Help! What is this Windows Update All About?

[George Tyndall]

Windows Update wants to install the following:

Size: 248.3 MB

Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 is a full cumulative update that contains many new features building incrementally upon .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, and includes cumulative servicing updates to the .NET Framework 2.0 and .NET Framework 3.0 subcomponents. The .NET Framework 3.5 Family Update provides important application compatibility updates.

I never download or "update" or "upgrade" any of my software if everything is already working well together.

But I have noticed that, when I attempt to burn a music CD, I often get an error that, if memory serves, says something about "Microsoft Visual C"--and which is abruptly followed by an hour-glass that will go away only with a restart.

So is this Windows update something I probably need?

[Bobby]

George, we have discussed this issue in the past! I firmly believe that you should keep up with Windows Updates. There is some downside to this - usually when MS issues a crappy patch that does more harm than good, but they do usually fix that in a timely manner. To me the good far outweighs the bad. I always keep up with MS updates for me and my (few remaining) clients.

But I am not sure that the .net framework update would update the Visual C libraries. Visual C is a standard language for writing windows programs, and there are some common libraries associated with that language that are distributed. Maybe someone more expert will chime in, but I don't think updating .net will fix your problem.

But, as I say, I would go for it all.

[Chuck Engels]

I agree with Bobby, all my machines are set to automatically download updates but not install them till I say so.
The updates get installed usually upon shutdown and there have been no major issues at all for years.
the .net framework is very important for running many Microsoft products, you shouldn't be without it these days or some things will not work.
Especially if you use Word, Excel or any other of the Office products, not to mention some web sites that are developed using the .net framework.

[Bobby]

...all my machines are set to automatically download updates but not install them till I say so...

Absolutely correct, IMHO. Do not let Windows do updates when it wants to. If the default is to do it at night, your PC might not be on. So it tries to do it during the day and that may interfere with something you are doing. Much better off doing it when YOU choose.

[Bill Hunt]

While I usually DO install MS updates, I have it set to "Notify," only. I want to do this myself, for both the download and the install. I do not want anything automatic, as it WILL happen when you are in the middle of something important and then want to re-boot. Some of the more recent ones, have a count-down to re-boot, and if you do not exit out, within the time limit, it WILL re-boot, regardless of what you are doing.

I wish that all programs offered full manual updating, and also would NOT change the setting to "Automatic" whenever an update is installed. QT is possibly the worst (next to RealPlayer, but I've not had that in over a decade. StopZilla is also quite bad, and must be reset to full manual with every update. Bogus!

OK, rant-mode over,

Hunt