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Thread: Issues with a new laptop

  1. #1

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    Issues with a new laptop

    Hi.
    I have a new laptop (Windows 10 64bit).
    I usually use my laptop in quite a good number of locations; anywhere I find free wifi as well as some other places where unfortunately they don't have any wifi.
    My biggest problem is that when it comes time to leave in a rush (because the coffee shop wants to close), and I try to shut down the computer, I am suddenly surprised by the disastrous news that Windows needs to install updates before shutting down!!!
    With my old laptop (Windows 7), this problem happened quite often and I had to wait outside the coffee shop for Windows to install whatever it wanted before shutting down. Sometimes under rain or snow. And even a few times it took 15 to 20 minutes and a couple of times even more than 20 minutes.
    Just imagine holding a laptop in one hand and holding up an open umbrella in another hand under rain and snow!
    Eventually about a year ago, I totally turned off Windows updates (in Windows 7 it is possible to turn Windows updates off) especially because the battery life was reaching its end, and it wouldn't be able to work for 15 minutes without being plugged in a power outlet.

    Now that I have a new laptop (Windows 10 64bit), I really want to find a definitive solution for this.
    What is the COMFORTABLE solution to this problem?

    Is there a way to make Windows install updates at the time of start-up instead of at the time of shut down?
    Is there any other solution?
    Is there anything that I can do to avoid this disaster?

    Any help on this issue will be greatly appreciated.
    Please advise.

  2. #2
    PowerPoster PlausiblyDamp's Avatar
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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    I tend to find I rarely shut my laptop down, I just let it hibernate / sleep and only do the reboot when it suits me.

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    Administrator Steve R Jones's Avatar
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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    Yes you can manually tell windows to check for updates and it'll install them. Look in Services.
    Wi-fi went down for five minutes, so I had to talk to my family....They seem like nice people.

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    Fanatic Member 2kaud's Avatar
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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    Is there a way to make Windows install updates at the time of start-up instead of at the time of shut down?
    Not as far as I know. Update installation is a 2 stage process. Stage 1 is at shutdown and stage 2 is at startup.

    Is there any other solution?
    If you have Windows 10 professional you can determine whether updates are manual or automatic via group policies.

    Also, you can configure Windows Update under Advanced Options to Pause update installation for up to 7 days. So when going to a place where you don't want updates, just set to paused and then when you are at a place when you can install, reset the pause setting.
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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    Thanks for the advice.
    But, I actually meant something else:
    Let's say you are in a coffee shop and they are about to close. So you try to shut down your laptop computer, and suddenly you realize that it is installing updates!
    What will you do?

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    Fanatic Member 2kaud's Avatar
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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    S
    o you try to shut down your laptop computer
    Don't shut it down. Select hibernate instead. Also as you enter, set Pause Update Installation as per post #4
    All advice is offered in good faith only. You are ultimately responsible for the effects of your programs and the integrity of the machines they run on. Anything I post, code snippets, advice, etc is licensed as Public Domain https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    Quote Originally Posted by 2kaud View Post
    Don't shut it down. Select hibernate instead. ...
    Thanks for the help.
    If I start doing this (selecting hibernate instead of shutting down), it means that I will ALWAYS do this.
    Then new Windows updates will NEVER get installed on my laptop, unless I somehow realize that Windows updates are ready to be installed the next time I start working with my laptop in which case, just after turning my laptop back on from hibernate mode (and then immediately realizing that Windows updates are ready to be installed), I can choose to shut down which will install updates.
    The key point is that at the time I START working in a place like a coffee shop, I have a lot of time, and can safely shut it down and let it take whatever amount of time that it needs to install whatever it needs to.
    Now the question is, let's say I hibernate my laptop and leave a coffee shop when they close, then go home or somewhere else and turn my laptop back on (from hibernate mode), then at that time how do I know that there are Windows updates ready to be installed?

    Thanks.
    Ilia

  8. #8
    Fanatic Member 2kaud's Avatar
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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    When you go home, turn your laptop on (from hibernate) and then do a restart. This will install any updates ready to be installed.

    how do I know that there are Windows updates ready to be installed?
    Start/settings/Update & Security. Update status will tell you if there are updates available.
    All advice is offered in good faith only. You are ultimately responsible for the effects of your programs and the integrity of the machines they run on. Anything I post, code snippets, advice, etc is licensed as Public Domain https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    Quote Originally Posted by 2kaud View Post
    When you go home, turn your laptop on (from hibernate) and then do a restart. This will install any updates ready to be installed. ...
    Thanks a lot for the help.
    This option that you told me about, appears to be a real solution for my problem.

    There are however two little issues left before I can close this thread:
    1. Is this option (hibernate) safe on a laptop with a totally dead battery?
    I have seen people who have laptops with totally dead batteries such that if someone accidentally unplugs their laptop, the laptop is suddenly and instantaneously forced shutdown.
    If my laptop battery totally dies one day, then if I hibernate it, can I then safely unplug the laptop?
    Please correct me if I am wrong: I guess but I am not sure that in hibernate mode, the laptop still needs a tiny bit of power. If that is the case, then with a totally dead battery I guess hibernating the laptop and then unplugging it would not be safe. Would it?

    2. There are occasions that I may (by mistake) shut down my laptop instead of hibernating it. I am sure this is probably going to happen sometimes. This could happen with a totally dead battery (in future) or with a very good battery (these days).
    If I (by mistake) shut down my laptop instead of hibernating it, and suddenly I realize that it is installing updates, what can I do?
    Please advise.
    Thanks

  10. #10
    Fanatic Member 2kaud's Avatar
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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    1) If the computer is in hibernate it doesn't draw any power and doesn't need a battery. Hibernate copies an image of the memory to disk which is restored when the laptop is switched on. Once a laptop has been shutdown (either by hibernate or actual shutdown) then both the power and battery can be removed OK.

    2) Swear! Microsoft makes it clear that you should not interfere with the update installation process during either of its 2 phases (at shutdown and at startup). This includes switching the power off (or having the battery die on you). Good practice is that updates are only installed when the laptop is powered from a charger. If either of the 2 phases are interrupted (such as a battery dying, or power unplugged with a dead battery) then you could have problems. You might get away with the phase simply restarting or you might be in a situation where you have to repair (or even re-install) windows. If you simply want to interrupt stage 1 so that you can leave the cafe - you can't. There is no mechanism to pause/stop stage 1 once it has started. Although if you do a shutdown (rather than a reboot) then once stage 1 is completed the laptop will shutdown and can be unplugged, moved etc. Stage 2 will start the next time the laptop is switched on which can be when convenient.
    All advice is offered in good faith only. You are ultimately responsible for the effects of your programs and the integrity of the machines they run on. Anything I post, code snippets, advice, etc is licensed as Public Domain https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    Thanks a lot for the help.
    I have changed the power settings of my laptop such that closing the lid (in both cases of "On battery" and "Plugged in") puts the laptop into hibernate.

    Now, the question is, if I do an actual shutdown, and then realize that it is installing updates, can I (in the middle of updates) close the lid and go?
    Would it be safe to do so?

    Thanks

  12. #12
    Junior Member Johannah's Avatar
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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    This problem is quite common with Windows system. But I remembered it happened quite rarely to me. I just shut down the desktop and let it update when I turned on the computer again. Yes it took long time for the computer to properly start, but there is no other way so... I have switched to a Mac since then
    "The science of today is the technology of tomorrow" - Edward Teller

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    Fanatic Member 2kaud's Avatar
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    Re: Issues with a new laptop

    Now, the question is, if I do an actual shutdown, and then realize that it is installing updates, can I (in the middle of updates) close the lid and go?
    No. See https://social.technet.microsoft.com...w8itproinstall This refers to 8.1 but I guess it would also apply to Windows 10.
    Last edited by 2kaud; Nov 13th, 2017 at 04:15 AM.
    All advice is offered in good faith only. You are ultimately responsible for the effects of your programs and the integrity of the machines they run on. Anything I post, code snippets, advice, etc is licensed as Public Domain https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

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