Is it ok to turn off Automatic Updates?

I have about 13 or so updates needing to be installed. But when I install them, and restart my Computer, my computer will freeze completely. The screen, mouse, everything and I have to hold the power button to restart it. Then run a system restore.

I really do not want to install them 1 by 1 and see whats causing it. Is it OK for my computer to turn off automatic updates completely?

 

Sure. The only disadvantage is that your Windows won't be fully patched, but so long as you don't have a tendency to get viruses and other malware, that shouldn't be a problem. I usually run Windows less than fully updated (sometimes by many months, currently by a month and a half or so) and have never run into a problem because of it.

 

I have Avast and COMODO both running, and I try to not download things that have viruses.

 

"so long as you don't have a tendency to get viruses and other malware"... that's it, some patches are *extremely* important. some people stick with unpatched windows and then are surprised by obscure old viruses which find a way to their system...

the thing is, if you won't patch the OS at all, you *will* have this tendency. updating from time to time, as Apollo13 suggests, is not a bad idea, but anyway you would have to find out what has caused some unwanted behavior. disabling the updates completely is not a good idea from the security point of view.

 

That's the point of having a fully patched anti-virus...

There are plenty of non security related windows updates. Some useful, some only useful to a select group of people. I download the updates I want and tell M$ to keep their useless ones.

 

If you go this route, don't turn off Automatic Updating completely, just set it to remind you to install updates as they become available. That way, you won't forget to check back in to see what's important.

 

turn it off, some patches might just screw up your laptop, ive got about 30 updates required for install. lol ive got a decent avira antivirus and threatfire.

seriously i dont update my XP either. no help at all imo

 

where are the automatic updates settings found in Vista?

 

Windows Update - Change settings in the left pane

 

Not true. I turned off Automatic Updates completely and my Windows is fully patched, you just have to remember to check it manually.

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

 

yeah, I mean MS only do it for thier health. It's not like the majority of the patches are to fix anything special, like maybe security vulnerabilities that have been found or dodgy code that causes crashes or anything....

 

of course not *all* windows patches are essential, anyway, virus writers often use security holes in the operating system. "windows will shut down in 30 seconds, please save your work..." remember? blaster. tons of xp users affected. those without sp2... - i personallly prefer not letting the garbage get to my computer at all before hunting it by no matter how good antivirus.

in the other words - the OS will probably run fine even without the patches, but if you disable the updates completely, it's on your own risk. you don't need to install *all* updates, but i'd not recommend ignoring the security ones...