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What do you think of Autopatcher?

Pssst....WSUS Offline or Autopatcher and Bob's your uncle, no need to do any hacking...oh and you're welcome ;-)

Pssst....WSUS Offline or Autopatcher and Bob's your uncle...oh and you're welcome ;-)

Ideas: (partly a re-post from Stop updating completely? Methods and comments)

1) Autopatcher and WSUS Offline Update: Use Autopatcher until Microsoft begins its new system of hiding even more completely what it is doing with its updates. Kvasio said to use WSUS Offline Update, another community driven solution.

Apparently Microsoft approves of WSUS Offline Update. This is from the Microsoft web site: Update Offline Virtual Machine with PowerShell and WSUS Offline Update: Part 1

Update Offline Virtual Machine with PowerShell and WSUS Offline Update: Part 2

2) Windows on an isolated network: Don't allow any Microsoft operating system to have a connection to the internet. Use Linux on a separate computer on a separate network for internet connections. Use Bluetooth to communicate between the Windows OS network and the Linux network.

For Microsoft, convincing people that Windows is buggy is profitable. An article I wrote last year, Microsoft Windows XP "end of life", makes the point that Microsoft fixed 319+828+459=1,606 bugs in Windows XP since Windows XP SP1 was released. Now Microsoft says Windows XP is still too buggy to use. We have 16 computers running Windows XP and haven't had any problems. And software does not have an "end of life", it continues to do what it always did.

Do secret government agencies pay for vulnerabilities? Why do Adobe Flash and the Windows operating system have so many vulnerabilities? Do Adobe Systems and Microsoft sell vulnerabilities to secret government agencies and fix them when they are publicly discovered?

Get serious about recognizing abuse. Quoting this comment, with modifications: We've seen Microsoft's continuous stream of lies and incompetence... including a number of "bugs" and "mistakes" that appear deliberate.

Well you can always just download the updates once and inject them into an installer media to use for multiple computer installations.

For corporate networks on an active directory domain, there are WSUS and SCCM options.
For home networks where investing in that type of infrastructure isn't particularly desired, there are even more options available to you.

- Autopatcher ( http://www.autopatcher.net/ )
- Windows Update Downloader ( http://www.windowsupdatesdownl... )
- Windows Update MiniTool

You can then use your existing WindowsISO along with the updates downloaded above to build a new ISO that installs everything all together in one go.

- nLite ( For Win XP )
- vLite ( For Win Vista )
- rt7lite ( For Win 7)

Hopefully one of the project pages above will list options for Win 8 or 10 if you need that. I've personally not done so with anything newer than 7 so you'll have to research those on your own.

Quoting the parent comment, with modifications: We've seen Microsoft's continuous stream of lies and incompetence... including a number of "bugs" and "mistakes" that appear deliberate.

An article I wrote last year, Microsoft Windows XP "end of life", makes the point that Microsoft fixed 319+828+459=1,606 bugs in Windows XP since Windows XP SP1 was released. Now Microsoft says Windows XP is still too buggy to use. We have 16 computers running Windows XP and haven't had any problems. And software does not have an "end of life", it continues to do what it always did.

Why do Adobe Flash and the Windows operating system have so many vulnerabilities? Do Adobe Systems and Microsoft sell vulnerabilities to secret government agencies and fix them when they are publicly discovered?

Ideas:

1) Use Autopatcher until Microsoft's begins its new system of hiding even more completely what it is doing with its updates.

2) Don't allow any Microsoft operating system to have a connection to the internet. Use Linux on a separate computer on a separate network for internet connections. Use Bluetooth to communicate between the Windows OS network and the Linux network.

On hour nine of "Checking for updates" here. 50% cpu use for nine hours to check for updates? What a load of crap. I think windows has had its last gasp.

I guess I can try AutoPatcher and see if I can get this one update there. I used to use AutoPatcher only on unlicensed copies of windows. Now it looks like I have to use it for legit copies too.

MS, you suck. Bad.

Wow! Many of the comments above have somewhat justified or accepted Microsoft's abuse.

1) Can we have a court case to force Microsoft to sell everyone the Enterprise version of Windows 10?

2) On Windows 7 and 8, turn off automatic updates and use Autopatcher. Unfortunately, Autopatcher has not begun supporting Windows 10. We need independent control over Windows operating system updates. How can we achieve that?

3) Don't let Windows connect to the internet. Use 2 separate networks. There would need to be some way for the separate networks to communicate. Internet access could be done using separate computers running Linux.

Microsoft has a long, long history of releasing defective code and fixing it later. After fixing 2,722 vulnerabilities and other defects, Microsoft declared Microsoft Windows XP "end of life". After fixing almost 3,000 defects, Microsoft declared Windows XP was too vulnerable to use.

We still have 17 computers running Windows XP with a software firewall. We've had no problems. Everyone is a limited rights user.

4) We need international support for a Windows-compatible operating system, like ReactOS.

5) Maybe the U.S. government now only helps the rich gets richer. The European government could bring a huge court case against Microsoft.

It amazes me that people have been so accepting of Microsoft's abuse. 3 ideas: 1) Autopatcher has not begun supporting Windows 10. We need independent control over Windows operating system updates. How can we achieve that? 2) Don't let Windows connect to the internet. Microsoft has a long, long history of releasing very buggy code and fixing it later. After fixing 2,722 vulnerabilities and bugs, Microsoft declared Microsoft Windows XP "end of life". 3) We need international support for a Windows-compatible operating system, like ReactOS.

1. Don't automatically install Recommended updates. Only security updates. 2. If you're a business then run an internal WSUS server. It doesn't take much power at all. Or run it off your domain controller. 3. Every product has buggy code. There's a big difference between stop/break fixes and minor inconveniences.

It amazes me that people have been so accepting of Microsoft's abuse.

3 ideas:

1) Autopatcher has not begun supporting Windows 10. We need independent control over Windows operating system updates. How can we achieve that?

2) Don't let Windows connect to the internet. Microsoft has a long, long history of releasing very buggy code and fixing it later. After fixing 2,722 vulnerabilities and bugs, Microsoft declared Microsoft Windows XP "end of life".

3) We need international support for a Windows-compatible operating system, like ReactOS.

"... use AutoPatcher rather than trusting Microsoft..." AutoPatcher: Independent evaluation of Microsoft patches.

You make some interesting points.

You said: "[For Microsoft,] Screwing over their customers is a sound strategy, because their customers will not abandon them no matter how much abuse they dish out."

And: "[Microsoft's] customers will not abandon [Windows], no matter how badly they're treated."

Over a long time, the extreme abuse will cause people to move away from Windows, however. It would be sensible for the United Nations to support ReactOS.

"... they need to get more recurring revenue from existing customers. Ads are a good way to do that."

If I see an ad delivered by an operating system, I would have 2 reactions: 1) I would remember never to buy anything from the company that advertised. 2) If I am very offended, I would write to the board of directors and suggest that the CEO be replaced.

Independent control: Autopatcher has been wonderful for us. After extensive studies are done, only the useful patches are accepted. Of course, Microsoft has been making that far more difficult.

Basically, it seems sensible to develop a system in which Windows is NEVER allowed to connect to the internet. Then Microsoft's patches with sometimes hidden purposes would not be needed.

"Candy Crush and Twitter already re-install themselves every time I update the OS."

Two questions about solving problems caused by Microsoft's apparent attempts to take complete control:

1) The average Windows user is not able to prevent Microsoft from having more and more control. But corporate customers don't want to spend the time to learn a new user interface. They like what is now known as Classic Shell.

Microsoft is, and has always been, sloppy with updates, often introducting new vulnerabilities. Also, the control that Microsoft calls "Telemetry" and the updates with hidden purposes are not acceptable to many people and corporations. So, it seems that Windows should not be installed on computers that have internet connections.

Would it be possible to give corporate users 2 computers? Windows 10 to run corporate software, with no internet connection, and Linux for checking email and using a browser? How would the 2 separate networks communicate in a secure way? Unfortunately, no one has provided a Classic Shell interface for Linux, and many programs used in corporations won't run under Linux.

The managers of Microsoft (like Monkey Boy, for example) have such limited social ability that they are not able to avoid being self-destructive. They don't see that taking control of everyone's computer will eventually have a very bad result.

Also, there have been reports that secret agencies of the U.S. government buy vulnerabilities. Are Microsoft and Adobe deliberately including vulnerabilities and selling them?

Apparently Microsoft is trying to imitate Facebook and Google because of the sharp drop in sales of PC computers. But Windows 10 is the Bing or Zune of operating systems.

2) Autopatcher has not begun supporting Windows 10. We need independent control over Windows operating system updates. How can we achieve that?

Here is how you solve THAT problem, which just FYI the "Get Win10" was placed for a time in the "critical" which caused a big stink, here ya go....Autopatcher which you can carry on a stick or deploy from a network share.

Sorry about your mum, I buried my dad in May. I wish I can tell you it gets better but ya know what? It really doesn't.

"People are happy idiots."

Actually, people are unhappy "idiots". When abusers succeed, that causes others to choose to be abusive. When there are a huge number of people doing many kinds of abuses, people begin feeling that they can't protect themselves, and try to ignore the abuses.

The U.S. government in general, U.S. banks, and the many secret agencies of the U.S. government engage in many kinds of abuses. For example, a side-effect of NSA activities also has the initials NSA: No Sales for America. Companies don't want to buy complicated products from the U.S. because agencies of the U.S. government can go to any U.S. corporation and tell executives that they must accept the insertion of spy products, and keep that secret, or go to prison. Since any complicated U.S. product could have methods of control or spying or worse, it is better for foreign customers to avoid buying anything touched by U.S. companies.

One effect of "upgrading" to Windows 10: Windows Media Center will be deleted.

Another loss in Windows 10: Windows Updates will be forced, in at least one version. Will there be other lost features, now or later? Will Microsoft extend its control over Windows in other hidden or complicated ways? The issue is not whether technically-knowledgeable users will be able to stop forced updates; the issue is that most people won't know how to regain control over their systems. That control is important because often Microsoft has given poorly designed updates that have caused problems on user's systems. See this Slashdot story, for example, Windows 10's Automatic Updates For NVidia Drivers Causing Trouble.

More about Microsoft releasing buggy software: The Slashdot story, Windows 10 Launches, says Windows 10 is "buggier than Windows 8.1, 8, 7, or Vista were on their respective launch days" and "During my testing on a variety of hardware, I've run into a lot of bugs and issues -- even with the version that will be released to consumers on launch day".

(At present, the best way to update Windows 7 is to use Autopatcher, because Microsoft's anti-customer "updates" are avoided.)

Online comments say that Microsoft will try to move Windows to a model that requires monthly payments.

Firefox: Embraced, "Extended", soon to be Extinguished? Mozilla Foundation now gets most of its money from Microsoft. Microsoft pays Yahoo. Yahoo pays Mozilla Foundation to make "Yahoo search" (actually Microsoft Bing search) the default search engine in Firefox. Most people don't have the technical knowledge to know how they've been manipulated, or how to restore the default search engine to Google search.

Thunderbird and SeaMonkey Composer GUIs: Damaged, apparently deliberately. Every time you do a file save, the newer versions of both ask for a new file name, and don't suggest the last one chosen. The damage was reported several months ago, but has not been fixed. Is that another example of Embrace, Extend, Extinguish? People who feel forced away from Thunderbird may choose Microsoft software to replace it. Is that what Microsoft is trying to accomplish?

One effect of abuse is that the abusers become VERY unhappy. For years, people called Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer "Monkey Boy". That reflected the results of Ballmer's constant involvement in Microsoft's abuse of its customers.

Microsoft is amazingly badly managed. The

In my opinion, Microsoft is an extremely badly managed and abusive company. I see these issues as supporting that widely shared opinion:

One effect of "upgrading" to Windows 10: Windows Media Center will be deleted. Microsoft is also apparently trying to kill Windows Media Center software in other versions of Windows, without notice, by stopping providing the TV program schedule (EPG, Electronic Program Guide). That affects hundreds of thousands of users. The issue is not who uses Windows Media Center. The issue is that apparently Microsoft is operating in a sneaky fashion that is extremely anti-customer, and that shows Microsoft is trying to take even more control over its users.

Microsoft and thousands of customers are blaming Rovi. Notice, for example, how many times Rovi is mentioned on this Microsoft web page:
https://connect.microsoft.com/site1145/Feedback

This Microsoft web pages says the TV Guide has been "Updated":
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3078428,
but many Windows Media Center users no longer have a TV schedule, making Windows Media Center worthless because it is very difficult to record without the schedule.

Microsoft is apparently deliberately destroying Windows Media Center, and letting Rovi take the blame. For example, a new installation of Windows Media Center on a fully updated Windows 7 Ultimate computer has several flaws, not just the lack of a TV program guide.

Another loss in Windows 10: Windows Updates will be forced, in some versions. Will there be other lost features, now or later? Will Microsoft extend its control over Windows in other hidden or complicated ways? Online comments say that Microsoft will try to move Windows to a model that requires monthly payments. The issue is not whether technically-knowledgeable users will be able to stop forced updates; the issue is that most people won't know how to regain control over their systems. That control is important because often Microsoft has issued poorly designed updates that have caused problems on user's systems. See this Slashdot story, for example, Windows 10's Automatic Updates For NVidia Drivers Causing Trouble.

More about Microsoft releasing buggy software: The Slashdot story, Windows 10 Launches, says Windows 10 is "buggier than Windows 8.1, 8, 7, or Vista were on their respective launch days" and "During my testing on a variety of hardware, I've run into a lot of bugs and issues -- even with the version that will be released to consumers on launch day".

(At present, the best way to update Windows 7 is to use Autopatcher, because Microsoft's anti-customer "updates" are avoided.)

Firefox: Embraced, "Extended", soon to be Extinguished? Mozilla Foundation now gets most of its money from Microsoft. Microsoft pays Yahoo. Yahoo pays Mozilla Foundation to make "Yahoo search" (actually Microsoft Bing search) the default search engine in Firefox. Most people don't have the technical knowledge to know how they've been manipulated, or how to restore the default search engine to Google search.

Thunderbird and SeaMonkey Composer GUIs: Damaged, apparently deliberately. Every time you do a file save, the newer versions of both ask for a new file name, and don't suggest the last one chosen. The damage was reported several months ago, but has not been fixed. Is t

"Blocked that as well, you never know what they spam you with..."

At present, the best way to update Windows 7 is to use Autopatcher. The Autopatcher group helps everyone avoid Microsoft's anti-customer "updates".

Microsoft's updates are usually poorly described. The business rules Microsoft has made for itself do not include being honest or complete in describing the control Microsoft wants over computers.

One effect of "upgrading" to Windows 10: Windows Media Center will be deleted.

Another loss in Windows 10: Windows Updates will be forced, in some versions. What other sneaky methods will Microsoft use? Will there be other lost features? Will Microsoft extend its control over Windows in other hidden or complicated ways? At present, the best way to update Windows 7 is to use Autopatcher, because Microsoft's anti-customer "updates" are avoided.

Firefox: Embraced, "Extended", soon to be Extinguished? Mozilla Foundation now gets most of its money from Microsoft. How? Microsoft pays Yahoo. Yahoo pays Mozilla Foundation to make "Yahoo search" (actually Microsoft Bing search) the default search engine in Firefox. Most people don't have the technical knowledge to know how they've been manipulated, or how to restore the default search engine to Google search.

Thunderbird and SeaMonkey Composer GUIs: Damaged, apparently deliberately. Every time you do a file save, the newer versions of both ask for a new file name, and don't suggest the last one chosen. The damage was reported several months ago, but has not been fixed. Is that another example of Embrace, Extend, Extinguish? People who feel forced away from Thunderbird may choose Microsoft software to replace it. Is that what Microsoft is trying to accomplish?

Microsoft is amazingly badly managed. The company apparently survives only because of having an unregulated virtual monopoly that allows it to charge full price for each new version, and to alternate good and bad versions, so customers pay twice for new versions. (Windows XP, good. Windows Vista, bad. Windows 7, good. Windows 8, so bad the next version, Windows 10 is "free".)

"Monkey Boy" The cover of the January 16, 2013 issue of BusinessWeek magazine has a large photo of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer (now replaced) with the headline calling him "Monkey Boy". See the BusinessWeek cover in this article: Steve Ballmer Is No Longer A Monkey Boy, Says Bloomberg BusinessWeek. The BusinessWeek cover says "No More" and "Mr.", but that doesn't take much away from the fact that the magazine called Ballmer Monkey Boy -- on its cover.

Worst CEO: Quote from an article in Forbes Magazine about Steve Ballmer: "Without a doubt, Mr. Ballmer is the worst CEO of a large publicly traded American company today."

Another quote: "The reach of his bad leadership has extended far beyond Microsoft when it comes to destroying shareholder value -- and jobs." (May 12, 2012)

"... the last update on April 8th is good for at least May 8th right?"

Updates already issued will still be available. I read somewhere that updates are still available for Windows 98.

I agree; I also get tired of Microsoft's abuse of its customers. Go to my article and search for "Satan". How does it happen that the media allows Microsoft's abuse?

And, you can always use AutoPatcher to put all updates on your computer.