Future Windows Fix

[serbiaNem]

Does anyone know if in a future Windows release (probably Longhorn), the having to restart Windows after a software install will go away? I know linux doesn't require a restart, just wondering why Windows does.

[Whatsisname]

for anything besides system drivers and whatnot you actually don't have to restart. Most of the time saying you should restart is little more than convention.

[rcolbert]

Windows restarts have been reduced dramatically since NT 4.0. Most of the restarts now are in order to replace files that are always in use, or to reload drivers that start with the OS like video drivers and such. Other installation that might require a restart are when new services are installed. In some cases this isn't fully necesarry, but to not do so would constitute a "soft change" because the expectation of the service is that it starts with Windows. A third example is in the case of a security patch.

I believe most of these cases are similar to reasons why you'd want to restart your Linux box regardless of whether or not the restart was truly required.

Almost all off the shelf software these days aside from drivers or services can be installed without a restart. And yes, Longhorn will reduce the number of restarts required yet again.

In particular, which programs are you installing that require a restart that you think shouldn't?

[Phoenix86]

Lots of software will request a restart, but doesn't need it. Patches one the other hand generally require a restart.

http://www.mentallyretired.com/h3/index.cfm/u_45754 (http://www.mentallyretired.com/h3/index.cfm?a=doMyStats&u_id=45754)

[serbiaNem]

Well most software that adds or updates drivers basically. Alcohol 120% and Daemon Tools come to mind. Also some firewall solutions which probably integrate services.

Does windows really have to restart for services and drivers? When installing printer drivers a restart isn't required.

[Whatsisname]

depends what they do. Printer drivers are not so hardware intensive (lol) as something like a video card driver, so thats why you can get away with not restarting.

Does windows really have to restart for services and drivers? When installing printer drivers a restart isn't required.

[rcolbert]

Alcohol and Daemon Tools both create virtual devices. Probably not a representative sampling of what a typical application does.

[GreNME]

I believe most of these cases are similar to reasons why you'd want to restart your Linux box regardless of whether or not the restart was truly required.
In my experience with Linux, this is almost exactly true (though manually stopping a process, thus clearing it from memory, then replacing and restarting it can be done on some things).

[KaosDG]

In my travels, the software that requires restarts generally are eitehr device drivers, OS updates or software that installs some sort of service.
(Or put some stuff in the run reg or startup folder)

Everything else is just install & go.

Even for some services, all you have to do is go start it up yourself (sometimes...)

But telling someone to reboot is easier than having them poke around services if they are not experienced.

[Ranma_Sao]

Because most installers write an install application to work on Windows 9x and Windows NT. And since most applications assume the user will restart anyway, they don't even bother checking if NT or not and just ask the user to reboot.

Try the application without rebooting, if it doesn't work, reboot the box. ;)

[Phoenix86]

Try the application without rebooting, if it doesn't work, reboot the box. ;)
SOP since DOS 5. ;)

[rcolbert]

Remember when '@' was the character that came before 'echo off?'