updates

[johntywino]

Have just done it again !!. Software update installation wizard downloaded something (took over 1/2 hour) , I pressed restart and again it would not start. Had to use safe mode and reset computer to yesterday (another 1/2 hour or so wasted... Is it ME? If not, is there ANYTHING I can do other than switch off updates ?. P L E A S E help !

[rojash]

"Is it ME?" Probably
Lots of large updates take a long time to finalise their installation. You need to be Veeerrrrrrry patient.

[rojash]

Just as an example - I went to set up some software on a friend's Vista laptop the other day. It hadn't been connected to the Net for about 2 weeks, and there were lots of updates. When we clicked restart, it took around 10 minutes to shut down, and after restarting we had a further 5 or 6 minutes with a black screen, before it burst into life.

[ChuckFickens]

assuming your on broadband set your automatic updates to run at about midnight and leave the computer one night a week. then it can get on and do it's updates without you getting impatient and resting it half way through

[johntywino]

ok, I'm not bothered about the time it takes but WHY do I have to start up again in "safe mode" ? I tried the other 3 ways and none of them would work ! John

[johntywino]

Me again...Incidentally, most of the updates go on with no bother...It just seems to be this particular one.

[ChuckFickens]

do you know what update it is?

[johntywino]

No idea...How does one find out? I just know that when it's chuntering away after ten minutes it's THE ONE.

[rojash]

"but WHY do I have to start up again in safe mode ?"

OK, I'm guessing here, but I've seen it happen often enough:

The updates are installed
The machine restarts
The updates need to be finalised (sometimes Windows tells you this, and sometimes not - it just appears to have hung)
You think it's hung, so you either press the reset button or turn it off.
Turning it off while it's finalising the updates, screws up Windows.
When you try to start, it knows it's been screwed and offers to start in Safe Mode.

[johntywino]

On this update the machine switches off itself,restarts,shows nice blue screen with logo,struggles a bit then shows a black screen full of white writing suggesting ways of starting up. I've tried them all (Start Windows normally) (Last known good configuration system) plus a couple of others. The ONLY one to work is "Safe Mode" followed by resetting to an earlier date. John