optional downloads

what is the thinking on optional downloads these days re: w7?

i used to snag EVERYTHING they offered, but after the great .NET fiasco on XP, i am far more hesitant. then again, when it offers up 2 "security patches" for w7 and only one is checked, the KBs offered do not strike me as materially different.

i am wondering whether it is more of a local issue as to why the 2d one wasn't checked, perhaps. there is no longer the "optional" vs "recommended" sections as with XP; they're all in the same section, just a matter of pre-selected (checked) or not.

 

There are 3 categories of Windows Updates in Windows 7; they are Important, Recommended, and Optional.

I recall seeing the same thing you've mentioned but I do not know why it occurs. I like to usually take a look at the description of updates before I proceed with installing, but I normally install all Important updates. For Recommended and Optional updates, I might delay installing them for awhile if I feel inclined to read more about them before installing them. For Optional, I have delayed weeks, perhaps even months before installing. If you don't want to see an update displayed in your list of pending updates, you can right click on it and select Hide update.

 

sorry, i worded that poorly. yes, they are both under "Important", but only one was checked. and they seem rather similar.

i figured maybe it was one of these "can't do simultaneously" deals, but now, after the first one has DLed, installed, and system has rebooted, the second is still unchecked.

guess i'll go ahead and check it.

the other one is for "Silverlight". which strikes me as ENTIRELY option...but yet it's also under "Important". i don't get it.

worse yet, THAT one was suddenly checked after the first one wrapped up! :confused

 

Sometimes, even 'important' fixes are not checked by default for everyone; it seems like some fixes may not be required by everyone for instance because there are 'features' that have been uninstalled, never setup, disabled; other times because MSFT are themselves unsure if the fix might cause problems in some scenario's, they'll then roll out the latter slowly, collecting data and feedback as they go. Eventually, they may 'push' the update for all, by having the box selected by default.

If you don't already have Silverlight - don't take the update, if you do have it, uninstall it if you don't need it or update it if you do.

 

To add to 'vets list, I usually scan through the list looking for fixes against local attackers and uncheck them - if they have physical access, they could just steal the machine! Useful for Internet cafes and public access machines though.

I rarely install updates of any kind from MS until at least 3 to 6+ weeks have passed (there have been a few exceptions), for Service Packs, maybe a year or more!

 

local attackers? you're saying the MS fix AGAINST such attacks can backfire? or can be such an attack itself in disguise?

pls clarify that first sentence. i DO use public wifi a lot (incl doing these updates).

 

No, just that for me there's little, if any, benefit to be gained by installing them, if someone has local - hands on - access to my machine, effectively they could walk away with the data.

I don't mind having a loophole to be able to access my own machine with should I mess it up by my own incompetence.

Many patches will be re-patched several (tens of) times during the lifespan of the OS, if I can reduce the number of patches, maybe I also reduce the chances of potential problems caused by the odd bad one.

 

hey, today they're offering me an optional 46M update for my TOUCHPAD.

46M?! what would possibly require 46M?! aren't drivers like 400k, typically?

the two "info" links point nowhere. and the update says "Sept 2011" -- why am i suddenly seeing this NOW?!

to download or not to download...that is the question....

 

Don't bother is my opinion - I almost always use the Windows default drivers for touchpads, less to troubleshoot should anything start playing up.

 

There are some updates or patches that need to installed in a certain order. The first checked patch must be installed before the second or things will go kaput in the system. Some maybe as satrow has explained. the silverlight update is there to add new features to the program. if you dont use silverlight there is no need to install the update. as for the update for your touch pad there is probably software that it installs for you to use.