Are Windows Automatic Updates really that important? I think it only fills up the disk space. Pls. answer...!?

Question

Should I remove the Windows Updates..
I don't know what it's doing..
And without them, My computer can function well..
Does it fill up the drive space...
I certainly don't know what they're doing..
Are they really very important?
Do u use them?

Answer 1

Yes, they are pretty important. I wouldn't think of using my computer for more than a month or so, online, without getting them. It doesn't have to be automatic, though. You can do it manually if you prefer, by going to the Windows Update site. But I'd certainly do it one way or the other.

What it's doing is installing patches (computer code) to fix security vulnerabilities as they're discovered. Without those patches, you may be vulnerable to the security problems, especially if you don't use a firewall. I use a firewall and still get the updates. It doesn't even matter if you're a Firefox user, as I am (or use any other non-Microsoft browser). Sometimes just having Internet Explorer on your system can leave you vulnerable. Besides, the patches are for the operating system and other Microsoft programs, too.

Yes, without the updates your computer *can* function well. But it can also be a target, waiting to be exploited by scumbags who have nothing better to do with their lives. Protect yourself.

As far as taking up space, yes, they do (as does any software). I don't know how much space they use, but I think it's a fair trade-off.

Answer 2

No, U shd not remove Windows updates
They help protect against known security threats. Windows live update scans your computer and tells you which updates apply to your software and hardware. You choose the updates that you want to install and how to install them. You can click the name of each update to view its description. To view system requirements and support information, click the Details link provided in each description. Sometimes. Some updates require you to accept an End User License Agreement (EULA), answer a question about the installation process, or restart your computer before you can install them. Windows updates do fill up drive space but they are good for windows health.
Of course I love to update my computer as and when required

Answer 3

Windows patches the security holes that hackers find through the automatic updates, as well as releasing new features for their operating system. Yes, it takes disc space, and it takes bandwidth to download. Still, it's a good thing overall.

Answer 4

I don't let Bill Gates do anything to my computers, ever. That includes letting him decide what my computer downloads, or has on it's hard drive. And as far as "security patches", I've had one virus, in 10 years of being online, and it was my fault.

Answer 5

they are often very small in length like what all and sundry says over right here. besides the shown fact that, in case you want to clean up area, that's truly helpful to clean up the temp folder as nicely as old gadget fix factor (they'd take in one million GB of area at cases!!).

Answer 6

You're refering to Microsoft Update.

Microsoft Update is a website where users can download updates for various Microsoft Windows-related products. Updates from Microsoft Update can include those for Windows itself, Office, SQL Server, and sometimes hardware drivers as well. These updates are primarily security and bug-related fixes, although they occasionally contain new features.

The service is version 6 of Windows Update. Microsoft Update differs from Windows Update in that previously Windows Update only delivered updates for Windows itself, software drivers, and adjunct software such as Windows Media Player and NetMeeting. As of July 2006, Windows Update is the default update service for users of Windows XP and older operating systems, with Microsoft Update being an optional upgrade.

Overview:
Microsoft Update is a web-based software update service for Microsoft Windows operating systems. It offers a location for downloading critical system component updates, service packs, security fixes, patches and free upgrades to selected Windows components. Additionally, it automatically detects the user's hardware and provides driver updates when available, and can offer beta versions of some Microsoft programs.

Most new updates and patches go "live" on Microsoft Update very soon after they are released. Alternatively, fixes and updates can always be downloaded manually from the Microsoft website. Corporate networks and servers running Microsoft Windows on a large scale might find it more practical to use Windows Server Update Services instead, as it automates the process of retrieving patches from Windows Update, and distributing them to client machines.

Both the Microsoft Update and previous Windows Update websites require Internet Explorer or an Internet Explorer shell replacement as well as the use of an ActiveX control. It is coded using the Microsoft scripting languages VBScript and JScript, and is compatible with Netscape 8.0, which uses the Internet Explorer rendering engine for that particular website. It is also compatible with ActiveX plug-ins and extensions for other Windows webbrowsers such as Mozilla Firefox and Opera. As of July 2005, both Windows Update and Microsoft Update require Windows Genuine Advantage to be installed for users updating any version of Windows XP or Windows Server 2003.

History

The Windows Update site was first introduced with the launch of Windows 98. Since then the site has gone through several revisions.

In 2002, Microsoft released Software Update Services, a server component that could be installed on Windows 2000 Server systems to enable downloading and distribution of security patches for an entire company through a central server. Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 included BITS to facilitate a new client-side component first seen in Windows XP called Automatic Updates, making it possible to download and install security updates in the background.

In late 2004, Microsoft released Windows Update 5 for Windows XP, which includes Service Pack 2 and several major changes to the update application. Users without broadband access can order a CD of XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) from the Microsoft website; while the CD was at one time completely free of charge, as of July 2006 there is a small charge for shipping (the packaging encourages sharing the CD with other users of Windows XP). After installing SP2, one should then go to the Microsoft website to check for newer updates—dozens have been released since SP2.

In 2005, Microsoft introduced the first beta of an optional Microsoft Update that delivers updates for supported operating systems, plus Microsoft Office (Office XP and Office 2003 all-user installations only), Exchange and SQL Server. This responded to a common criticism among many customers that it was too difficult to get all the necessary updates from the various Microsoft product websites. Since 2006, Microsoft is also adding the distribution of Windows Defender anti-spyware definition updates to Microsoft Update.

In Windows Vista and Windows Server "Longhorn", the web site is no longer used to provide a user interface for selecting and downloading updates. It has been replaced with a Windows Update control panel that provides similar functionality.


[edit] Technical
The Windows Update AutoUpdate Client (wuauclt.exe) is the client-side component of Windows Update and Microsoft Update. It is used for checking for software updates. This program connects to Microsoft's Windows Update servers (or to a Windows Server Update Services server) to check for the latest updates, downloads the updates (see Dependencies below), then runs the updates. It also displays messages to the user, indicating the progress of downloading and installing the updates, as well as prompting the user to reboot if necessary.

Background Intelligent Transfer Service is required to download updates.





[edit] Controversy and possible alternatives
There is some controversy over Microsoft Update's requirement of the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) program. Treated as an update, the software analyzes the user's computer and determines if their copy of Windows XP is genuine. If the software determines that the copy is pirated, it offers the user a chance to reveal where they bought their copy in exchange for a reduced price legitimate copy of Windows XP. Microsoft officially states that using the Automatic Updates feature to install security updates does not require WGA validation. It was originally believed that it would not prevent users of unchecked systems from receiving critical and security updates through the Windows Update service, because Microsoft deemed the security and reputation risk from unpatched systems greater than the loss of income from pirated copies. However this has not been the case.[1][2]


Unofficial, third-party alternatives to Microsoft Update do exist. Some, such as WindizUpdate, aim to provide better support for alternative web browsers and updates without the requirement of WGA. However, the website supports only English Windows. Others, such as AutoPatcher, do not require the use of a browser at all.