Windows Update Makes Programs Stop Working

I've been having a problem with a few programs and it took me a while to
figure out. Media wouldn't play on my computer at all and AIM would not open
no matter what I did. Also, my network and sharing center would not open or
stop responding when I tried to open it. Another community member tipped me
off that they had to use System Restore. I used it and it fixed almost
everything. Then Vista ran an automatic update and everything stopped working
again. I used System Restore to get back to where I was before the update and
canceled the update from happening. My question to everyone is, did anyone
else have this problem? The windows update doesn't say what it's for. It
says "Vista Update 1/29/2007". I'm afraid to let any kind of update happen
now.