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Comment by code_duck

4 years ago

My understanding is this is an issue with new features of all sorts of laptop/desktop devices.

For example, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28639952

"Do not leave XPS laptop in any sleep/hibernate/standby mode when placed in a bag" because they stay connected to wifi and may attempt to run updates etc when the user is not expecting or prepared for that, as far as cooling.

22 comments

code_duck

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tomxor  4 years ago

I own an XPS, it runs Debian, it only installs updates when I tell it to.

Even if I decided to use the untended upgrades package, it wouldn't do it when I sleep the computer... that would just be stupid.

  • alimov  4 years ago

    Yeah it might be unwanted behavior for your particular setup. Personally, on macOS and windows, I would prefer not to be at the computer when an update occurs - I also dont want to have to go do something else while I wait for the update. Just feels like a waste of time in my opinion. However, if I had reason to care about an update or the changes it was introducing I too would not want background updates running when I put my machine to sleep. I guess for an average user updating when the machine is not in use is a feature, while for the tech crowd that kind of behavior can mess with your preferred setup.

    • beowulfey  4 years ago

      Running updates are only a problem on Mac or Windows. Updates on the different linux flavors I’ve used take fractions of the time, are unobtrusive (I can continue to do work), and as a bonus, never fail to make my aging self feel like a technoir hacker with all that rapidly scrolling text. It’s all whole different ball game.

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    • tharkun__  4 years ago

      I always assumed it was smart enough though not to do it when it's on battery as it is very likely that the device is also in a confined space, such as a laptop backpack waiting for the trip to the office next morning.

      If I have it sitting on power and thus likely just on the top of the table and I have auto-updates on, sure do them when I'm not around as long as they are updates that can run unattended. Note the "if auto-updates are on" part, which luckily you can still disable on MacOS.

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    • emkoemko  4 years ago

      people on linux wait for updates? i thought that was a thing only for mac and windows... never noticed or seen a update screen on linux unlike the Windows nightmare where it would even kick you out of your work to do a damn update

      4 replies →

edb_123  4 years ago

I have had this issue with Thinkpads as well. The solution was to make sure to unplug the AC power adapter before putting it to sleep and putting it in my bag. Else it would go to sleep thinking that it's still on AC power, and happily wake itself up to install updates while in my bag. If power was disconnected after putting it to sleep, it would not be able to know it was on battery power.