How to install downloaded updates

I've got my auto updates set to download but let me choose when to install.
It usually works fine, but lately it will download and then the update icon
will disappear from the system tray. Then when I shut down it will install
and shut down, but if I do it that way, I don't get to choose what I want to
install. Of course I could choose to shut down without installing, but then
next time I'm about to shut down I'm in the same boat.

So without the icon in the system tray, how do I get to the updates that are
downloaded and waiting to be installed? I like to be able to choose what I
want to install.

Thanks.

"SeeFar" <> wrote in message
news:C014DF89-B66D-4234-9940-...
> I've got my auto updates set to download but let me choose when to install.

> It usually works fine, but lately it will download and then the update icon
> will disappear from the system tray.


Have you seen XPsp3 yet? ; )
See if you are in the same state that I was in with it.
Apparently it had started downloading over a month ago
and then got suspended, never to be resumed automatically.


> Then when I shut down it will install
> and shut down, but if I do it that way, I don't get to choose what I want to
> install. Of course I could choose to shut down without installing, but then
> next time I'm about to shut down I'm in the same boat.
>

> So without the icon in the system tray, how do I get to the updates that are
> downloaded and waiting to be installed? I like to be able to choose what I
> want to install.


Good question. It looks to me that a way of forcing
wuauclt.exe to show itself in the SysTray or otherwise
pre-empting the notification dialog is required.

Meanwhile see if you can use the same workaround that I found.
E.g. in a cmd window enter:

bitsadmin /list /allusers

That showed me the jobid of the suspended download.
From there I was able to resume it manually.
Once all jobs were clear of BITS queue, then the AU
notification procedure worked as expected.

I used /resume but I presume if you don't want to wait
for that download to complete you could alternatively try
/cancel instead, though who knows how AU would interpret
that intervention--more obscure error codes undoubtedly? ; }

BTW one final surprise was that XPsp3 didn't immediately
appear as a choice. It only came up *after* the reboot
for the other downloads.


>
> Thanks.


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
---

Start here:

How to configure and use Automatic Updates in WinXP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306525

I'd recommend that you select one of two available settings options:

Download but Notify (#2 on the list) - all applicable updates are downloaded
automatically but you must approve which updates are installed and when
they're installed;

Notify Only (#3 on the list) - You must select (approve) which updates are
downloaded; then you must approve which updates are installed and when
they're installed.

You will be able to 'hide' most updates if you don't want to download or
install them.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

SeeFar wrote:
> I've got my auto updates set to download but let me choose when to
> install.
> It usually works fine, but lately it will download and then the update
> icon
> will disappear from the system tray. Then when I shut down it will
> install
> and shut down, but if I do it that way, I don't get to choose what I want
> to
> install. Of course I could choose to shut down without installing, but
> then
> next time I'm about to shut down I'm in the same boat.
>
> So without the icon in the system tray, how do I get to the updates that
> are
> downloaded and waiting to be installed? I like to be able to choose what
> I
> want to install.
>
> Thanks.

Thanks to both of you for the answers. I thought there would be a really
simple way to bring up the Update dialog box, but I guess not. Maybe I
should go ahead and install SP3 and see how that goes. :-|

Thanks again.

To whom/what are you responding?

SeeFar wrote:
> Thanks to both of you for the answers. I thought there would be a really
> simple way to bring up the Update dialog box, but I guess not. Maybe I
> should go ahead and install SP3 and see how that goes. :-|
>
> Thanks again.