wuauclt.exe Loading with Automatic Updates Off

Ever since upgrading to Windows Update version 5 I have found that the file
wuauclt.exe has been loading up when my machine starts and then ever 24 hours
after that. It starts up for 5 minutes and then shuts off. I have turned
Automatic Updates off yet this still happens. It also creates 4 entries in
the Even Viewer, 2 when it start up and 2 when it shuts down. The file
doesn't make any connections to the Internet and does not seem to use any CPU
time during the 5 minutes. The only way to prevent the file from starting up
is to disable the Automatic Updates service. Why does this file start up when
I have Automatic Updates off?

--
I have always wished for a computer that would be as easy to use as my
telephone. My wish came true. I no longer know how to use my telephone.
--Bjarne Stroustrup

OPaul wrote:
> Ever since upgrading to Windows Update version 5 I have found that the
> file wuauclt.exe has been loading up when my machine starts and then ever
> 24 hours after that. It starts up for 5 minutes and then shuts off. I
> have turned Automatic Updates off yet this still happens.

That is normal behaviour, I think.

> It also creates
> 4 entries in the Even Viewer, 2 when it start up and 2 when it shuts
> down. The file doesn't make any connections to the Internet and does not
> seem to use any CPU time during the 5 minutes. The only way to prevent
> the file from starting up is to disable the Automatic Updates service.
> Why does this file start up when I have Automatic Updates off?

You have answered your own question. <g> The AU service starts
automatically; the only way to stop it completely is to disable the AU
Service.

--

....Sky

================

are you receiving updates automatically as I have exactly the same problem
and I never get any updates automatically.

--
Thanks,
Andrew Bonney (abweb)

www.andrewbonney.com

Tel: 01943 872966
Fax: 08701 309329

abweb is a registered Microsoft partner


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"OPaul" <> wrote in message
news:C7ABE8EE-B745-4CCE-BC8B-...
> Ever since upgrading to Windows Update version 5 I have found that the
> file
> wuauclt.exe has been loading up when my machine starts and then ever 24
> hours
> after that. It starts up for 5 minutes and then shuts off. I have turned
> Automatic Updates off yet this still happens. It also creates 4 entries in
> the Even Viewer, 2 when it start up and 2 when it shuts down. The file
> doesn't make any connections to the Internet and does not seem to use any
> CPU
> time during the 5 minutes. The only way to prevent the file from starting
> up
> is to disable the Automatic Updates service. Why does this file start up
> when
> I have Automatic Updates off?
>
> --
> I have always wished for a computer that would be as easy to use as my
> telephone. My wish came true. I no longer know how to use my telephone.
> --Bjarne Stroustrup

So this is by design then and not a bug? I guess I just don't see the need
for it to start up if I have Automatic Updates off.

"Sky King" wrote:

> OPaul wrote:
> > Ever since upgrading to Windows Update version 5 I have found that the
> > file wuauclt.exe has been loading up when my machine starts and then ever
> > 24 hours after that. It starts up for 5 minutes and then shuts off. I
> > have turned Automatic Updates off yet this still happens.
>
> That is normal behaviour, I think.
>
> > It also creates
> > 4 entries in the Even Viewer, 2 when it start up and 2 when it shuts
> > down. The file doesn't make any connections to the Internet and does not
> > seem to use any CPU time during the 5 minutes. The only way to prevent
> > the file from starting up is to disable the Automatic Updates service.
> > Why does this file start up when I have Automatic Updates off?
>
> You have answered your own question. <g> The AU service starts
> automatically; the only way to stop it completely is to disable the AU
> Service.
>
> --
>
> ....Sky
>
> ================
>
>

No, I have Automatic Updates off and only update through the WU webpage.

"Andrew Bonney (abweb)" wrote:

> are you receiving updates automatically as I have exactly the same problem
> and I never get any updates automatically.
>
> --
> Thanks,
> Andrew Bonney (abweb)
>
> www.andrewbonney.com
>
> Tel: 01943 872966
> Fax: 08701 309329
>
> abweb is a registered Microsoft partner
>
>
> This e-mail was scanned with Norton AntiVirus 2004 software for viruses and
> worms prior to the message being sent. If you received this e-mail in error,
> please reply to abweb to explain the problem. Please do not read the e-mail
> as it may contain personal information.
>
>
>
> "OPaul" <> wrote in message
> news:C7ABE8EE-B745-4CCE-BC8B-...
> > Ever since upgrading to Windows Update version 5 I have found that the
> > file
> > wuauclt.exe has been loading up when my machine starts and then ever 24
> > hours
> > after that. It starts up for 5 minutes and then shuts off. I have turned
> > Automatic Updates off yet this still happens. It also creates 4 entries in
> > the Even Viewer, 2 when it start up and 2 when it shuts down. The file
> > doesn't make any connections to the Internet and does not seem to use any
> > CPU
> > time during the 5 minutes. The only way to prevent the file from starting
> > up
> > is to disable the Automatic Updates service. Why does this file start up
> > when
> > I have Automatic Updates off?
> >
> > --
> > I have always wished for a computer that would be as easy to use as my
> > telephone. My wish came true. I no longer know how to use my telephone.
> > --Bjarne Stroustrup
>
>
>

OPaul wrote:
> So this is by design then and not a bug? I guess I just don't see the need
> for it to start up if I have Automatic Updates off.

The AU Service starts because it is necessary if you want to visit the
Windows Update website to manually download updates.


--

....Sky

================

> The AU Service starts because it is necessary if you want to visit the
> Windows Update website to manually download updates.

So WU website depends on the AU Service -- OK, that's fine. But I've found
if you simply change Automatic Updates service from startup "Automatic" to
"Manual", WU won't work. WU manages to start the Automatic Updates service
but it STILL insists the service is disabled. This really is the salient
question: WHY can't WU simply start the Automatic Updates service when you
visit Windows Updates manually? Why does it insist the service must run
automatically (even for users who have automatic updates turned off)?

The only (technical) argument I can think of for wuauclt.exe to be
"automatic startup" is it is required to assist installations post-reboot in
the situation where an update requires a restart. But I don't buy that. Any
install clean-up is going to be running at system permissions anyway and
another service isn't technically necessary. And if the real reason is
wuauclt "phones home" after the reboot to inform the "mother ship" of install
success/failure, why can't those communications be queued and deferred until
the next visit to WU?

Those who don't like wuauclt.exe running all the time can enable/disable it
during the times between visits to WU. But why is such rigamarole even
necessary?

My suspicion is Microsoft is preparing folks for the day when you CAN'T turn
off automatic updates. If that's the case, they should be prepared for the
predictable reaction amongst technically savvy users with a healthy suspicion
of MS: time to find another OS.