Has your Windows 7 computer had updates recently?

[hrym]

Although Microsoft would like everyone to be using Windows 10, version 7 is still the most popular.

You may also have seen reports that MS managed to break the update system early last December, so your computer may not have received updates since November.   There is a fix, but it won't happen automatically.   FWIW, what happened was that the expiry date on one of the files involved in the process wasn't updated.

Here's what to do:

Go into Control Panel and open Windows Update.   If you just get the spinning circle, you'll need to restart your computer and make this your first job.

If you see "Windows cannot check for updates because the service is not running", you're affected.

Click on Change Settings and change "How Windows checks for updates" from Automatic to Never.

Click OK.

Now click "Check for Updates" and the process should run.

Go back into Change Settings and reset to Automatic.

And you should be done.   This will be confirmed shortly by a message that Windows has updates and will install them - it'll do this on whatever schedule is set on your system.

This may also affect some Windows 8 installations.   I don't have exact details of the process for that, but it will be similar.

[Nabs]

Latest stats show Windows 10 has just edged in front of 7 

Interesting about Windows updates being broken though. Just checked a couple of PC's here and the wuauserv service wasn't running (despite being a manual trigger) Nice info!

[jeffkinn]

@Nabs I know you have both PC's and Macs at your place. Why is it that Windows is constantly being updated and Macs are hardly ever updated?

The only updates I get regularly are for Office for Mac written by you know who!

[Nabs]

@jeffkinn 
Most Windows PC's are running the "Current Branch"  which means they will be pushed all the updates as soon as they are released. 

If you don't want updates to happen as often there are other branches that are available to some users.
If you're running Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise you can switch to the "Current Branch for Business", in this branch only large updates are pushed out and these usually happen a few months after "Current Branch"
Finally there is Windows LTSB, Long Term Servicing Branch, an Enterprise version of Windows with a cut down features set (no web browser, no access to Windows store etc) that will only receive security updates and never gets any new features.

I can only assume that it's because Microsoft keeps releasing updates that break things in "Current Branch" they have to release more to fix them! I think Apple tends to bundle several fixes into larger, less frequent updates, this would allow them more time to test and iron out any potential issues before they hit consumers.

[jeffkinn]

Thanks @Nabs

Not point scoring here or attempting to portray Macs as better than PC's. I use both all of the time and they are really very similar - bit like iOS and Android. Some essential differences but quite close in most functions.

[Nabs]

Absolutely @jeffkinn Each platform has their pro's and con's and which you choose will depend on your usage 

[Getafix]

---

wrote:

I can only assume that it's because Microsoft keeps releasing updates that break things in "Current Branch" they have to release more to fix them! I think Apple tends to bundle several fixes into larger, less frequent updates, this would allow them more time to test and iron out any potential issues before they hit consumers.

---

And to add, lot more Windows users then Mac and also on large number different (make) hardware.
Same is the case with Android vs IOS. Having said that, I have noticed a lot more update recently on my wife's iPad, compared to my Tab S3.

[jeffkinn]

The hardware thing is true enough. I get multiple updates every day on my iPhone from apps but not iOS. 

iOS 11 has been updated more times than iOS 10 I think. Now on 11.2.5. I think 11.3 is coming quite soon.

[hrym]

---

wrote:

Latest stats show Windows 10 has just edged in front of 7 

Interesting about Windows updates being broken though. Just checked a couple of PC's here and the wuauserv service wasn't running (despite being a manual trigger) Nice info!

---

My info might be a bit old, but W7 does seem to be hanging on.   I suspect some of that has to do with early upgrades (at least) not going to well and issues developing.   A lot of people will be sticking with what they know (and works), reckoning to move when they upgrade hardware.  That should also insure the inclusion of things like a media player from the start.

Was the update service not running at all on your machines, @Nabs?   In the "broken" model, the initial screen claimed it wasn't but, if you look at services, it is - and it works once you've kick started the out-of-date file.

I left mine until I was sure the faulty Intel patches were pulled.  That's a bug that needs fixing, but not at the expense of a machine that randomly reboots!