Am I the only one that keeps installing these updates from Microsoft? I try to be informed about what I'm downloading, but the description usually just reads "a security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to gain control of your computer." It seems to me Microsoft will never find all the "security issues" and I have years of dowloaded code a-la-Microsoft sitting on my computer doing god knows what. Should I stop dowloading this stuff? I already have Norton Internet Security installed (which I pay a ridiculous yearly fee for) and my firewall is always turned on.)
2007-02-18 14:56:32 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Security
Keep installing updates. They discover new security flaws in their system all the time, and patch them. Hackers can take advantage of people's lacking of installing recent updates and can exploit their computers. Besides, you can set your computer to get Automatic Updates and it would not bother you at all.
Norton is useful for trying to block or get rid of stuff that is able to get through the system anyways. That's how I would describe it.
2007-02-18 15:01:58 · answer #1 · answered by neoslan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know what you mean. I turned off the automatic updates on my personal desktop about 9 months ago for this very reason. It seemed as though every time I started my computer, I had to update, let it restart and then do what I needed to do. Guess what? Since I have turned off AU, it works fine. I use Avast for virus protection, have a router and haven't had a problem. I never use IE for surfing (strong proponent of Mozilla). I run Lavasoft adaware once per week and have an average of 1 item per month to deal with. It's usually a tracking cookie with a low scary-factor.
On the other hand, on my laptop from work, AU are turned on automatically (I can't change it). I lost almost 2 hours of work on Friday because of all the updates and restarts and crap. I really don't know how necessary it is, but I agree it makes me wonder what all those updates are doing and how much space are they taking? Once they have been applied, can they be removed from my machine (going through My Computer and accessing Windows Subdirectory). Why can't they be a little more specific than the standard crap explanations they give in their updates? Aren't we the customer and they are the supplier?
2007-02-18 23:06:19 · answer #2 · answered by Grambo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you copy the title of the security update and put it in the Microsoft search box you will get a listing for the Description of the Security update. You can also get the download site if the update doesn't get downloaded or installed this way.
Do what you want with the updates. It's your computer.
2007-02-19 01:31:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The way I have mine set is to only notify me that updates are availiable, but to not download them automaticaly. Then I can check to be sure I get just the ones I want. I then click on "custom", and after the updates have been downloaded I look them over to see which ones I want, then disconnect from the internetnet, disable firewall and anti-virus program, and then install the updates I want, and click "Don't tell me again" on the ones I don't want, and then re-enable the firewall and anti-virus programs before reconnecting to the net. I use all free protection programs.
2007-02-18 23:04:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
most updates are to protect yer investment in your puter. and yer right it is a never ending battle. if you stop, you may be safe untill a known web site has a bug in it the installs just like a cookie, you never know its there. untill you reboot, then you find something is wrong but dont know what. and nortons dont know either. on the other hand you may get one anyway. good luck
2007-02-19 00:10:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2007-02-18 23:07:56 · answer #6 · answered by tahairgandhi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋