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Unlike many of the posters here, we've always regularly updated Windows 
on our machines. We have 8 systems, 7 of which run Windows 7, and one of 
which runs Windows XP (that one is not on the network). The systems run 
a mixture of NIS-Elements and Micro-manager (you can see them all at 
nic.ucsf.edu).  Over the ten years I've been doing this, I can only 
think of two or three times that we have had issues caused by a Windows 
update.  During that time we've also had a machine that had to be 
rebuilt due to virus infection, so I think the security trade-off is 
probably worth it.

In general, we've had many more computer problems due to hardware 
failures than to software failures.  We have to do all our own IT 
support, so I often feel like I'm running a small IT shop, with 16 
computers to manage.

Kurt

On 1/5/2017 4:23 AM, Vaughan, Andrew wrote:
> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> Dear All,
>
> This email relates to discussions I've had with Zeiss representatives in the UK, although it could just as easily apply to other microscope manufacturers. I have been looking for clear guidance on whether Windows updates should be installed on acquisition or analysis PCs. The people I have spoken to at Zeiss have different opinions on the matter, which indicates that Zeiss does not have a particular policy (or that not everyone knows it). I have been advised by some people to switch off updates completely because an update could interfere with the acquisition system. I have also been told that this advice refers to older AIM-based systems running Windows XP and is not relevant for new machines, which ship with Windows updates set to Automatic. I'd like to know if anyone else has had discussions like this with Zeiss or any other company and whether there is a consensus on in-house policies for keeping computers patched. It is likely that companies have region-specific advice since I have been told that warranties are more extensive in some regions compared to others.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Yours sincerely,
>
> Andrew Vaughan.
>


-- 
Kurt Thorn
Associate Professor
Director, Nikon Imaging Center
http://thornlab.ucsf.edu/
http://nic.ucsf.edu/blog/