Topic: What happened to windows update?

[Bonk]

(See attached image)

This does not look like the windows update I saw last week. Has everybody else's changed as well? I'm worried I might have been rooted.

I don't like it, I don't like it at all. I did not authorise this. How do I know it is legitimate?

I am not going to run it until Microsoft announces the changes. (or if someone can provide a link to such an announcement that I might have missed...)

[Strat]

Whats different? Looks normal to me for Vista/ 7

[Javora]

However that screen shot is not what you would see if you are using WinXP.  Just went to the Microsoft update site myself a minute ago, looked the same as it's been for years.

[Bonk]

Whats different? Looks normal to me for Vista/ 7

The vertical orange bar is new and the links layout are different for me. And if you click one of the links on updates available to selectively apply them it also lists all kinds of information that did not used to be there, extra windows and dialogs... etc.

Interestingly, though I declined all the "updates" (if that is what they are) Vista still did the applying and configuring updates thing when I rebooted today. WTF? I did not authorise that!

This could be the end of Vista/Win7 for me.

I'll see if Microsoft has made any announcements regarding changes to windows update. If there are none, then my vista install will go bye-bye. Big PITA. 

[Bonk]

It used to look more like this (I know the layout varies with updates available and I have HP not Ultimate - and aero turned off.):

[Bonk]

This layout is all new. Never saw it like this before. How do I know it is legitimate? I do not. Is it just fetching a webpage? Is it a real application? Is it a Trojan/Rootkit? Why didn't Microsoft tell us this was coming?

[Bonk]

What, I have to use IE to look at the windows update site? This gets worse and worse... I don't want to run windows update from Firefox, I just want to see if there are any posted announcements. Perhaps I'll use Opera and impersonate IE to see if there are any announcements regarding the changes to windows update (if there really were any).

Poop. Opera10 no longer allows configuration of the user agent string. Must be trying to up their usage stats. FINE, I'll use IE. 

[Bonk]

This is all I get from the website (no announcement of any changes whatsoever). I think Vista is done for me. It's too bad. I had high hopes for Microsoft, but they have lost what they had. The advertisements for Win7 scare me. I do not want an operating system designed by/for the general public. I prefer software designed by people with experience. But this whole update thing has clearly pushed me just a little bit too far. You just don't change the UI of a central OS component like that without informing the users. I suppose it is possible that my system has been rooted, but if that were the case I'd expect canada-east.ca and dynaverse.net to be defaced by now, so I kind of doubt it. I can can only conclude that Microsoft has done something very stupid and unprofessional here. Sorry to go on like this. I am an open source software advocate, but I am also a long time and loyal windows user. At least I was loyal. I don't think that vista will ever be used in science. Maybe Microsoft has decided that the hard science market is not worth pursuing? I could see that. Problem is that governments, standards organisations and regulatory agencies still for the most part do not recognise the importance of OSS to the future of hard science, let alone it's validity. Especially now that MS seems to have abandoned us.

* Bonk Shakes head... Where are you Microsoft?

[Bonk]

Ah wait! Rantus interruptus!

MBSA to the rescue!

At least I can still use that to get updates I recognise as genuine. I'm still not happy about the random unannounced changes to windows update though. 

[toasty0]

I haven't seen this much whinning about a free service since the food stamp program begin. 

[Rod ONeal]

I haven't seen this much whinning about a free service since the food stamp program begin. 

Free service? Not if you paid for your copy of windows.

[Pestalence_XC]

Bonk, What you are seeing is the new Windows Update window that is being introduced from Windows 7.. it is being retrograded into Vista... Think it comes in Vista SP 2 as well as individual update.

Also when it installs, it resets the settings to Auto Update upon restart.. so you may want to check the settings there and in IE 8

but that is a legitimate new interface for Windows Update.

[Bonk]

Awesome Pestalence! Thanks man, I really appreciate it. While MBSA works, it is kind of a pain.

[toasty0]

I haven't seen this much whinning about a free service since the food stamp program begin. 

Free service? Not if you paid for your copy of windows.

No other industry does so much for so many for so little.

[marstone]

I haven't seen this much whinning about a free service since the food stamp program begin. 

Free service? Not if you paid for your copy of windows.

No other industry does so much for so many for so little.

Hmmm, for so little.  Is that why MicroSoft has so much cash.  Charging to little.

But as for who else.  How about Barnes and Nobles, if you are too broke to buy a book, just pick up a coffee, take a seat and read it there in the store.  They have comfey chairs.

Sorry, just had too.  But really you don't get much for free from MS, I downloaded the free compiler from them, but getting frustrated anough with the limited package that it is looking to pick up the full version (which is why they give away the chopped down version)  But I am checking around first.

[Nemesis]

No other industry does so much for so many for so little.

What is the current profit margin on Windows?  I know that Ballmer has been complaining that it has dropped with the push to take over net books but it was about 85% a few years ago. 

[Age]

I never thought you would get Vista Bonk being the Linux guy you are?You are ahead of me anyway I plan on getting Windows 7 more like next year though.I like the fact it can run all xp programs.