Is Windows 7 Intentionally Difficult To Update?

Why would they make it easy, they want everyone on the 10 platform...all the cloud crap is tied to 10...

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13853/windows-lifecycle-fact-sheet

All of my computers are windows 7 based and I typically do a full dump and reload on them about once a year.

With that I usually expect it to take a week or so before all the updates have been reinstalled.

The first 3 - 4 days hit the majority, usually with 1 -2 lockups, then the rest trickle in over the next 3 - 4.

Also just for convenience I recommend that once you have everything installed as you like it do a full ghost copy of your hard drive so that you have a clean master copy to fall back to incase of a major issue.

I got hit with that ransomware virus last year and fortunately I had the master copies of everything for all my computers so cleaning that up was an easy fix.

This is similar to buying tablet's, about 8 years ago I bought a tablet for $600.00 . Two years later the tablet took a crap when the battery died, I learned my lesson, now I buy the cheapest tablet they sell, when the battery fails after 4 years, I just buy another for $40. bucks.

I also had problems with the Gate$ virus, I finally changed to Ubuntu Linux. Sure, there is a learning curve, but no different to first using Window$. If I find something I am unable to get around, I just Google the problem and away I go...Beautiful.!

It is probably more intentionally difficult NOT to update.

Hey Frank, It has to do with age mostly. The OS is on its third major revision SP3 which in itself is telling. But then over the years security vulnerabilities, system glitches, peripheral bugs and a whole host of new features were added. Graphics processors have changed considerably as have displays, printers, storage devices, USB, Blue tooth.... you get the idea. So it is always going to be a long process to bring this OS up to date (term used loosely). As for pushing people to W10. I would say they are and with good reason. The capabilities of W7 have reached the limit of the code used to create it. attempting to add new peripherals and devices to it will become more and more cumbersome to impossible as we go forward, as will securing it. As it stands I would not recommend using it for anything involving your personal finances. Cheers!

The windows 7 os is only on SP1 perhaps you are thinking about XP?

I understand it requires a lot of updates due to security but that doesn't explain the issue. Sure it needs lot of patching due to new security issues being found all the time. That can be said of every OS because new zero day exploits are found all the time.

The main issue is that it will sit at the checking for updates window for many many hours before anything happens.

If it needs 5 or 200 updates isn't the issue, it is how long it takes to find those updates.

Once it finds the updates and you actually download and install them it isn't so bad.

"The main issue is that it will sit at the checking for updates window for many many hours before anything happens.

If it needs 5 or 200 updates isn't the issue, it is how long it takes to find those updates.

Once it finds the updates and you actually download and install them it isn't so bad."

You have to consider that they run a limited number of servers dedicated to that job and that at any single point in time there are literally millions of computers trying to access those servers needing updates or as like you, entire reloads of everything starting from point zero.

That is true that millions of computers may be trying to access those servers but I still don't think that is the issue.

If you apply a manual patch (which you have to manually find) that patches the windows update service then it only takes about 15 minutes or less to find the updates. If the servers were really the issue then it wouldn't matter what you did the problem would still exist.

You are right. SP1. Been awhile since I messed with W7. What you describe I have no actual answer for. All I can surmise is it is taking that long to gain access and then wade through all of the possible updates for all Windows OS from 7 on, to find those that actually apply to your system and configuration. I would have to imagine that supporting W7 is not a priority at the moment. (whether for nefarious reasons or simple logistics.)

It's been my experience that Microsoft pushes you to upgrade to 10 pretty aggressively. That said, I have to admit that I prefer Windows 10 to Windows 7.

Aha...

http://www.networkworld.com/article/3138806/windows/how-to-speed-up-windows-7-update-scans-forever.html