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Windows updates

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EvianBaby | 10:22 Fri 21st Sep 2012 | Technology
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I had my work laptop which runs Vista basically rebuilt. Everything was backed up, wiped off laptop then reinstalled.

Once it was done it told me there were 123 updates so I left it to install them overnight on Wednesday. Then yesterday Quickbooks suddenly crashed and wouldn't reopen. It advised that I needed to do some updates to make it work so I clicked to update and there were a further 20.

Still having problems with QB so I uninstalled it and tried to reinstall it. It didn't work so I checked and there are yet more updates since the 20 I did yesterday. I didn't look at the one it has asked me to do now but so far it's taken about half an hour of 'installing update'.

Does this sound normal? Doesn't seem right to me.
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By the way, the laptop is a Dell latitude and QB initially crashed as I was adding an external monitor, which I've never used before. I've a feeling that's just a coincidence but maybe worth mentioning.
I did a Vista install from scratch a while ago and the same happened to me.

Vista is now quite old (first came out 2006), and when it shipped it was not ready.

So since it came out there have been hundreds of Windows updates.

There have been early Windows updates, then later updates that go on top of them, then later updates that go on top of them and so on (as you are finding).

Rather annoyingly after doing all these updates it will then say you need to install a sevice pack, which is huge in itself.

So I am afraid you just need to keep installing updates and rebooting till it says there are no more.

You will then find Vista takes up about 40Gb (or more) of your hard drive - as it did for me (but there are ways of reducing it).
Question Author
Thanks VHG, it's definitely working quicker since the rebuild apart from QB ill just have to put up with all the updates.

I had a gig of memory added to it so hopefully that will help.
Question Author
Just realised its the service pack installing now. Guess that's why it's taking so long.
>I had a gig of memory added to it so hopefully that will help.

Dont confuse real memory (RAM) with hard disk memory.

Real memory (the 1Gb you added) is normally around 2Gb or 3Gb or higher on your PC, that sort of figure.

Hard disk memory is usually in the hundreds of gigabytes of memory (on newer PCs anyway).

Not sure how big your hard disk is, it may only be around 100Gb, so if Vista is going to take nearly half of that you may not have much space left to hold other files.

If you find you hard disk is getting full (or nearly full) then I can show you a program you can run to delete a lot of old Vista files that are no longer needed.
You normally have to run windows update at least 3 or 4 times after a clean install to get all the updates available.

And, although it makes the initial update process even longer, I'd suggest using microsoft update rather than windows update, then you'll get updates for all microsoft products (such as office) and not only for windows itself.
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Ah thanks both. All updates completed for now and I found out the issue with QB was something in Sophos clashing with it but I've been told I can uninstall Sohpos from my laptop (it runs on the server) as security essentials should cover me.

Where do I find m/soft updates instead of windows ones please?
i fired up an office PC that hadnt been used for over 5 years running XP, it updated dozens of times, from what i remember over 300+ updates..left it over night, but it didnt do them in one hit everytime i booted it up over 3 - 4 days it found more...
Question Author
It does actually show there being more updates now but I'll leave them until the end of the time, I've already wasted 4 hours today trying to do other stuff on here.

And now I'm wasting more time on AB.
-- answer removed --
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I've been told that many times, sadly it's not up to me.
Hey Evian, any luck with those boots ?
Question Author
Finished work late and had a swimming lesson last night so didn't spend for than 15 minutes at home between 8am and 10pm but I'll try over the weekend.

That reminds me, need to raid the lock up at work for white spirit!
"Where do I find m/soft updates instead of windows ones please?"

At the bottom of the windows update screen it should say "get updates for more products".... click on that.

http://www.bleepstati...-extras/noupdates.jpg
Question Author
Ah cool, will try that before I shut down today. Thanks!
Just follow the new updates of QuickBooks at https://www.quickbookssupportnumber.net/

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