Phantom updates

Tuesday evening, my Vista PC informed me that Windows Update found the
following five updates and that they were ready to be installed:

1. Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Junk Email Filter (KB947945)
2. Security Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (KB946983)
3. Security Update for Microsoft Office Excel 2007 (KB946974)
4. Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - March 2008 (KB890830)
5. Security Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB947801)

I approved the updates and then checked back in about an hour. The process
was still at the fourth update (Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool -
March 2008 (KB890830)). The next morning, it was still at the fourth update.
After about another hour (ten hours from when the updates began), I performed
a system restart. After a minute or two, my desktop cleared and the following
text appeared:

Please do not power off or unplug your machine.
Installing update 4 of 5...

Four hours later, nothing had changed; it was still installing the fourth
update.

I hard reset the PC and figured I would install the fourth and fifth updates
(Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - March 2008 (KB890830) and Security
Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB947801)) myself.

The PC started fine, but now Windows Update makes no mention of the fourth
and fifth updates whatsoever. C:\WINDOWS\WindowsUpdate.log lists the five
updates and indicates that the first three updates succeeded...but there is
no further mention of the fourth and fifth updates.

I found and manually ran the fourth update on microsoft.com (Windows
Malicious Software Removal Tool - March 2008 (KB890830) but it still doesn't
show up in Windows Update's "View update history" list. FYI: "Windows
Malicious Software Removal Tool - *February* 2008 (KB890830)" does show up.

I had a difficult time finding the fifth update( Security Update for the
2007 Microsoft Office System (KB947801)) but finally found it at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...MS08-014.mspx; however,
it's not clear to me what--if anything--needs to be installled.

What happened to the fourth and fifth updates? How can I make sure they are
successfully installed? Is my PC at risk?

Doesnt help you much but checked my update history and these 5 were installed
yesterday plus KB905866 and KB 946041. My update is set to automatically
install daily.I changed the default setting from 3am to 3pm so the pc would
be on but dont know if this was necessary.

"Chris" wrote:

> Tuesday evening, my Vista PC informed me that Windows Update found the
> following five updates and that they were ready to be installed:
>
> 1. Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Junk Email Filter (KB947945)
> 2. Security Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (KB946983)
> 3. Security Update for Microsoft Office Excel 2007 (KB946974)
> 4. Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - March 2008 (KB890830)
> 5. Security Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB947801)
>
> I approved the updates and then checked back in about an hour. The process
> was still at the fourth update (Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool -
> March 2008 (KB890830)). The next morning, it was still at the fourth update.
> After about another hour (ten hours from when the updates began), I performed
> a system restart. After a minute or two, my desktop cleared and the following
> text appeared:
>
> Please do not power off or unplug your machine.
> Installing update 4 of 5...
>
> Four hours later, nothing had changed; it was still installing the fourth
> update.
>
> I hard reset the PC and figured I would install the fourth and fifth updates
> (Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - March 2008 (KB890830) and Security
> Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB947801)) myself.
>
> The PC started fine, but now Windows Update makes no mention of the fourth
> and fifth updates whatsoever. C:\WINDOWS\WindowsUpdate.log lists the five
> updates and indicates that the first three updates succeeded...but there is
> no further mention of the fourth and fifth updates.
>
> I found and manually ran the fourth update on microsoft.com (Windows
> Malicious Software Removal Tool - March 2008 (KB890830) but it still doesn't
> show up in Windows Update's "View update history" list. FYI: "Windows
> Malicious Software Removal Tool - *February* 2008 (KB890830)" does show up.
>
> I had a difficult time finding the fifth update( Security Update for the
> 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB947801)) but finally found it at
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...MS08-014.mspx; however,
> it's not clear to me what--if anything--needs to be installled.
>
> What happened to the fourth and fifth updates? How can I make sure they are
> successfully installed? Is my PC at risk?

Thanks, Rob. Today, suddenly, Windows Update lists the most important of the
two updates (Security Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System
(KB947801)). I'm installing that update now. I guess I can do without the
other update for now (Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - March 2008
(KB890830)).

"Chris" wrote:

> Thanks, Rob. Today, suddenly, Windows Update lists the most important of the
> two updates (Security Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System
> (KB947801)). I'm installing that update now. I guess I can do without the
> other update for now (Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - March 2008
> (KB890830)).

I have a similar problem but not the expertise to solve it. I received the
message

"Please do not power off or unplug your machine. Installing update 1 of 1...
"

in my laptop about five days ago. While it was installing, I unplugged the
cord and left the computer running on batteries (I do not know if this is the
source of the problems) and then the update never finished. Now, not always
but most of the times when I turn off the computer it says that it is
installing an update but never finishes. After a while, I just turn the
computer off by pushing the power button. What should I do to complete the
installation process and solve the problem?

Thanks!