Windows XP updates, good or bad?

[_Al_]

I work for a small business and I informally work their network for them.

The guys who installed the computer system (before my time here) have recommended we don't install any updates on the grounds that 'some may be dodgy'.


Sounds a bit iffy to me. Tiny IT consultancy recommending you don't do what Microsoft say is good for you...


Any input for you guys/gals?

[FourWheelDrift]

Sounds to me as though they installed cracked copies of XP, which lose their hacked bits when XP is updated

>> Edited by FourWheelDrift (moderator) on Wednesday 6th August 09:08

[Rich-UK]

Just set it to automatically update, you'll have to install them sooner or later anyway and it might make your computer just that little bit more secure.

(Servers are a different matter though)

[dontlift]

I have installed them all and no problems

[CarZee]

There shouldn't be any problems with workstations, but you'll want to control changes to servers somewhat more rigorously.

It's all well and good when MS just push patches via A.U., it's another thing altogether when they push upgrades & extra features, which annoy me immensely.

[rlk500]

I wouldn't set them up to be delivered automatically. It is not uncommon for patches to be released that are buggy. You can keep up to speed on what updates are available on one of the MS forums, I would then suggest applying updates probably about a week after they have been released. The only updates you should consider loading blind would be security ones, but read what they do rather than just take them with blind faith. If they secure you against attacks over WAN links and you don't have WAN links then you don't need it.

[_Al_]

Good advice rlk, but my job isn't actually IT based at all, so I don't understand most of the lingo and I don't want to spend too much time monitoring them...

[manek]

All the recent ones are security related and I've not heard anyone claim there are bugs in the patches (I make a living tracking IT security news very closely).

Don't blame me if it all goes pear-shaped though!

[_Al_]

Actually I've already installed them. Nothing *YET* has gone wrong.

[agent006]

Auto Update. No hassle. I've yet to come across a dodgy MS patch on any of our pcs. All the ones i've heard about have been replaced on the update system with in the day. Having spent the best part of 2 months updating all ours to SP2 last year, it's just too much arse to be bothered with. Having said that, my nice shiney new automated SP4 deploymend bodge err i mean scrpt is all ready to roll.

[sjg]

I let my laptop at home update itself and haven't had any problems. However at work you really don't want every PC to be downloading every minor, irrelevant patch that MS come out with. And you do run the risk of a patch causing problems - maybe not "bugger up windows" problems, but minor things, especially with older apps. Often for security ones they've issued patches that simply disable things - not good if you actually used it in the first place.

In a small, simple environment with no IT staff I'd be inclined to let them auto-update (same with AV). Once you get beyond that, someone should be keeping an eye on MS patches, deciding what's important and sorting out applying them to PCs as needed.