Thread: Screwed BY Automatic Windows Update

Spent 5 hours at my inspection yesterday and easily over 3 hours on the report today. I was in the process of finishing it when my report form locked up on me and wouldn't respond. Panic setting in. I reboot the computer and get a message that Windows updates were processed. No!!!! I can no longer open the file for this inspection and it application locks up. I deleted all my voice notes and now must start this report over again when it was 99% completed.

This is the second time and automatic Windows update has screwed me but not nearly as bad as this time. I could throw this computer through the window right now.

Nick,

Sorry about your report, but ... turn off the automatic Windows updater - the next time it will be some other automatic updater, but not Windows ...

Work at turning off all Auto Updating. Often there is tracking being inserted that you may not like.

Don't rely on Auto Save.

SAVE early SAVE often. 3 sec can save hours of effort.

I saved dozens of times while working on the report. It made no difference. The auto update corrupted the file and I couldn't even open it. I would just get that little spinning circle and the application would not respond.

Originally Posted by Nick Ostrowski

I saved dozens of times while working on the report. It made no difference. The auto update corrupted the file and I couldn't even open it. I would just get that little spinning circle and the application would not respond.

Sometimes just saving is insufficient, better protection is obtained by saving then closing the file (which really 'saves' it) then reopening the file.

Sometimes, on larger and/or critical/time consuming work I will save as 'filename2', then save that back as 'filename' - that truly gives you a usable backup file in case something like you described occurs.

It's a lot more work to have to recreate a couple of hours work than to save as 'filename2' every 5-10 minutes. The most you need to recreate is that last 5-10 minutes, and many times you improve the way you say it in your report.

Originally Posted by Nick Ostrowski

I saved dozens of times while working on the report. It made no difference. The auto update corrupted the file and I couldn't even open it. I would just get that little spinning circle and the application would not respond.

64MB Pen Drive Flash Memory USB 2 0 with Cap Brand New Free Shipping | eBay

Get cloud based report writing software and you wont have to worry about that.

Nick I feel your pain. My best advise is to not panic the next time. Open the windows task manager to see what has taken control of your PC. Go have a cup of coffee and give it a little time to clear itself. Then if you have to you can close your report software using the task mgr. rather than using the Vulcan death grip. The reboot is most likely what killed you.

Never had an update freeze up a report, but I've lost two nearly finished reports over the years to other reasons. Frustrating beyond commentary although not beyond expressing very bad words.

My updates are set to manual so I control when I do them. It may be a freak occurrence that an update messed you up, but it isn't inconvenient to manually do updates.

And no advise from us is going to bring your file back now. Sniff.

Frank, I agree that the Cloud is good, but there are times when it is not available for connection reasons in my area. So that is not foolproof either. Have you ever tried to download from the Cloud and had no connection? Talk about watching the spinning wheel.

I hate rework. One thing that happens to me sometimes is I run the battery low on my laptop and it goes black screen on me. But usually plugging in the charger and rebooting takes me back to a saved file.

Nick, as others have said, there are ways to turn off updates, but you need those updates to block viruses.
We are slowly losing control of our own destinies.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

And no advise from us is going to bring your file back now. Sniff.

I also have had to reconstruct a report lost to a computer crash - I was finishing a 7 hour inspection and as I was just about to make the table of contents and ... the screen went black ... and then came back on on as the 'blue screen of death' (it was that long ago, yes) ... make all the notes I can then go back to the office to recreate the report on my office computer.

Frank, I agree that the Cloud is good, but there are times when it is not available for connection reasons in my area. So that is not foolproof either. Have you ever tried to download from the Cloud and had no connection? Talk about watching the spinning wheel.

You can now get a 'cloud' you can take with you.

There's only one solution......I am handwriting all my reports form now on.





Naaahhhhh!!!!!

No need to go back to the stone age. I'll bet Windows 3 could handle a basic inspection report. There would be virtually no viruses or spybots or whatever the cybergeeks are planting these days.
But the Blue screen of death would always be lurking in the shadows.

Originally Posted by Nick Ostrowski

There's only one solution......I am handwriting all my reports form now on.
Naaahhhhh!!!!!

Don't go dissing the pen, bro.
The pen is mightier than the pixel.
Don't believe me? When has anyone poked their eye out with a pixel?

I rest my case................

But seriously, I'm not interested in doing anything but flying a plane in the cloud. I don't rent my inspection software and I won't rely on some cloud to write a report. Each to their own, but that's not for me.

Originally Posted by Lon Henderson

But seriously, I'm not interested in doing anything but flying a plane in the cloud. I don't rent my inspection software and I won't rely on some cloud to write a report. Each to their own, but that's not for me.

Not even in your own cloud? Or are you VFR?

My Cloud