I can't let Microsoft off so easily from the fiasco (see post 787) re Windows Update processes. I really wanted a new PC and started to review the top brands once again (Lenovo, ASUS, DELL, HP, ACER) only to many, many users of all brands have run into the Overheating and loud fan problem. Particularly troubling is the mentioning of LOUD fan noise in the context of ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY. Only a few of the users though recognized that Windows Update had a play in why the fans were running at their max speed and so long. Most simply commented on the brand's processor review that the noticed the disturbing fan noise and a good portion returned/replaced the unit. The replacements also had the same noise, and it points out clearly that the brand's manufacturer had no clue either. Well, many problems are apparent looking at this fiasco:
1. The PC manufacturer's technical support is clueless of the root cause of the fan even running!
2. In my case with Dell, they weren't interested in going down the road with me to discover the root cause. Simpler for them is to tell you to send it the DEPOT to have it looked up, totally ignorant of the work and inconvenience this solution causes. I would imagine I would have gotten a replacement set up at ground zero, meaning, I would have had to rebuild and customize it from scratch again!
3. The LOUDNESS is a concern itself. A lap top, particularly one that is used in an executive boadr room or an office with other people cannot be so noisy it causes distractions to others! So, the brand manufacturers need either address this noise OR go after the root cause of the issue (MICROSOFT).
4. The over heating caused by over clocking for example, or for some other reason can damage processors and other computer parts. All fans will fail some time, but not usually in the life time of your PC which will become out-dated and replaced usually. However, a fan that runs at high speed for HOURS WILL likely fail within your PC lifetime! Thus, the over heating root cause needs to be found (MICROSOFT in this case) and eliminated or your PC architecture must understand the load processes and be designed to accommodate them.
5. An application, Windows Updates in my case, need to be controlled and not crazily jeopardize it's host (MY PC). But, what if this is the plan by Microsoft? Why don't their machines over heat? Or do they? Or did they and now don't because they perform the Window Update differently on their machines? Hmmmm, I mean grrrrr.
Let's contemplate #5 above. A company certainly wants to compete with others. BUT fairly as President Trump keeps reminding us re Trade. If you were running Lenovo, HP, Dell, ASUS, Acer, etc.) and your PCs were being hammered by Windows Update over heating what would you do? Put millions or billions in developing new technology to handle the heat or simply go after the abuser?
Going after the abuser primer: Assume you were an application developer and for some reason one of your programmers found a slick way to run many tasks at the same time. Clever. Now you can get 100 things done in the same time it took 1 before. This is multi-programming and rather old. The concept is to utilize whatever resources are available in the machine to fulfill your purpose. Hence, If there are 4 or 8 or 18 processors, run something on all of them at the same time, while have hundreds queued up to run on them when a particular task hesitates for I/O. theoretically, you can keep every core processor busy close to 100% of the time, and burn up your PC doing it! This, the rub. You CAN'T use the resources full out. There must be limits to your madness. So, you determine that 25% use of every process at the same time would be a 100x improvement over your competitor's applications. If you don't blow up the machine you make a fortune selling your application!
But, suppose you are writing an application that will make money DIRECTLY. How can you take advantage of your poor competitors? How about blow up their machines but while safely running on your machines? Hence, a new conspiracy theory has been born. I need to simply design MY machine so it can tolerate 25% CPU per installed processor and let the other figure out why their machines are having issues. Hey, why not additionally team up with manufacturer's of cooling systems and say, look, I want to invest in you and get in cheap knowing that you can cause a reason for the consumer to worry and buy addition cooling systems. Clever!
Hello Microsoft Windows Update! You're own your way to make this happen! Just like you pushed Windows Update to monopolize consumer systems on old O/S to force them to to newer one, you have now found another way to force consumers to buy cooling systems or your processors.
What COULD MICROSOFT do instead? Be a friendly neighbor? Yes. There is no reason to dispatch hundreds of updating actions that over-utilize the processors in a machine to the point of cause so much heat that the fans run constantly and loudly! I DON'T need my updates done instantly! Nor do I need them packaged so large that they take days to install! I realize Windows 10 has a monumental number of software issues. The PC architecture was never designed to handle the attacks and complexities we see today. It IS time for a new architecture. Unfortunately, we'll never see it in our life time. It is a CASH COW for Microsoft. Apple, come to our rescue with less expensive machines! So, the resolution becomes:
1. Package smaller updates and send them off more frequently
2. No package should ever exceed x number of update tasks at a time, keeping the queues reasonable and the processors under, say, 10% running in the background without interfering with consumer use.
3. For large packages, assuming unavoidable, keep # 2 in force, and schedule the updates overnight. Do NOT cause overheating then when the consumer won't see it!!!
4. STOP the forced Automation of maintenance! You must allow the consumer to at least Schedule updates when appropriate. BUT you must still comply with 1,2 and 3 above.
Okay. Now lifting my leg and cooling down the soapbox. I feel better now knowing what is happening, at least in my mind. Unfortunately, my desire to buy a new PC has disappeared since all brands have this problem and all are susceptible to damage from the problem. Over clocking by Intel Turbo Boost adds to thr heat, but at least they were smart enough to step out of the picture by turning it off once over heating occurs. Unfortunately though, when you really need the boost (Windows Update), you can't take advantage of it! Maybe the answer is better cooling systems. Water cooled systems work! The personal computer, particularly all computer built around Intel and Microsoft are nothing bu repeats of mainframes by IBM and lookalikes. Even the operating systems follow the same path: a few tasks (DOS), multi tasking (SVS, MVS), multiple virtual machine (VM), distributed (CLOUD and Networking), etc. The key engineering challenge was always how to keep the machine cool when components are becoming denser and smaller. The big difference is the greed of the multiple brands to just SELL things rather than to innovate. I'm not an Apple person (yet), but their new system out in December is electrifying. Adequate cooling is a MUST. Hello PC manufacturers. Spend some research money. I really don't see any of the companies stepping up to this task other than Microsoft and Apple. All the others are simply producing cute bells and whistle stuff to attract consumers.
Didn't I say the soapbox was going away. Oh gee, even the floor is wet and starting to stink. Have a nice day.
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