Have I told you lately how much I really really

[struggle4progress]

hate microsoft windows?

Trying to put a different operating system on a windows machine with no cdrom, so I first need to install the os to a usb stick. Then the usb sticks act hinky. Might be the mobo: some mobos really prefer usb boot sticks prepared in a windows environ, it seems

OK, I have a windows program on a windows machine for that, so I boot it up. Windows says: "We need to install updates. Please do not turn off your computer." OK. An hour later windows is done installing updates but it's bed time, so I shut down. In the morning, I try again: Windows says: "We need to configure 100 000 updates. Please do not turn off your computer." OK. When windows is finally done, the log-in screen comes up, so I log-in and start to download something I need. The download is going to take an hour or more. Eventually windows starts opening popup windows: "We need to restart your computer to reconfigure our updates. Will automatically restart in 10 minutes." I click the postpone button figuring, this should buy some time. But nope: I stupidly walk away for a few minutes and when I return the computer has shut down and rebooted into a different operating system, so I restart and boot back into windows. Windows now starts, auto shuts down, and auto restarts about five times before I'm back at the login screen. The download was interrupted of course and can't be recovered: gotta start all over again

Should have been an hour, hour and a half tops, start to finish. It's taken at least three and a half hours so far, thanks to windows

[hobbit709]

1. Number 1 in dealing with Windoze, turn automatic updates off

or at least set it notify me but don't download.

[ManiacJoe]

3. Or at least turn off the auto install.

The auto download is a nice feature.

[struggle4progress]

5. Thanks. I'll do that

:grr:

[Earth Bound Misfit]

2. Yes.

REPEATEDLY, in fact.
:evilgrin:

[struggle4progress]

4. Some things just can't be said often enough

[Earth Bound Misfit]

6. LOL.

I just re-discovered that tonight (for the umpty-ska-billion-teenth time) If I find some time tomorrow I'll post a rant thread about it.

[ChromeFoundry]

7. You are not running your OS in a Virtual?

You should install Windows into a virtual machine, apply service packs, updates, common software, etc.. then make a backup of the virtual machine. Now you can hack around all you want and don't have to worry about ever having to reinstall Windows again... And, everything is portable for running on a different machine, or your next machine.

just a thought.