Source
r/msp•
TechBlizzard

What the #@%^ do you do with updates on Windows 10?

Updates on Windows 10 are a complete nightmare. Numerous clients have had issues with updates breaking applications, corrupting user profiles, reducing performance and wasting time.

Disabling updates completely is a terrible idea. Letting users randomly update and experience issues is not what I want to do. One option is to image PCs with the latest Windows build, but that seems overkill to carry out for each of my customer's computers.

We've been addressing individual cases as they come up, but this is not good enough. We need to have a set process for handling these updates.

How do you manage updates on Windows 10? How do you do this effectively? What's your process?

Posted Jun 15, 2018, 6:01 PM UTC

930
sdonohue1994•

We use out RMM as well and push out what we want. Typically we wait few days look for people complaining online, look into the update to see what it does (best we can), then release the update.

12
sfreem•

This

3
JAz909•

Basically this plus good and frequent backups (with a good/decent RTO) to get you back from the bloodied edge if it comes to that.

2
qcomer1•

We utilize our RMM tool to set the branch and the maximum delay. For scenarios where we WANT them to deploy - we push with scripts.

4
lowkeymsp•

We've had nothing but trouble. More often than not when it breaks a clean install is necessary to fix the problem.

2
Tolje•

Patch Management via N-Central.

2
freedomit•

I feel your pain, especially in small environments with no server it’s hard to control

1
Vyper28•

The correct answer is cry

1
zveroboy152•

WSUS or SCCM.

0
justinm001•

You handle updates with windows 10 just like everything else. Critical security ones go instantly, if it breaks the pc it’s better than having a security risk. Non security updates wait a couple weeks, let others deal with the issues day 1 and you patch in batches.

-4
remotefixonline•

"Hey boss we can't work" "I know, We will be out of business in a month, but at least we are secure" /s (mostly)

The biggest issue with 10 home/pro is that you can't uninstall the update then block it. Several times I've fixed an application that was critical to the business by uninstalling the update only to have it reinstall the same update that night. This was for an update deemed "critical" by microsoft, but it wasn't to the business because these computers, users, or that segment of the network could not browse the web at all...

7
justinm001•

Critical updates are different than critical security ones. I’d much rather ever computer be down, then have them infected. If you know of a critical security issue and don’t patch it , you’re liable. If you patch it to protect the network and it causes issues, you’re safe. Also these vulnerabilities are publicly announced then used by attackers because they know about it.

Nothing is more important than security. If you disagree then you’re in the wrong line of business. Having them out of business in a month is a lot better then all their data being stolen and out that day with massive lawsuits.

-4
remotefixonline•

You are actually saying putting a company out of business is better than appling a patch that is impossible to exploit in the environment? And you somehow think you wont be sued and/or fired for that?

2
justinm001•

Definitely. Your job is to protect their Network, if you know of volnerabilities and don't patch it, you're liable.

If you patch a system and it causes it to be down that's not your fault. You can't be sued for doing your job as outlined in your contract.

-4
parttimeadult•

Nothing is more important to business than not having downtime. Security is handled by your firewall, not Windows updates.

-1†
justinm001•

You're firewall handles network security and intrusion prevention. They don't secure against volnerabilities, that's why they have security updates.

This is common sense anyone securing a network.

2
justinm001•

Downtime is a hell of a lot better than data theft. You'd rather have your clients network get hacked and all data stolen and being down over a patch cause a bad update and it being down?

0
infusednz•

lol

1