To update or not to update

[Champak]

How many of you update your computer with these hotfixes and packs, how often, and why? Me personally, have not upgraded anything since SP2 on XP Pro. I just don't see a reason no matter how many security holes they say there are...and then again how often, if you are, on the internet with a particular computer to need to fix "security holes". If a problem I see pops up on my computer, then I go and check if there is a fix for it, beyond that, I just can't be bothered with keeping up with it all. It almost comes in like a flavor of the month thing to some extent I think. Another reason is I'm noticing there are a lot of hotfixes to fix hotfixes. How ironic and irritating is that? I was personally planning on never hotfixing anything unless/if SP3 comes out for XP...and I mean about 4 months after that to make sure there aren't any problems with it. But for some reason, since I've been making this unattended CD, I've been considering putting the rest of them in, not for the reason of not having to download them and install, but just for the sake of it.

P.S. just jokes...I never touch the stuff.

Edit: Why can't I vote on my own poll?

Edited October 25, 2006 by Champak

[sylvianorth]

Up until very recently I've never downloaded any "fixes". But I've buckled after reading so much about the various "holes" that exist.

In my experience, I've never had a virus, got very little spyware and see no need to update all the time. Afterall, the only way I can see anyone taking control of my machine is if I'm stupid enough to let them. I doubt it matters much if you do update or not, it just takes up some of your time...

Sylvianorth

[prx984]

i just update to the latest service pack. thats it for me

i dont see the need for me to update, i reload my computer so much, no one could get in and do very much. plus, i dont have any contacts, personal info, or anything like that on my computer.

the most personal thing i have on my comp is my name, which is brian

[nitroshift]

Well, I've got WU set on automatic, I don't go myself on WU website at all.... I haven't got anything personal on my pc, not even my name, just an alias.

[IcemanND]

I help support many thousands of computers and users, and we recommend and set every user desktop to download and install the updates. I do my own so I know what gotchas may arise and then how to fix em. Also those users range from how do I right click to mouse to super uber mega geeks. The geeks we are not as worried about but ideally the stupidity of the former should not affect the rest either. So in my environment it just makes sense. It is easier to fix the issues that come up due to a problem from a hotfix than to fix all the machines because one person got infected because of a security flaw that then infected everyone else because of that same security flaw.

[Zxian]

Well, I've got WU set on automatic, I don't go myself on WU website at all.... I haven't got anything personal on my pc, not even my name, just an alias.

I'm with him. I've got my AU set to automatically download the updates and let me know when they need to be installed. It's simple that way - you don't have to think about anything. There's an update available - I get notified.

[Nakatomi2010]

Yeam, I just let Automatic updates do the work, let it download all the updates over night, then install them on the next shut down (A feature I love)...

A customer computers I only install the updates at AU gets them, can't always spare the time for it....

[Ctrl-X]

Company policy dictates that every critical update needs to be deployed within 24 hours of release... The others I can't be bothered with By the way, no AU here; SMS 2003 takes care of business

[Jeremy]

I suggest always downloading critical and security fixes either from Windows Updates or an alternative source. I am being a router and take good security measures, so I'm not worried about getting the latest updates immediately. I use the latest RyanVM Pack whenever I format, which those occasions are few and far between.