OSX updates and frequent reboots

Wicksta

Wicksta

Wicksta

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Has anyone else who has switched from Windows noticed the amount of times a reboot is needed due to updates on OSX compared to Windows. This is a common thing that Apple owners take the mickey out of Windows users for but I seem to have to reboot much more often on OSX due to updates compared to Windows.

I had to reboot for 3 updates earlier (including a Quicktime update, why should that need a reboot!) and the machine took about 5 minutes to complete the updates. Now I've done a software update manually and it's found a Security update (2007-009) that needs yet another reboot. I've had the machine about 2 months and I've probably had to reboot it 6 or 7 times for software updates, in the same time my Windows laptop hasn't needed one.
 
Well the main thing that comes to my mind is that Leopard has just been released and so there are obviously going to be a few more patches and fixes at the moment that will require a reboot.

I wouldn't say that my Windows PC reboots any less from being updated (I would generally reboot it as a precaution anyway!), also as I tend to turn it off when not using it rather than putting it to sleep like I do with my Mac so that's a bit of a moot point for me as its inherently rebooted more often than my Mac is.

As for the QuickTime update requiring a reboot, so what. QuickTime is a major part of the underlying OS and if it is being modified its hardly unreasonable that it might need to be restarted to make any changes (locked files while running etc.)
 
The most I've rebooted is twice, and it can be unnerving when it takes a while to boot up again. To be fair though, especially Vista, Windows applies the update before the computer is reset and takes a long time to shut down.

The reboots don't bother me too much because applying the update is usually the only time I have to reboot anyway. Every OS needs a good hard shutdown periodically and when the updates come round thats when it happens. :)
 
TheVoice said:
Rather it take its time at shutdown though, than during startup.
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To be fair to Windows I've never had to wait 5 minutes for 3 'minor' updates to copy files over, it just annoyed me as I was waiting to watch Sky Sports News while the football was on so I knew exactly how long it was.

I was originally rebooting for the first 3 updates because there was a problem with my TV card software (called 'The Tube') which kept scrolling up the TV channel name over the picture, only a reboot seems to fix it. I've removed the USB stick, manually killed processes but it appears to be the driver causing it. It's a Miglia USB TV stick, I wouldn't recommend one at all - I had to buy an aerial amplifier (my old PC DVB-T card worked fine without one) plus you don't get any of the Freeview radio stations.

However this is a small gripe in what has been my most successful 'switch' since trying 4 times between 1997 and now. ;)
 
theheyes said:
Theres your problem, a watched kettle never boils! ;)

Shame about the USB dongle - the Miglia one I had worked brilliantly. Are you using an indoor aerial?
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Outdoor aerial, I could probably lose some of the excess coax in the loft though which may help. It's just a bit annoying because I had a perfect picture before on the PC and now I need an aerial amplifier to even receive ITV1 and a few other channels and even then I have loads of glitches. I guess the main reason is that I've gone from a PCI card to a USB stick. Were you using 'The Tube' software with your Miglia? I find it pretty basic especially the EPG compared to Windows Media.

It would annoy me more if I didn't have a Slingbox connected to our Sky, but when I want to watch football scores and my other half is home I have to rely on Freeview.
 
I used the EyeTV software and found it really good. I also have an aerial in the loft with a LOT of excess cable; there's metres of the stuff up there. It had its own web-based EPG (tvtv.com I think) software or you could access the Freeview EPG.

I'm not sure if the EyeTV software is available separately for your USB stick, its worth checking out though. I'm sure others would recommend EyeTV.
 
No it's not a lot, but I've had more reboots with OSX than I ever had with Windows. I don't mind (although it was annoying missing the kick off at 3 on SSN) but this is something that Apple owners traditionally used to take the mickey out of Windows users for. That and their Intel processors...... oh ;)

The other annoying thing is that when you reboot you have to manually close most of the applications and it doesn't time them out or anything. If I've selected reboot I expect the machine to do that, not ask me if I want to shut down every terminal window I have open!
 
I only reboot due to the updates.

As much as I'd love to sleep my Windows box every time I leave it for 5 minutes, it just can't cope with it.

So, to sum up, stop your whining and go the **** back to Windows if a few reboots annoy you.
 
WotDa said:
I only reboot due to the updates.

As much as I'd love to sleep my Windows box every time I leave it for 5 minutes, it just can't cope with it.

So, to sum up, stop your whining and go the **** back to Windows if a few reboots annoy you.
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Calm down dear, I'm just pointing out that Apple users used to berate Windows for this very thing when in fact OSX seems to be worse. You're one of those Apple zealots who take any constructive criticism of an operating system as a personal insult aren't you. :)

It's not like I'm a Windows fanatic, I have a Linux laptop, an arcade machine running Linux and I work on Solaris boxes all day. I have a work laptop with Windows on it though which is what I was comparing OSX to and my previous desktop was a dual boot Linux/Windows machine. Now I've been using OSX and VMware fusion on my main home desktop for two months and am extremely happy with it. But I'll remember never to criticise any part of any Apple product in front of you again.
 
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At least Leopard takes you out of the OS to apply the updates (I prefer the new way of installing)..

Tiger used to apply them "live" and there was always a sense that if it went **** up you would bork something serious.

I can't say restarting has ever been a problem for me though.. in fact, I can't ever remember the Mac crowd taking the mickey out of Windows users for it :confused:

Perhaps if you're installing a lot of critical apps / packages then you'll see a lot more reboot requests.
 
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