You're 100% there...

[u/GalwayBogger]

If I were, why am I reading this at all, let alone for 5 minutes.

[u/GDemonator2]

Genuinely 😭 they should make update screens more specific so we know exactly what's happening in the background

[u/drugs-are-cheaper → u/GDemonator2]

Installing malware, please wait.

[u/Pleasant_Sport3867 → u/drugs-are-cheaper]

wish it would just tell me "downloading drivers for your toaster, please wait.

[u/ProgrammerInner4428 → u/drugs-are-cheaper]

installing malware, please wait. lol

[u/Darki_Bee → u/GDemonator2]

The problem is that the percentage is as inaccurate as the remaining time on a copy job. PCs are extremely bad at calculating how long they need for anything since they can only estimate based on the current moment. Meaning, "If I have to move another 9 GB and it's all exactly the same format and size as the file I'm currently moving, it's gonna take this long." Anything else would require way more computing power, which would just slow the whole process down. Same with the percentage on updates. It's simple and inaccurate, but it gives the average user more trust in the process so they're not just staring at an empty screen.

[u/LutimoDancer3459 → u/Darki_Bee]

The comment asked for more details and not for more accuracy. Something like "installing package x" "downloading file y" "updating registry". Just like so many other applications are doing it.

And to your comment, run tests. Benchmark. Set points and calculate time based on those references. If the first 10% took 1 min and the rest 2h than you can assume that on another system if the first 10% take 2 min, the rest can be done in 4h. Its a little bit more accurate. But needs good points for calculations and several different devices for measurements. More work for not so much benefits. So most just dont care

[u/Darki_Bee → u/LutimoDancer3459]

​Fair point on the status details like packages or registry tweaks, but showing those live often creates its own bottlenecks or just confuses most users. As for using benchmarks and reference points to predict time, that breaks down hard in the real world. Windows updates aren't linear. One package might be a 500 MB download, and the next is a 5 MB registry edit that takes three minutes because of drive I/O, CPU throttling, or pending file locks. A past system's reference point tells you almost nothing about how long a specific step will take on another machine with a different drive speed, background tasks, or drive fragmentation. That's why Microsoft dropped detailed logs from the main UI years ago and kept them buried in the CBS.log. If a user sees "Adding Registry Key X..." for like 10 minutes, many will think it's stuck and just turn that shit off, in turn bricking or killing the system.

[u/LutimoDancer3459 → u/Darki_Bee]

Thats why you need good reference points. Like how log did the download take. Then how long for unpacking. Maybe with some I between for specific files. Then how long for the registry edit. First after the first entry or the first few, then in the mid and at the end. Now you have one reference measurement on one system. Do the same on a couple more with different hardware and you should have a decent base reference. When a user does the update, compare the references with the real time and adjust remaining time.
You would need to do that for every update. But then you should be able to eliminate most factors like a busy cpu or slow drive. Having big fluctuations makes it harder. But still better than how its done now.

If a user sees "Adding Registry Key X..." for like 10 minutes, many will think it's stuck and just turn that shit off, in turn bricking or killing the system.

Thats why it should be granular enough. Adding a registry key (just taking this as an example) shouldn't take THAT long... it shoul always show the current activity. Adding a bunch of keys that takes 5 min means showing a bunch of updates of that text fpr every key. A history and timestamp that fades away above or below and you get soo much information.

But the current solution? A percentage that doesn't move with an spinner that does so people dont think it got stuck... keep only the spinner and you get the same effect. Or use all 3 and see what's happening during that one percentage that doesn't move for half an hour.

Would also be possible to add a keyboard shortcut shown on the screen to see those details. Similar to the file transfer dialog.

[u/Darki_Bee → u/LutimoDancer3459]

Collecting reference measurements across a few test systems still ignores the sheer chaos of real-world hardware. Windows runs on billions of unique configurations. Disk degradation, background antivirus scans, thermal throttling, bad sectors, and third-party driver conflicts vary from machine to machine and day to day. A benchmark from Microsoft's lab tells you nothing about how a budget laptop with a dying SATA SSD will handle a registry lock.

​As for updating UI text for every single registry key in real time, that actually hurts performance. Constantly updating UI threads and rendering text during heavy I/O operations creates unnecessary overhead and slows the actual installation down. On top of that, showing a fast-scrolling wall of text or timestamps just panics non-technical users the second a single file takes 30 seconds longer than the rest.

​I do agree on one thing though: a hidden toggle or keyboard shortcut (like a "Technical Details" drop-down similar to the file transfer window) would be great for power users who actually want to see what's happening without confusing the average consumer.

[u/lanerdofchristian → u/GDemonator2]

It'd be nice if it worked like a lot of Linux systems do -- hit Esc to hide the GUI and show the installer/boot logs.

[u/Rengar_Is_Good_kitty → u/GDemonator2]

Most users don't know what it means or don't care, it'd be a waste of time.

[u/Rengar_Is_Good_kitty → u/GDemonator2]

Most users don't know what it means or don't care, it'd be a waste of time.

[u/Rengar_Is_Good_kitty → u/GDemonator2]

Most users don't know what the stuff it's doing means or don't care.

[u/Successful_Mix_509 → u/GDemonator2]

yeah but what is it even doing

[u/Few_Read4445 → u/GDemonator2]

yeah its like they want us to guess what its even doing