Tag: update

Windows 7 Update Broke, No Notice, How to Fix

I don’t spend much time on my Windows 7 boot, and even if I did I would not have known. The Windows 7 Update program has been broken since October 2016. I did not receive any message to tell me to fix the error, so went without bug fixes for 6 months. For an automatic updating system that has been in existence for many years, this shows disrespect for Windows customers.

When I did try to do Windows Update, it would show me the old update options and allow me to submit update requests, but then wait indefinitely for updates to download. There was no error message whatsoever to tell me something else was wrong.

Automobile Software: Unsecure and not upgradeable

As a renter I get to try out a lot of new cars. This is somewhat disconcerting at times because if the UI is not intuitive, this causes me grief. I fumble around, trying to find a requirement, using my experience with other cars as my guide. This is common to not only cars but to any other object as well. One of the fancy features that almost all new cars have is the onboard entertainment system. Most have bluetooth connectivity. The car also have a myriad of independent computers, ranging from IR door unlocking to backup cameras. As a technologist I always wonder if these systems are secure. In the back of my mind I know they are not.

Xubuntu 12.04 Crashes on Update, then Repairs Self

Iovei I thought “What the Hay?”. I booted my dual boot machine with Xubuntu 12.04 and all was peachy. Tried a large update with Update manager, then powered down as normal. The next time I boot up my mouse was dead and there was no connectivity to the internet! What to do? At least I could get the session started, as normal but sans mouse. I plugged in a USB mouse and it auto detected. Back to Update Manager, which then did a “Partial Update”. This fixed itself, and now all is back to normal.

Turn off Update Notices to Adobe Flash a hassle

What a pain in the buttocks. Flash is annoying me with upgrade notices, all without a way of opting out. I find that Adobe flash and Reader upgrades have a nasty habit of malfunctioning, requiring me to uninstall and reinstall the whole product. Newer versions have more bloatware than utility. I have opted to simply not upgrade, but the upgrade notices continue to come. Here’s how to end your pain.