Windows Update last night?

Did anyone else get a pretty big looking Windows Update last night?

I did.

And now any time I run SL, my computer feels like it's 20 years old. SL is laggy, programs lock up repeatedly (every few minutes, everything completely locks up for 45 seconds, then comes back). So, easy fix, I'm going to get rid of whatever the update was.

But as I do, I'm throwing this out to see if anyone else is running into a similar issue.

Wow.

Change windows automatic updating. Set it to download the update, but let you choose whether or not to install. This way your chances of avoiding a bad update are greater.

I run Windows 7 and received no special update. The only thing waiting in my update que is some Office 7 MS Publisher security update.

Update. I took out the two Windows Updates. My computer no longer locks up. Now just SL locks up. Screen goes black, then after a moment, I get told SL is no longer responding.

Seems like one tech problem after another these last two days...

When you got your Windows Update did you look at what was being updated? Security patches and such are important and should be taken and installed. But Windows also will put in optional updates for things like video cards/chipsets, sound drivers, network interface devices, etc. Those can usually be safely ignored.....if you think you really need them then go ahead and get them (but it's usually better to go the website of the manufacturer if you want those drivers).

I have my Vista machine set up to check for updates and notify me when available....but not to install them. You can also tell Windows update to not set the optional updates for installation. I check every update before I ever download them. Bug fixes, security updates and patches I always install. The others I seldom install.........I hid them so they don't keep coming up in any visit to Windows Update.

The update might just be the next phase of the Windows 7 marketing campaign...
"See... XP is Bad".

There were three updates. Two security and one labeled generic "Windows update".

I dunno, I can't wrap my head around this.

Starting to piss me off. I can't get anything done in SL like this.

It's also worth noting that SL is absolutely eating up one whole core of my dual core CPU- 100% in use when SL is running. And the memory it's using just keeps on climbing and climbing, even when I'm standing at home with nothing on, doing nothing. I watched it go from 645,000k to 695,000k in just a few minutes.

You need the security updates. That generic update you can uninstall. Or do a system restore to a point a day or two before you did the Windows update. If everything is fine when you do that then go and delete all the updates except that one and go get the two secuity updates without the "generic" one.

I don't think your 9800 is the problem but you might check that by uninstalling the driver you have installed for it now and getting a fresh driver from nVidia's website.........the 185.85 driver works well for that card.

I'm using the latest one, 186.18. I just upgraded the other day after they told me my graphics drivers might be making my connection bad (What?).

Sometimes the latest driver for any device is not the best driver for what you want or need. In fact, often the latest driver is a little buggy (it takes a few weeks for those get worked out). You can keep that driver if you want, but I told you the driver I use for my 9800GTX+ card.......your 9800GT is listed for that driver too. I know the 185.85 works (don't have the 186.16 driver so I can't vouch for it). Also, as I said, I don't think it's your driver....but to check you might try the driver I suggested. Your choice.

Yeah, I'm going to try it. A troubleshooting step is a troubleshooting step.