By Martin Jansen, Owner of Jansen-PCINFO
Microsoft continues to update its Windows 11 operating system by replacing major parts of code. I recently installed 22H2, the latest version of Windows 11.
Just as Microsoft did with Windows 10, the upgrades are often a significant internal change from previous versions. With enough code replaced in each version the OS soon bears little inward resemblance to the original Windows – outward experience remains similar.
Security
Of course, with so much code being replaced the download and installation to upgrade Windows takes a long time. Microsoft calls these upgrades cumulative which includes security fixes. Microsoft remains a favorite target of malware manufacturers trying to find exploits in their code. It is highly recommended that upgrades be applied as soon as possible to avoid malware infection.
Improvements
Microsoft also makes improvements to parts of the OS. For instance, the search feature has been enhanced in 22H2, even the search icon looks a little different. The rest of the changes are more internal, if you would like a little night reading (snooze) here’s a Microsoft article.
I don’t keep my Windows computer on all the time, just for a few tasks here and there, so I went through the painfully long method of downloading the update manually, playing a few games of Solitaire and just leaving the computer alone while it worked. Hopefully many of you have auto updates on so the download and install can happen in the background.
Business users are probably still running Windows 10 and their IT departments determine what updates are received. Microsoft has already determined an end of life for Windows 10: Oct 14, 2025.
After the computer updates, there is a mandatory reboot and I had to wait even longer for the updates to fully apply. Watching the percentages slowly increase is like watching paint dry. It’s best to just go away and do something else until the updates are completed:
Hopefully your computer never reaches 213% complete. 😀
Contrast
I can’t help but to contrast this with the updates associated with Linux Mint. The updates are usually modular and small in size. It takes just a few minutes to download and install any updates. The Update Manager notifies that updates are available with an orange dot in the system panel. One click and the updates are revealed:
Unlike Windows, each update item is listed with details. The Changelog usually reveals why the update is necessary. The user has complete control and knowledge of what is happening.
The 7 updates took up 200MB of space and took 1 minute to download (on a fast internet connection) and 3 minutes to install.
The bottom line is that it is important to update your computer, no matter the OS, as soon as possible. Windows 11 22H2 update is vital for its security and searching enhancements – a very worthwhile investment of your time.