From what I've been reading it's a good idea to let windows update install updates on your DAW PC.
I have 2 questions.

1. Do you only let the 'Important' updates install or do you also pick certain 'Optional' updates install too?
2. What about 'Microsoft' updates, yes or no? 

Oh and what about Silverlight and that 'Download Installer' thingy. Need any of these or not?

Thanks,
Mike

Just to be clear.
I'm not looking for a list of which updates to allow.
I'll allow the 'Important' ones to install but wondering if anyone uses the 'Optional' ones.

I also saw a checkbox that said search for Microsoft Updates on the update page and am basically wondering if these would possibly do more harm than good.
I believe the things like Silverlight and DL Installer are MS updates.

If I don't need that stuff then I'd rather know before I just give it a shot.
I'm trying to get my PC to where I can make a nice clean image backup.

Mike

Important updates are typically (though not always) updates that improve windows security i.e. patch a vulnerability. Sometimes they fix bugs that are expected to affect all windows users.  Optional updates are things that improve particular issues in Windows that might not apply to you, update drivers from third party vendors, or add functions not installed with windows. 

My most recent experience with an optional update was a new driver for my video card from the vendor of the video chipset used on that card, that caused my screen not to redraw ie overlapped new items on old making them unreadable. Reinstalling the drivers from the actual video card manufacturer (not the chipset manufacturer)  fixed the problem.

Unless you are having the particular problem addressed by optional updates it is probably better to pass on them. Important updates can kill your system as well. Typically windows will set a restore point before installing updates, but you can do that manually to be sure.

Thanks David.
Thats pretty much the way I was thinking. I never allow updates to install automatically, I always read through the list to see if something that I don't want is there. Like IE versions and updates.

Does anyone have thoughts on Silverlight?
From my understanding Silverlight is just a Flash player type thing and not needed unless watching videos or web surfing.
I just want to make sure there's not something underlying that may actually be beneficial on a DAW.

I'm guessing that Flash, Silverlight, Java and the like are all not needed.
Are these pretty much harmless or are they just something else that may cause conflicts on a PC that only goes on the web for program and driver updates?

Mike
 

From my understanding Silverlight is just a Flash player type thing and not needed unless watching videos or web surfing.

It is as you say. If the video you are trying to watch is encoded for silverlight, you need silverlight to view it. Like XPS, which has largely failed to capture the user base that PDF has, Microsoft's Silverlight attempt to replace flash etc. seems likely to fail. I do not think I have ever visited a website that needs it.

are they just something else that may cause conflicts on a PC that only goes on the web for program and driver updates?

Yes.
Totally unneeded.
I have my laptop for internet, video, PDF and all that happy 'update me now' crap.


Sometimes I just have to talk stuff out so it makes sense in my little brain.


Thanks for yer support David.


Mike  

I install updates separately by category:
   windows updates,   restart computer
   windows security updates,   restart computer
   .Net updates,   restart computer
....
AND  ALWAYS: hardware updates are separately installed. Often with a restore point set before. Especially for video drivers.
 
NEVER any bing crap

jm24
I install updates separately by category:
   windows updates,   restart computer
   windows security updates,   restart computer
   .Net updates,   restart computer
....
AND  ALWAYS: hardware updates are separately installed. Often with a restore point set before. Especially for video drivers.
 
NEVER any bing crap

+ 1 to all of this.....especially the Bing thing.
 
Mike

Siverlight has been more or less abandoned by Microsoft. Only security updates are being released. My understanding is that only Netflix ever used it fully. The BBC iPlayer was originally Silverlight, then they switched.
 
If you don't watch Netflix movies on your DAW, you can uninstall it.
 
Regards,
Dan
 

Good to know Dan.
Thanks.
 
Mike