December Windows 8.1 Updates - Please Contribute Your Experiences

[NoelC]

Since Windows Updates can no longer be implicitly trusted, please contribute your experiences here with the new December 2014 Windows Updates, now available as a set of nearly a dozen KBs, two of which are Optional and unchecked by default.

 

Notably this time one of the required updates is also unchecked by default.  Perhaps that means Microsoft thinks they should be installed in stages.

 

As I always do, I'm installing them all in a virtual machine now so as to get some experience with them before committing to install them on my host system, which has been working great so far with all updates through November.

 

-Noel

[NoelC]

All updates (including the optional bugfix rollup) went in and my VM passed initial testing.

 

I'm going for the whole enchilada on my workstation now.  Rebooting...

 

Edit:  It came back up okay with the updates installed, and the system passes initial tests.  My benchmark applications actually show a few minor improvements in performance, which is interesting because the general trend after updates has been in the other direction.

 

Aero Glass is unaffected by the December updates.  It continues to work just fine.

 

At this point I have nothing bad to say about the latest updates.  Of course, as time goes on we'll know more about long-term stability, but they're actually working fine so far.

 

-Noel

Edited December 10, 2014 by NoelC

[MagicAndre1981]

Windows 8 works, but Win7 users have issues with update kb3004394:

 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_update/windows-update-kb3004394-issues/ace25277-7f65-4486-bc44-c1b106907a18

 

 

That is the price Microsoft now pays for their stupid rapid releases. Good quality needs a bit more time and testing.

[NoelC]

It's times like these you have to ask...  What advantage is it to Microsoft to keep Windows 7 going?

 

For what it's worth, in the spirit of the thread...  I used my Win 8.1 system pretty hard doing software development and testing today, without the slightest problem.

 

-Noel

Edited December 11, 2014 by NoelC

[bphlpt]

... but Win7 users have issues with update kb3004394:

This update has apparently been withdrawn for Win7 users, at least it is no longer offered to me. (I usually wait a few days before applying the monthly updates. )

Cheers and Regards

[MagicAndre1981]

Microsoft also fixed it for users who have it installed:

 

Install KB3024777 to fix an issue with KB3004394 on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2
http://support2.microsoft.com/kb/3024777/en-us

[NoelC]

This seems like one of the more tangible cases of where the mostly intangible value of "keeping current" can be seen.

 

I guess Microsoft isn't putting too much effort into testing updates any more for anything other than with Win 8 and probably on their tablets (touch first, after all!!).  It's a shame.

 

-Noel

[MagicAndre1981]

yeah, MS employees only use Windows 8.1, so they don't have this issues

[jaclaz]

yeah, MS employees only use Windows 8.1, so they don't have this issues

Poor fellows , do they have a small compensation in their wages for "stressing environment"?

Or were the MS HR/PR be so clever as to manage to list Windows 8.1 usage as "fringe benefit"?

jaclaz

[NoelC]

I just got a mental image that they have a key they press when the boss approaches that pops up

 

 

But then to do their normal work (surfing, catching up on news, etc.), they hit escape and return to

 

 

Perhaps this is why a virtualization solution is now included in Win 8 out of the box.

 

-Noel

Edited December 13, 2014 by NoelC

[Kelsenellenelvian]

It's times like these you have to ask...  What advantage is it to Microsoft to keep Windows 7 going?

 

For what it's worth, in the spirit of the thread...  I used my Win 8.1 system pretty hard doing software development and testing today, without the slightest problem.

 

-Noel

 

 

Simply for me because I can use any win7 out of the box to develop, surf and play on and not want to kill myself over the interface also.

 

I don't like having to run an handful of third party apps and tweaks galore to make a OS even semi comfortable to use.

 

Case in point I get a hold of a blank or fubar'd system and toss my usb at it, I can be fully up and running doing nearly anything I want within a half hour. Not a chance in hell on a win8 system.

Edited December 13, 2014 by Kelsenellenelvian