Did you guys allow the last round of Windows updates on your studio systems?

Last week I let MS (and Adobe) do some updates on my screw around laptop and it caused some weirdness. I've been keeping my DAW rig up to date but I'm seeing some people complaining about weird X1 issues and am hesitant to allow this last round to install in case that's the problem. My system is currently running fine so I obviously don't want to screw it up. Any issues to report? General thoughts?

Thanks, Jon. I've just noticed a spike in complaints about weird problems on the X1 sub forum and as I said I noticed some whacked out behavior on my laptop after MS hijacked my lappy for about 20 minutes. It seems to have sorted itself out somehow (I THINK it may have been the Adobe Flash update that did it but I am not sure). Sadly I'm not quite set up (or even knowledgeable enough) to make proper image backups at this point. In fact I was just discussing this with a tech friend of mine. Essentially I'm still in the process of testing everything out and I intend to completely blow up the system and start from scratch after I feel all the hardware is doing what it should. I'd be reinstalling everything. What I was mentioning to them was that I wanted to create a partition on my E drive for backup (I only have two drives at the moment) until I did that and they said that if I was going to set up a back up partition to do it when I blew up the system. So NOW I just want to wait until I can get a third drive dedicated to back up before I go through the whole process but I still want to keep using the system as is while I learn X1. Sorry... that's probably a little crazy sounding but I am on a very limited budget, I'm still really new to computer tech stuff (and DAW stuff) and I am neck deep in other real world mayhem so I don't really have the time to focus on all this. I just don't want my currently working system to lemon out on me because Bill Gates forgot to carry the two... again. :-p

I let a few through and noticed a definite slowdown in general.  After a system restore I cut off automatic updates and plan to keep it that way. My last system I kept off line except to authorize or update programs and never had a problem. 

@jimmyrage... okay, that seems like some confirmation. I guess the question now is WHICH of the last round of updates is causing problems? I have auto updates turned off (I'm at least that smart) but it was a BIG update (17 I think) and I'm not sure what to leave out. This is gonna be a REAL pain when reconfigure reinstall everything. Maybe I'd better call tech when I get to that point. FRIGGEN' MS!!!

I keep all automatic updates off and, whenever I feel like it, I may check to see what updates are ready but I always make the actual choice myself.  I heard it described to me like this:  99% of the updates are there to plug a security leak which, was obviously exploited, and which now your anti-virus probably catches anyway so most of those are completely unneeded.  When a major update, like a new service pack, comes out, I do a lot of research and I'm definitely NOT one of the first wave to try it out.

The first thing you need is good backup software (most of us use Acronis True Image Home) and then a large external harddrive so you can use it on more than one computer (including transfering or restoring between machines).

As for the external harddrive, you could get one that plugs into a USB port or you can go the route that I (and others) have and get one of those "toaster" external harddrive bays that you can then use with any normal harddrive (just plug it in).  When I replaced my internal drives with a 2 TB ($60 at the time) and a 3 TB ($129), I kept the ones I took out (two 250Mb's and two 300Mb's) to use only for backups and archiving.

I've been using one blasted computer or another for over 40 years now (started programming when I was seven), and I can't stress more how much I just want to USE them not work on them...

I'm very willing to let someone else build the car, I just want to drive the damn thing!

craigb


The first thing you need is good backup software (most of us use Acronis True Image Home) and then a large external harddrive so you can use it on more than one computer (including transfering or restoring between machines).

Other disk imaging software is available...

I use Active Disk image now you've made me feel left out...

FWIW the update to Flash Player 11 has been notorious for issues.  I'm still on version 10.

The last Windows update to actually cause me issues was back when IE8 first came out, generally WU isn't the arch-villain it's often made out to be.

Of course the ideal is to have a dedicated DAW machine that is hermetically sealed in foil, but many of us have a single set-up where some general usage is unavoidable.  If I was running professional studio services then the machines involved with that wouldn't be on-line but for many of us there is a happy medium between excellent DAW performance and general use computing.

Looking back at the reliability monitor since January I have had a total of 3 application hangs, and bear in mind I've been beta testing a few products in that time, otherwise my reliability is a straight line at the max.  I've seen studio machines that are isolated from the web that frankly I wouldn't use because of the mess of issues that are unattended leading to all sorts of unwanted behaviour.  A good policy to keep a secure, well-found and maintained machine is a more important consideration than merely whether it is connected to the internet or not.

Frankly I've got better things to do than check the specifics of each Windows update when they are offered so I choose all the important one offered generally and roll-back if any issues arise.  It's far quicker than finding out what each one is for. 

By keeping my drivers and system updated my computer is faster and more efficient now than it was when I got it, yes, sure it would be working still like the day I got it had I not updated it since, but trust me it's working a whole bunch better than it did, even purely for DAW use, being as updating since then has led to a 2 ms reduction in RTL over it's original configuration.

There are no rules, but there is plenty of good guidance to be had.

daryl1968


yeah - like Guitarhacker says, if it ain't broke.....why update?

Well Done!

I like Daryl.

Imaging is great for rolling back *on the same drive*.

However, imaging (generally) does one little when the drive actually peters out. The worst part is, typically my VSTi .dll apps reside on the C: drive and when you put an image of a gone-baby-gone drive onto a new drive you typically have to re-auth, and in the case of Toontrack you have to re-install the libraries (even when they are on a separate drive). Been there done that*



*I could not be arsed to finger out if it could be resolved via simple/complex registry editing or key backup/restore. If it could it would be great if someone could publish the details for all the various vendors. LOL!!

Yeah but we ain't talking 'bout drives packing up it was about rolling back updates.

Now get back in your FSF corner...

Where this FSF corner you speak of? 

HERE????

Mooch4056
I renamed my "C" drive to "DAT ASS" ...now once a month my computer asks me if I want to "back dat ass up" 

That's *almost* funnier than Cake=Bakers, eh Jonbouy?

Jonbouy


LOL

Cake=Bakers

That one gets me everytime.

Do you get it too?

Cake is something Bakers make....hahahaha

See I always thought Baker's made bread. Get it??????