Windows 11 won't Update

[jmig]

I know this is only tangentially related to MSFS 2024, but this is the forum where I spend most of my time. And, I know there are some smart IT professionals here. If this needs to be moved, no biggie, so long as I know where it is moved to.

Windows 11 is tell me (see screenshot) that I have to update the firmware on my C drive before it will update. Western Digital is telling me that there is a chance the drive will be screwed if I update the firmwar,e and I should backup the C drive before updating.

Well, even if I backup the C drive, to my understanding, if the drive loses it's mind, I will have to redo everything anyway. All of the geniuses in Microsoft apparently have never figured out a way for a new install of Windows to search the drives, read what programs are on them and then write that to the Registry. Instead it will take three weeks to reinstall every program that is already there, just so windows can add it to the registry. The same geniuses haven't figured out a way for MSFS (2020 & 2024) to read what is on my computer and make note of it...somewhere. Nope, I will have to re-download every thing all over.

So, my question(s):
1. How important is this Win 11 update? Do I even need it? My computer is working just fine, as it is. This computer is used for two things, which are really one thing. Flight simming and playing Games. That's it. Everything else is done on a different computer.

2. How serious is the possibility updating the firmware will frag my drive?

Thanks in advance.

 

[DennyA]

I've run that updated on my WD850s with no issues. I think the possibility of something getting borked is very minimal, but the lawyers require warning...

That said, I'd back up any personal/irreplaceable files, just in case you get a power flicker or something at the worst time.

I do think it's important to keep Windows as up-to-date as possible, given all of the terrible people trying to do terrible things with security flaws.

 

[Priller]

Hi John,

The update to win 11 24H2 is IMHO very important. It will improve the performance of your rig.

As for the warnings about updating the firmware of your disk, that is pretty much standard. It's suppliers protecting themselves from claims. Personally, I update everything regularly and never had issues with that. On the contrary.

But I'm on of those maniacs that re-installs their rig from scratch every 6-12 months.

Cheers,

Jan

 

[MZee1960]

Clean, lean and mean and always run latest OS version with minimal bloatware whenever possible.

Also, as Jan mentioned above, I too now have become one of those OCD fanatics that has their rig cleaned every 12 to 24 mos. from both a software (drive re-installs) and hardware (component tests/updates) perspective.

 

[jmig]

I thank each of you for your advice. I will go ahead with the update. @ Priller and MZee, I am a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" guy. Besides, convenience is high on my motivation list. Reinstalling the entire world is verrrry inconvenient to me.

 

[lagaffe]

Sorry to answer late but here is my opinion, with 38 years of experience as an IT.
Updating a firmware (motherboard or disk) is a hassle-free task if there is no power outage or failure.

That’s why I regularly use a usb key with a Windows 10 portable version and the Macrium Reflect software to make an image of my C: disk on an external drive. It only takes about 20 minutes and in case of bad update or Windows crashes, I take back my USB key and I restore the image of C:

 

[jmig]

Sorry to answer late but here is my opinion, with 38 years of experience as an IT.
Updating a firmware (motherboard or disk) is a hassle-free task if there is no power outage or failure.

That’s why I regularly use a usb key with a Windows 10 portable version and the Macrium Reflect software to make an image of my C: disk on an external drive. It only takes about 20 minutes and in case of bad update or Windows crashes, I take back my USB key and I restore the image of C:

Thank you for the advice. I will consider doing that. As I get older, it is harder for me to remember and understand computers. My question is what about all the other programs, like MSFS and DCS, or Steam games. You can't back them up so Windows recognizes them, can you?

I find reinstalling Windows 11 to be far easier than all the other programs that now need to be re-added to the registry.

 

[Priller]

Thank you for the advice. I will consider doing that. As I get older, it is harder for me to remember and understand computers. My question is what about all the other programs, like MSFS and DCS, or Steam games. You can't back them up so Windows recognizes them, can you?

I find reinstalling Windows 11 to be far easier than all the other programs that now need to be re-added to the registry.

With Macrium Reflect, you can actually image your complete hard drive. It's also free. https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html

What I usually do is, after a clean install of Windows, Office, security and my flightsims, make an image of the drive. If things go horribly wrong, I boot from the Macrium bootable stick and reinstall the image, located on either a seperate drive or on a USB drive.

Cheers,

Jan

 

[Cazzie]

When my son built my code breaker, it did not have Windows 11, version 24H2, but upon opening Windows 11 last October, I was told that a major update was needed for Windows 11 and that's what it was. I just downloaded it through Windows Update then and was not required by the maker of the SSD (Samsung) to download any new firmware. I have had no problems whatsoever with it.

Cazzie

 

[lagaffe]

Thank you for the advice. I will consider doing that. As I get older, it is harder for me to remember and understand computers. My question is what about all the other programs, like MSFS and DCS, or Steam games. You can't back them up so Windows recognizes them, can you?

I find reinstalling Windows 11 to be far easier than all the other programs that now need to be re-added to the registry.

In fact, my philosophy for more than 30 years regarding my PCs is this: have several disks or SSDs and have a C: as small as possible.
Several disks allow to distribute the data and in case of crash it limits the affected data. Then, we can also make disk images of several disks if necessary. I even managed to move all the data related to my account on a separate disk but it is still tricky to do (C:\users\Lagaffe => D:\users\Lagaffe).
The directories C: \Tmp and C:\Windows\Temp are moved to a dedicated partition T: where the swap file is installed: In this way the SSD where is C: is used at a minimum to reduce temporary files and its wear.



For this I try as much as possible to install my simulators or applications on a disk other than C: when it is possible. Very often we can have portable applications that are simply made up of an archive that is unzipped where you want, which makes it possible to lighten the registry and simplify installations (Blender, Gimp and many utilities).
My C: disk is only 60 GB and contains only the essentials of Windows with Office and Outlook applications which allows for quick backups and a disk image that is reasonable ~ 40 GB.

My simulators are on separate disks/partitions: MSFS, 2024, P3Dv5 on a separate partition. With MSFS streaming, reinstalling the simulator takes only a short time and my internet is on optical fiber. Making a backup of more than 300 GB is useless, I consider it a waste of time and space on my disks. However, the data in the Community directory are only symbolic links and are installed on a separate disk ( R:\Simulations)

With the availability of external USB disk of 2 TB or more at an affordable price, it becomes quite simple (and not very expensive) to outsource its data and I only connect them when needed so if a big problem occurs, it limits the impact on my data (hard drives in the closet are safe).
If my installation can give other people ideas to distribute their data more securely, I can give you more information.

My only problem right now, is that I am still under Windows 10 and that I will have to migrate to Windows 11 in a month or two but there are solutions that allow you to migrate without losing your data ... after a disk backup via Macrium to be sure you can go back if it happens goes wrong.

PS: I have been working as a System Administrator in military computing for more than 38 years so I took a lot of reflexes because of my work;, which served me more than once

 

[Navy Chief]

I know this is only tangentially related to MSFS 2024, but this is the forum where I spend most of my time. And, I know there are some smart IT professionals here. If this needs to be moved, no biggie, so long as I know where it is moved to.

Windows 11 is tell me (see screenshot) that I have to update the firmware on my C drive before it will update. Western Digital is telling me that there is a chance the drive will be screwed if I update the firmwar,e and I should backup the C drive before updating.

Well, even if I backup the C drive, to my understanding, if the drive loses it's mind, I will have to redo everything anyway. All of the geniuses in Microsoft apparently have never figured out a way for a new install of Windows to search the drives, read what programs are on them and then write that to the Registry. Instead it will take three weeks to reinstall every program that is already there, just so windows can add it to the registry. The same geniuses haven't figured out a way for MSFS (2020 & 2024) to read what is on my computer and make note of it...somewhere. Nope, I will have to re-download every thing all over.

So, my question(s):
1. How important is this Win 11 update? Do I even need it? My computer is working just fine, as it is. This computer is used for two things, which are really one thing. Flight simming and playing Games. That's it. Everything else is done on a different computer.

2. How serious is the possibility updating the firmware will frag my drive?

Thanks in advance.

Not being able.to reinstall a update that I had removed is when I started having problems the other day and had to get Microsoft involved. It has been years since I used Macrium Reflect, but having had too reinstall everything flightsim related for the past two days, I guess I need to relearn the process for creating a backup image. Like Priller said, the older I get, the more complicated things get. But I also look at it this way, I keep my mind exercised by all this crap! NC

 

[modelr]

My setup is a lot like lagaffe's, many HDDs and SSDs, along with attached thumbdrives and Micro SDs like used in cameras and phones. I keep as much backed up on the other drives as possible, and have had no trouble there. My unit updated to 24H2 a couple weeks ago, and it required the updated firmware on my C: drive NVMe also. Like you, John, I was worried, but after a clone of the C: drive was made, the updates to both went smoothly.