Windows AutoUpdate

[DaveB]

I gave into that a long time ago (after many refusals) Much like newer versions of MSN. There are only so many times you can ignore/cancel that little window before your resistance is worn down!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[nigelb]

I objected to the 'genuine Windows verification tool' because when it was first installed it would "phone home" every day and I had dial-up at the time so that was a pain. I found a patch online to defeat the "phone home" part, however it seems I had to jump through a few hoops every time I wanted to install non-critical updates from Microsoft. Microsoft has since changed the verification tool so that it now supposedly only occasionaly phones home and since I now have broadband I let the verification tool be updated. I have no idea how often it contacts Microsoft now because my internet connection is on all the time the computer is on.

[DaveB]

My objection to it was that I've bought 5 bonafide WinXP OS's and was more than a little insulted to have to use a verification tool :roll:

Nothing appears to have dropped off since I uninstalled NF1.1 so although I didn't use the redistributable package, that page was useful in pointing out two versions will not live together.. something I checked and found to be in existance, so tks again Nigel ;-)

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[speedbird591]

There is a viable alternative to Windows Update. WindizUpdate http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/ makes Microsoft updates available for download using non-Microsoft browsers such as Firefox - therefore bypassing the need to use the Windows verification tool. Only downside is that downloads are not available until a few days after MS have released them and you have to download them manually. But you may not consider that to be a disadvantage!

Having said that, I use Firefox as my default browser but Windows automatic updates - firefox is faster and supposedly more secure than IE7 but auto updates makes life easy......

Ian

[DaveB]

Tks Ian ;-)

I don't use any 'third party' software for that sort of thing chosing to leave the native browser to look after things. Always something to consider though

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[nigelb]

Dave,

I have only had problems with the Windows update once or twice and I looked for the stand alone download on the Microsoft site - what they call redistributable packages and that solved the update problem.

Now, I may be thick but are you saying you can't have NetFramework 1.1 and 2.0 on the same machine? I have both on mine! Unless I misunderstood that Microsoft page, I think it says you can't have two different language versions (i.e English and French) installed on the same machine.

I installed NF 1.1 then Windows Update automatically installed a patch for 1.1. When NF was available I installed that and did not have to uninstall 1.1. Later there was a security patch for 2.0 which Windows Update installed automatically.

[speedbird591]

Dave - it looks like this download has caused a lot of problems for others and it may be a problem with Windows Installer. I was just browsing the PC Advisor forum (as you do) and came across this thread http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/forums/index ... &forumid=1 This guy's OS is Vista but the problem is the same. There are links to other threads and also to the Microsoft Knowledge Base for an updated version of Installer. I haven't read it all in detail but you may find an answer in there somewhere.

Ian

[DaveB]

Hi Nigel,

You're probably right mate. I don't 'read' install instructions well on a pc monitor (speed reading takes over!). It is true to say that up to that point, both 1.1 and 2 had lived together without a problem so I was clutching at straws as much as anything

Tks for that link Ian. As you say.. I don't seem to be alone with 1.1 SP1 woes but unlike the poor chap who tried the M$ fixes.. mine uninstalled without a problem. Do I need NF1.1?? Well, I've since tried NVTray and it still works fine so I guess not. I certainly won't bother chasing it up unless something suddenly let's go or won't work (where it has done previously) so all in all, M$ have done me a favour by prompting me to remove something I didn't need (bet they never intended THAT to happen) ;-)

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[TSR2]

Just to add some mud... LOL

DNF 1.0 was upgraded to 1.1 and subsequently service packed. so the curent versions are...

DNF 1.1

DNF 2.0 is different

DNF 3.0 is different again

Each version is patched (and service packed) independantly of the other.

Its a bit like MS's version of Java... i.e. all the Java versions install separately... but with Sun Java I recommend periodicly removing them all and re downloading the latest, you'll be amazed at how much space it free's up!

[DaveB]

Excellent Ben.. just what I needed to hear

ATB

DaveB :tab: