Sounds like it has reverted to a US keyboard – change back to UK in settings and you should find the keys to be correct again.

I regularly get updates from Microsoft and none have come via email, a message appears on screen update, now or later, I pick now if not busy it carries out update, reboots and done. Never had issues afterwards.

Martin P

Without stating the Windows version, it doesn't really mean much, Adam.

In a previous life I had to set up software so it had a German keyboard layout but as the user was a touch typist the UK keyboard was being kept as they were not looking at it anyway.

The major difference was that Y and Z were interchanged.

I spent a couple of hours trying to configure this software without success until it finally dawned that when it asked 'Do you want to keep this keyboard layout' I needed to press the German Y key that was the one with Z printed on it, and not the one with Y printed on it  ………

Edited By Nick Clarke 3 on 16/03/2019 20:51:35

I do wonder sometimes why people stick with them. Admittedly all systems have problems but there seem to be so many complaints about Windows. There are alternatives like Linux, Android or maybe a Chromebook? A mate of mine has been a Microsoft user for decades but now prefers to use a Chromebook and they are cheap as chips, well nearly. I use an iPad and a Mac Desktop sometimes but tablets are so convenient to use for many things.

It’s now 33 years since Windows 1 appeared and it is still a battle to make things work smoothly, just when you get things working just right an update arrives to send everything to hell in a handcart. Any large company will have a department to just deal with update rollouts and hacking their customised version of windows to try and limit the damage the users can inflict. Apple have gone down the route of severely limiting what anyone without proper training can do with their system and they are probably fairly close to a device that just works without many problems. If operating system designers made cars we would be walking a lot more.

Mike

I never have trouble with W10 updates. They just happen automatically. The major ones do slow the computer down a bit while downloading the upgrade so I can often tell when they are in progress. Then the window pops up telling me to restart now or later etc. All good. Surprising as my laptop is ancient, at least six years old.

What version of windows do you have Brian?

I've never come across those issues before; it sounds to me that you might have a damaged registry file.

Don't waste money/time on third party solutions, just make sure Microsoft checker fixer is enabled:

support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/183887/description-of-the-windows-registry-checker-tool-scanreg-exe

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 17/03/2019 09:06:20

Sorry Mike but this is totally outside my experience as an IT Manager and lecturer/teacher responsible at one stage of my career for nearly 3000 users.

The latest updates have arrived and been applied to all the computers at work automatically and also to the 7 Windows machines I have here at home (a mixture of XP, 7, 10 and server 2012). No problems. The machines are a mixture of commercial systems and home builds.

Our systems where I now teach are not custom but locked down so that users cannot access most of the settings – updates arrive when they want to. This can be a pain if it is when you wish to use a computer, but we put up with it as, with the very rare exception of a dodgy update, it is far more normal for things to stop working without updating than with. We are not running simple systems either as all machines have central software licencing, screen magnification and screen readers available. Many also run our MIS system as well and all are networked with content filtering and input filtering. The lockdown is to make them work in a standard way, and as they are standard a machine can have a total software reinstall 'hands off' if needed. In my present role we have about 100 machines and 3 hours of tech time per week, much of it related to MIS and other systems not PCs.

While Apple equipment is beautifully engineered it is very expensive and non standard – they have never gained more than 6% of the PC market as far as I know. Also if you wish to do things the Apple way, great, but customising a system for your own use is normally very difficult if possible at all. At work Music is taught using iMacs and I have two older Macs here. They both continue to operate as new, but using a 2004 vintage Mac which does not allow newer versions of the operating system and hence newer software is limiting to say the least. The ones at work will need upgrading soon as the latest version of the software has significant benefits but needs more up to date hardware and the current machines won't let you install. A windows system would usually allow updating until the hardware made using it painful. I have a 2005 laptop on the table next to me that, because it has been possible to have its memory upgraded, runs windows 7 fine – an operating system released 4 years after the computer was made. And yes it updates a treat.

You said that 'If operating system designers made cars we would be walking a lot more' Well I don't think either Windows or Linux (including the MacOs derived from it) are perfect, but there are also problems with cars down to design faults or user errors such as crashes, misuse or putting the wrong fuel in. My (recent) car lets me down from time to time. Would you refuse to service a car at the same time as you block updates?

Are cars more reliable per hour's use than computers?

You pays your money ……..

Totally agree!

Without igniting the old debate (again), all I know is I was a loyal user of Windows and PC's since 1995 and they were regular sources of stress and frustration needing constant updates that frequently screwed existing programmes up along with painfully slow boot up times. I bit the bullet four years ago and bought a Mac Book Pro. What a difference! None of the grief I previously had to put up with. Never going back to Windows.