

Brian

[slogen51]

I have taken to leaving my windows craptop on permanently - like at work.

So at least some of the updates happen while it is dormant , still have the occasional restart now or later questions. Android just does it all behind the scenes so why can't Gates ?

[baz1]

its a damned pain never been this bad before even when it comes out of sleep mode still ages for log in box to appear and still ages after logging on for main page to load up, just wondering whether to uninstall and re install Win 10 again ?

[Nighthawke]

Bring back 3.1, or even DOS

[James Cutting]

Nothing worse than leaving your machine on all the time. Windows downloads its updates in the background whilst you work, and as long as you restart when finished they've downloading, then the updates install.

Same as android, it downloads its updates in the background, then reboots to install. You can't use a device when it is actually installing the update, and that's the same across a lot of OS'.

It will be the much bigger fixes/updates that require a restart. Nothing is as bad as what Windows Vista was!!

Baz, could be worth doing that, but it could also be worth looking at the internals on your machine, it could be due an upgrade. Wouldn't be surprised if that long waiting is down to a slow disk/processor. Seen it a lot.

[James Cutting]

I will add though that Windows' Cumulative Updates can be a b*tch! Sometimes luck of the draw if it goes well.

[baz1]

Nothing worse than leaving your machine on all the time. Windows downloads its updates in the background whilst you work, and as long as you restart when finished they've downloading, then the updates install.

Same as android, it downloads its updates in the background, then reboots to install. You can't use a device when it is actually installing the update, and that's the same across a lot of OS'.

It will be the much bigger fixes/updates that require a restart. Nothing is as bad as what Windows Vista was!!

Baz, could be worth doing that, but it could also be worth looking at the internals on your machine, it could be due an upgrade. Wouldn't be surprised if that long waiting is down to a slow disk/processor. Seen it a lot.

James its strange it only started since it updated last night and shut down.

[plmc135]

Have you checked your settings regarding Windows updates?

[jeallen01]

TBH (and "from experience" - really!), any "oldish" m/c (ours' date from 2007 to 2016) that is still running the OS from an HDD, WILL struggle with the latest updates - nowadays all of our 6 W10 m/c's run the OS and the main Apps from SSD's, and that means that the W10 updates install "reasonably" quickly. (i.e. generally less than 30 mins, possibly couple of hours at worst, but then that might be repeated for the "next updates" in the "set").

Solutions? - clone your HDD's to SSDs for the OS, OR buy new m/c's (that WILL eventually be necessary, but delaying it as long as possible is my goal, and it's working so far )

PS: From experience, I would suggest cloning HDDs to SSDs with Macrium Reflect Free or MiniTool Partition Manager Free.

PPS: to clone an HDD to an SSD, you will need an external USB HDD "dock" and cable - many decent ones on ebay & Amazon, and they generally cost less than £30. Also, if your PC has a USB 3 port then use that as it will be a LOT faster than any USB 2 port.