Most of us are both energy and security conscious enough, to turn off our office computers, before extended absences. Unfortunately, it is also important that we protect our computers by installing all available security updates. This importance is underscored by the decision, of many software manufacturer’s, to make these security updates install automatically.
When you first return to the office and turn the computer on, within the first few minutes, each piece of software (Windows, macOS, Microsoft Office, FlashPlayer, Adobe Reader etc.) contacts it’s manufacturer’s servers to see if it should be updated and either prompts you, or more often, simply starts to download and install updates. If your computer is also supported by Psychiatry IT or some other professional IT support group, it will also be collecting and sending an updated inventory to that group. The result is a very slow computer, for anything from 10 minutes, to hours.
Psychiatry IT recommends asking a colleague to turn your computer on, the day before you return, so updates complete overnight.