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May installation of windows security and critical updates affect applications before reboot ? RRS feed

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    Hello All,

    Is it completely safe to install widows security and critical updates while applications are running ?
    I know that most updates require a reboot to finish the installation so you don't know

    if everything is ok until you reboot the system, but is there any chance

    that the updates will cause the system or some applications to crash even before reboot ?

    Normally we don't install any updates without downtime but the customer

    doesn't want a long downtime in case of one particular server so he wants us to install the updates while the application is running.

    I was advised against it by some colleagues but I don't know specifically why it should be a problem.

    Thanks in advance !

    Monday, May 23, 2016 12:29 PM

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    Hi Johnyemc2,

    Some updates require access to files currently in use by your system. While windows update does not know if or when those files will be available to use, so the system will require a reboot to avoid any conflicts.

    For security-related updates, your computer is unsafe before that reboot, it is vulnerable to attacks which exploit the issue fixed by the update requiring a reboot.

    So, as far as I'm concerned, updates need reboot will not modify related files before rebooting in order to avoid conflict with the current applications. But it is recommend to reboot as soon as the updates are installed, because they can make your system safer and more secure.

    Best Regards,

    Anne

    Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help. If you have feedback for TechNet Support, contact tnmff@microsoft.com.

    Tuesday, May 24, 2016 3:17 AM

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    Hi Johnyemc2,

    Some updates require access to files currently in use by your system. While windows update does not know if or when those files will be available to use, so the system will require a reboot to avoid any conflicts.

    For security-related updates, your computer is unsafe before that reboot, it is vulnerable to attacks which exploit the issue fixed by the update requiring a reboot.

    So, as far as I'm concerned, updates need reboot will not modify related files before rebooting in order to avoid conflict with the current applications. But it is recommend to reboot as soon as the updates are installed, because they can make your system safer and more secure.

    Best Regards,

    Anne

    Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help. If you have feedback for TechNet Support, contact tnmff@microsoft.com.

    Tuesday, May 24, 2016 3:17 AM
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    I have also come across machines which "misbehaive" and do wierd things if you instal updates and do not restart them until a later date. True not always, but I would still never install updates unless I can restart the server immediately afterwards.
    Thursday, May 26, 2016 2:40 PM