Problem with that damn Windows update

I'm using Microsoft XP Home Edition, NetVista platform. Anyhow, for the
last two days the damn Windows icon to the right of the task bar keeps
showing up and disappearing at random. The last time I browsed over it, it
said 37% downloading. My question is, how do I find out what it's
downloading and how do I stop it from occurring? I want the system to check
for updates and tell me when they are ready to install so *I* can choose
when to make up for Microsoft's pathetic crap, not when my *computer* or
*Microsoft* wants to.

I *think* it's trying to download the XP Pro 75 MB package or whatever it
is. I've already disabled the auto-update in the control panel by telling
it to inform me about updates and let me decide when to fix them. But I need
to know how to stop this damn XP system from trying to do it itself? It
lags the HELL out of my computer whenever it does that, and I want it
stopped ASAP.

I'm pretty sure that it's not that I actually NEED updates, because last
night I spent over three hours downloading what it told me I allegedly
needed from the windowsupdate website at Microsoft.

Citizen_Cain wrote:
> I'm using Microsoft XP Home Edition, NetVista platform. Anyhow, for
> the last two days the damn Windows icon to the right of the task bar
> keeps showing up and disappearing at random. The last time I browsed
> over it, it said 37% downloading. My question is, how do I find out
> what it's downloading and how do I stop it from occurring? I want the
> system to check for updates and tell me when they are ready to
> install so *I* can choose when to make up for Microsoft's pathetic
> crap, not when my *computer* or *Microsoft* wants to.

Then change your autoupdate settings in control panel. Right now, it's set
to download & then notify, it sounds like.

>
> I *think* it's trying to download the XP Pro 75 MB package or
> whatever it is.

Service Pack 2....

> I've already disabled the auto-update in the control
> panel by telling it to inform me about updates and let me decide when
> to fix them. But I need to know how to stop this damn XP system from
> trying to do it itself? It lags the HELL out of my computer whenever
> it does that, and I want it stopped ASAP.

When did you make this change? Double check the settings.
>
> I'm pretty sure that it's not that I actually NEED updates, because
> last night I spent over three hours downloading what it told me I
> allegedly needed from the windowsupdate website at Microsoft.

You do need updates.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
< ahoo.com> wrote in message
news:#...
> Citizen_Cain wrote:
> > I'm using Microsoft XP Home Edition, NetVista platform. Anyhow, for
> > the last two days the damn Windows icon to the right of the task bar
> > keeps showing up and disappearing at random. The last time I browsed
> > over it, it said 37% downloading. My question is, how do I find out
> > what it's downloading and how do I stop it from occurring? I want the
> > system to check for updates and tell me when they are ready to
> > install so *I* can choose when to make up for Microsoft's pathetic
> > crap, not when my *computer* or *Microsoft* wants to.
>
> Then change your autoupdate settings in control panel. Right now, it's set
> to download & then notify, it sounds like.


I just switched it to 'nofity me but don't download.'


>
> >
> > I *think* it's trying to download the XP Pro 75 MB package or
> > whatever it is.
>
> Service Pack 2....


75MB over a 56k dial-up. Yea, right, like THAT'S going to happen. If
that's what it's downloading, how the hell do I stop it? Still says 37%
btw, and that icon pops up every time I dial in. Freakin' thing is more
annoying than spyware!


>
> > I've already disabled the auto-update in the control
> > panel by telling it to inform me about updates and let me decide when
> > to fix them. But I need to know how to stop this damn XP system from
> > trying to do it itself? It lags the HELL out of my computer whenever
> > it does that, and I want it stopped ASAP.
>
> When did you make this change? Double check the settings.

Just did, that was the problem. One of the times this happened, however, I
went into CTRL-ALT-DELETE and manually shut down wuaulct.exe. Shortly after
that, the lag began. This time I'm leaving it alone. It did, however, get
rid of that damn icon!


> >
> > I'm pretty sure that it's not that I actually NEED updates, because
> > last night I spent over three hours downloading what it told me I
> > allegedly needed from the windowsupdate website at Microsoft.
>
> You do need updates.


I know I do, because Microsoft is full of morons *no offense, of course*.
But I'd like to choose when and/or if I'm going to download a *75 MB* file!

"Citizen_Cain" <> wrote in
message news:w5%cd.865$...
>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> < ahoo.com> wrote in
message
> news:#...
> > Citizen_Cain wrote:
> > > I'm using Microsoft XP Home Edition, NetVista platform. Anyhow, for
> > > the last two days the damn Windows icon to the right of the task bar
> > > keeps showing up and disappearing at random. The last time I browsed
> > > over it, it said 37% downloading. My question is, how do I find out
> > > what it's downloading and how do I stop it from occurring? I want the
> > > system to check for updates and tell me when they are ready to
> > > install so *I* can choose when to make up for Microsoft's pathetic
> > > crap, not when my *computer* or *Microsoft* wants to.
> >
> > Then change your autoupdate settings in control panel. Right now, it's
set
> > to download & then notify, it sounds like.
>
>
> I just switched it to 'nofity me but don't download.'
>
>
> >
> > >
> > > I *think* it's trying to download the XP Pro 75 MB package or
> > > whatever it is.
> >
> > Service Pack 2....
>
>
> 75MB over a 56k dial-up. Yea, right, like THAT'S going to happen. If
> that's what it's downloading, how the hell do I stop it? Still says 37%
> btw, and that icon pops up every time I dial in. Freakin' thing is more
> annoying than spyware!


Now at 40% and I still have no idea what it's downloading. I hope to god
it's something positive...


>
>
> >
> > > I've already disabled the auto-update in the control
> > > panel by telling it to inform me about updates and let me decide when
> > > to fix them. But I need to know how to stop this damn XP system from
> > > trying to do it itself? It lags the HELL out of my computer whenever
> > > it does that, and I want it stopped ASAP.
> >
> > When did you make this change? Double check the settings.
>
> Just did, that was the problem. One of the times this happened, however,
I
> went into CTRL-ALT-DELETE and manually shut down wuaulct.exe. Shortly
after
> that, the lag began. This time I'm leaving it alone. It did, however, get
> rid of that damn icon!
>
>
> > >
> > > I'm pretty sure that it's not that I actually NEED updates, because
> > > last night I spent over three hours downloading what it told me I
> > > allegedly needed from the windowsupdate website at Microsoft.
> >
> > You do need updates.
>
>
> I know I do, because Microsoft is full of morons *no offense, of course*.
> But I'd like to choose when and/or if I'm going to download a *75 MB*
file!
>
>
>
>
>

Citizen_Cain wrote:
<snip>

> 75MB over a 56k dial-up. Yea, right, like THAT'S going to happen.
> If that's what it's downloading, how the hell do I stop it? Still
> says 37% btw, and that icon pops up every time I dial in. Freakin'
> thing is more annoying than spyware!
>
It's still trying because you had set it up to do so.
>
>>
>>> I've already disabled the auto-update in the control
>>> panel by telling it to inform me about updates and let me decide
>>> when to fix them. But I need to know how to stop this damn XP
>>> system from trying to do it itself? It lags the HELL out of my
>>> computer whenever it does that, and I want it stopped ASAP.
>>
>> When did you make this change? Double check the settings.
>
> Just did, that was the problem. One of the times this happened,
> however, I went into CTRL-ALT-DELETE and manually shut down
> wuaulct.exe. Shortly after that, the lag began. This time I'm
> leaving it alone. It did, however, get rid of that damn icon!
>
>
>>>
>>> I'm pretty sure that it's not that I actually NEED updates, because
>>> last night I spent over three hours downloading what it told me I
>>> allegedly needed from the windowsupdate website at Microsoft.
>>
>> You do need updates.
>
>
> I know I do, because Microsoft is full of morons *no offense, of
> course*.

Can't imagine why someone would take offense at a polite remark like that.
Do you think *nix doesn't need patches, fixes, updates? All OSes do. All
software does.

> But I'd like to choose when and/or if I'm going to download
> a *75 MB* file!

As I said, you absolutely have that choice. You just didn't select the right
options originally.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
< ahoo.com> wrote in message
news:...
> Citizen_Cain wrote:
> <snip>
>
> > 75MB over a 56k dial-up. Yea, right, like THAT'S going to happen.
> > If that's what it's downloading, how the hell do I stop it? Still
> > says 37% btw, and that icon pops up every time I dial in. Freakin'
> > thing is more annoying than spyware!
> >
> It's still trying because you had set it up to do so.
> >
> >>
> >>> I've already disabled the auto-update in the control
> >>> panel by telling it to inform me about updates and let me decide
> >>> when to fix them. But I need to know how to stop this damn XP
> >>> system from trying to do it itself? It lags the HELL out of my
> >>> computer whenever it does that, and I want it stopped ASAP.
> >>
> >> When did you make this change? Double check the settings.
> >
> > Just did, that was the problem. One of the times this happened,
> > however, I went into CTRL-ALT-DELETE and manually shut down
> > wuaulct.exe. Shortly after that, the lag began. This time I'm
> > leaving it alone. It did, however, get rid of that damn icon!
> >
> >
> >>>
> >>> I'm pretty sure that it's not that I actually NEED updates, because
> >>> last night I spent over three hours downloading what it told me I
> >>> allegedly needed from the windowsupdate website at Microsoft.
> >>
> >> You do need updates.
> >
> >
> > I know I do, because Microsoft is full of morons *no offense, of
> > course*.
>
> Can't imagine why someone would take offense at a polite remark like that.
> Do you think *nix doesn't need patches, fixes, updates? All OSes do. All
> software does.
>
> > But I'd like to choose when and/or if I'm going to download
> > a *75 MB* file!
>
> As I said, you absolutely have that choice. You just didn't select the
right
> options originally.
>
>

When I turned my computer on again today the icon popped up and it was at
55% downloading. This is *after* I told it to notify me but not download.
It vanished after a few moments, but it still seems to have some sort of a
problem.