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Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Lists

3 alternative ways to get Windows updates

Not everyone wants to let Windows handle downloading and installing updates. If you prefer the DIY approach, here are three ways to keep your system up to date without Windows helping out.

1. Windiz Updates provides an experience that's as similar to the original as its name. The twist is that this service won't work in Internet Explorer - you'll need Firefox and the Windiz addon. It doesn't collect any personal information, and IE doesn't even need to be installed on your system to use it.

It's an intelligent system and won't download old updates that have been superceded by newer ones. Windiz also won't install updates that have potential security issues. New updates with It can even provide updates for Microsoft's golden oldies like 95 and NT.

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Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Troubleshooting

ShutDownGuard tells Windows where to stick automatic restarts

My office workstations - which runs Windows Vista - has an annoying tendency to restart following updates, even though I've told it not to. Via the radio button, of course, though I have tried actually yelling, and that's not working either.

It's a pain, but I'm not about to disable Windows Updates. All I want is for it to be my choice when my system gets restarted.

ShutdownGuard waits in your system tray like a thug in the shadows, waiting to leap out and beat unwanted shutdown requests into submission. It uses about 2mb of memory and blocks shutdown, restart, and logoff attempts.

When it springs into action, you'll receive a balloon tip notification. Click the message to continue shutting down, click the x to close the alert, or just ignore it. If tips aren't being displayed, grab this .VBS from Kelly's Corner ( # 11 ) to re-enable them.

It's a free, tiny (7kb) download for Windows only. ShutdownGuard is packaged as a .7z file, so you'll need 7zip or a compatible app to extract it.

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The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster

So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do. Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game. The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...

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