Latest Windows Update, September 12th or 13th 2023

[Bryn]

Though not automatically alerted, I happened to check on my ARM-based Windows 10 laptop (not this one) for Windows updates in the early hours today. The immediate on-screen notification was that there were no new updates. However, on the basis of past experience, I hit the "Check for updates" button anyway. It turned out that there were 3 new updates since the last automated check during the 12th inst. The updates took ages to download and install, involving 2 restarts, with misleading notifications of 100% installation along the way. After the second restart, it was a major hassle getting logged in again, requiring reregistering with Microsoft when the fingerprint login failed to function. Eventually, I managed to get the login problems sorted and a further restart seems to have offered a stable situation. This experience prompted me to check the Intel i7-based laptop, too. Again the immediate response was that it reparted as up to date. Again I checked for updates via the relevant button and, again, 3 updates were reported. This time, though the update process took significantly longer than usual, there were no similar problems with logging on after the second restart. Furthermore, low and behold, the need to frequently log in again to this Forum seems to have disappeared. I was just wondering whether others here had problems with this latest set of updates.

I should add that the ARM-based laptop requires a different Windows 10 version to the Intel-based one, The attraction of the former is that it has a SIM socket in the back which offers the option of Internet connection wherever a 3G, 4G or 5G mobile signal is available, so no need for ethernet or WiFi. Its main disadvantage is that, in many cases, specially written 64-bit versions of applications are required or it has to fall back on 32-bit options.

[JasonPalmer]

We recently bought a chromebook, is an interesting product and the ability to touch the screen to scroll and select things is very useful. Annoyed that when i rarely use a windows pc or laptop it requires updates.

[Bryn]

We recently bought a chromebook, is an interesting product and the ability to touch the screen to scroll and select things is very useful. Annoyed that when i rarely use a windows pc or laptop it requires updates.

Within its limited application handling, a Chromebook can make a very handy Internet browsing device. However, for such uses as heavy-duty multi-channel audio or high-definition video editing, etc., a rather more powerful machine running Mac OS, Windows or Linux is required. Comparing a Chromebook to such significantly more powerful and flexible computers is to compare apples and oranges. While Chromebooks can run a scaled-down audio editor such as Audacity under Linux, they are simply not aimed at more intensive work.

[JasonPalmer]

Bryn,

fair point

regards

jason

[Dave2002]

I bought a very cheap Chromebook about a year ago, thinking that it would do for travelling, and if it got lost, stolen or damaged it wouldn't really matter too much.

The reality is that I have hardly used it, and we have still continued to take rather more valuable computers and tablets on trips. The idea seemed sound enough, but the outcome was not quite what I expected.

[Bryn]

Until today, the laptop I am using has been identified as not being compatible with Windows 11. However, when I checked for Windows updates this morning, I was invited to 'upgrade' to Windows 11, and the Microsoft Windows health check app now reports it (a 5-year-old i7-powered Lenovo) as fully compatible. Presumably, they have updated Windows 11, since I have not made any relevant changes to the laptop.