Updating your Operating System - how and why

Icons for some of the more-used Operating Systems

What is an Operating System (OS)?

This is the thing that runs when you turn your device on, and allows you to use that device. An Operating System doesn’t generally do much that is directly useful to you, but it allows for applications to be installed and run on it.

Windows, MacOS, Android (on phones) – these are all operating systems. Chrome browser, Word, calculator – these are all applications that run on an operating system.

Why don’t they just write something that works and leave it alone?

These things are complex. Windows 10 has around 50 million lines of code. Even with all the staff and checking, problems are found on a daily basis. Also, new technologies come out, new devices, faster or better ways of doing things, all of which need the operating system to know how to talk to these new things, so new lines of code are needed.

But mine just works, I don’t want to change it

Vulnerabilities are found all the time. The FBI in July 2020 released a warning to any service with a Windows 7 computer that it is an easy target now.

But simply being on a generally-current Operating System isn’t enough – it also needs to be updated, regularly and this is the key point.

Let’s imagine that your Operating System has been discovered with a way for someone to send you a file that runs on your computer, takes it over, and they can watch everything you do. It is not an email, and not even something that you do or open; but simply that your computer is turned on, connected to the internet and the file is put on your computer.

These hackers could make changes to your computer, but maybe they sit and wait for months gathering your email logins, your bank details, your home address, your family details.

This can and sometimes does happen to every Operating System – the only real protection you have, is that when these vulnerabilities are found a ‘patch’ is issued to block this. You get this patch through an Operating System update.

But my Operating System is secure. Its famous for being secure.

They all say that. The truth is that any Operating System is as secure as its most recent update.

People need to eat, drink and sleep. Cars need servicing. Computers need updating.

Ok, so how do I update it?

This falls in to 2 categories – those that can be updated, and those that cannot.

The ones that cannot are generally because the main Operating System itself (Windows 7, Windows XP, MacOS 10.11 El Capitan or whatever) is no longer supported. The people who write the code have stopped writing updates. Unfortunately, the people who want to hack in to these do not stop, and so vulnerabilities (eg for Windows XP) become very easy targets. Sometimes, such as with Android phones, the Operating System version isn’t even supported for all that long, maybe only a few years.

The ones that can be updated (Windows 10, MacOS Catalina etc) you simply need to search in the relevant update section, let it download, update, and a restart later you’re good. If you are a managed customer of ours, we will routinely audit and do this for you.

Each Operating System has a slightly different place to look, and we would be happy to show you.

But updates break things! My thing doesn’t work any more!

That can happen. It’s a balancing act between judging the risks of leaving vulnerabilities, vs sticking with something that works. Generally though, a small update is worth it.

Updates, Upgrades and restarts. Oh my!

An update is a small fix. An upgrade is generally a larger version change, sometimes a whole new Operating System, and something that brings new features, or a new way to do something.

An upgrade might break even more things

Yes, that can happen and it’s annoying. When Apple launched MacOS X 10.15 (Catalina), it fully dropped support for every 32bit application that worked ok on previous Operating Systems. This meant that some programs that you owned wouldn’t even open after the upgrade!

An upgrade is not a trivial thing, but you need to know what you are doing and why; balancing the values and consequences of upgrading vs not upgrading.

Have a chat with us about newer Operating System upgrade options, and we can work out if its right for you.