XP Windows Update - 2nd attempt

I've been experiencing start up problems for a while in that my laptop
remains busy for upto 30 minutes (even from hibernation). It looks like a
variation of the 100% CPU problem except the hard disk is busy throughout the
process, not the CPU. Checking for updates via the MS website takes 2 minutes
max. My MS S/W is completely upto date!

I've switched off auto updates completely as it ignores the check on a
specific day of the week option and the problem has gone away!

I've only been able to find info on the 100% CPU problem hence this post.

any help gratefully received.
MarkD
p.s. sorry if my first attempt at posting suddenly appears!

Please confirm: Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the 100% CPU problem
*and* you can access Windows Update website and update the machine using
that interface.

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed? What
anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)? What third-party firewall
(if any)?
--
~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/


MarkD wrote:
> I've been experiencing start up problems for a while in that my laptop
> remains busy for upto 30 minutes (even from hibernation). It looks like a
> variation of the 100% CPU problem except the hard disk is busy throughout
> the process, not the CPU. Checking for updates via the MS website takes 2
> minutes max. My MS S/W is completely upto date!
>
> I've switched off auto updates completely as it ignores the check on a
> specific day of the week option and the problem has gone away!
>
> I've only been able to find info on the 100% CPU problem hence this post.

Hi thanks for responding...

The problem is not the 100% CPU one, it is Windows Update hogging the disk
every time I switch on even from hibernation (i.e. a variation of the
problem). Changing the update options to a specific day of the week are
ignored, it still goes through the motions every day!

I can find out if any updates are available via the MS Website route in
about 2 minutes and if so successfully update from there, so 15-30 minutes
using the local updater every day is unacceptable. Updating via the local
Auto updates works too, but I've just had enough of the time it takes every
day when it's not worth attempting to do anything.

I use AVG, Zone Alarm & SpyBot S&D 1.52 (tea-timer is on), all up to date.

Any ideas?

MarkD

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> Please confirm: Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the 100% CPU problem
> *and* you can access Windows Update website and update the machine using
> that interface.
>
> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed? What
> anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)? What third-party firewall
> (if any)?
> --
> ~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/
>
>
> MarkD wrote:
> > I've been experiencing start up problems for a while in that my laptop
> > remains busy for upto 30 minutes (even from hibernation). It looks like a
> > variation of the 100% CPU problem except the hard disk is busy throughout
> > the process, not the CPU. Checking for updates via the MS website takes 2
> > minutes max. My MS S/W is completely upto date!
> >
> > I've switched off auto updates completely as it ignores the check on a
> > specific day of the week option and the problem has gone away!
> >
> > I've only been able to find info on the 100% CPU problem hence this post.
>
>

Automatic Updates (AU) will usually /check for/ available updates at least
once every 22 hours or less, or when you restart or wake from hibernation.
IOW, it's supposed to do that.

The day/time setting to which you refer corresponds to when AU will
/install/ updates if the "automatic" configuration has been selected; cf.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/327838.

See if you prefer how the machine behaves with the Notify Only configuration
selected; cf. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306525.

Update your computer automatically
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/com...automatic.mspx

Description of the Automatic Updates feature in Windows:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294871
--
~PA Bear


MarkD wrote:
> Hi thanks for responding...
>
> The problem is not the 100% CPU one, it is Windows Update hogging the disk
> every time I switch on even from hibernation (i.e. a variation of the
> problem). Changing the update options to a specific day of the week are
> ignored, it still goes through the motions every day!
>
> I can find out if any updates are available via the MS Website route in
> about 2 minutes and if so successfully update from there, so 15-30 minutes
> using the local updater every day is unacceptable. Updating via the local
> Auto updates works too, but I've just had enough of the time it takes
> every
> day when it's not worth attempting to do anything.
>
> I use AVG, Zone Alarm & SpyBot S&D 1.52 (tea-timer is on), all up to date.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> MarkD
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Please confirm: Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the 100% CPU problem
>> *and* you can access Windows Update website and update the machine using
>> that interface.
>>
>> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed? What
>> anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)? What third-party
>> firewall
>> (if any)?
>> --
>> ~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/
>>
>>
>> MarkD wrote:
>>> I've been experiencing start up problems for a while in that my laptop
>>> remains busy for upto 30 minutes (even from hibernation). It looks like
>>> a
>>> variation of the 100% CPU problem except the hard disk is busy
>>> throughout
>>> the process, not the CPU. Checking for updates via the MS website takes
>>> 2
>>> minutes max. My MS S/W is completely upto date!
>>>
>>> I've switched off auto updates completely as it ignores the check on a
>>> specific day of the week option and the problem has gone away!
>>>
>>> I've only been able to find info on the 100% CPU problem hence this
>>> post.

Thanks for explaining how auto update works... looks like I'll have to keep
it switched off permanently for now... will watch for next update of this
mechanism & try again then...

MarkD

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> Automatic Updates (AU) will usually /check for/ available updates at least
> once every 22 hours or less, or when you restart or wake from hibernation.
> IOW, it's supposed to do that.
>
> The day/time setting to which you refer corresponds to when AU will
> /install/ updates if the "automatic" configuration has been selected; cf.
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/327838.
>
> See if you prefer how the machine behaves with the Notify Only configuration
> selected; cf. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306525.
>
> Update your computer automatically
> http://www.microsoft.com/protect/com...automatic.mspx
>
> Description of the Automatic Updates feature in Windows:
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294871
> --
> ~PA Bear
>
>
> MarkD wrote:
> > Hi thanks for responding...
> >
> > The problem is not the 100% CPU one, it is Windows Update hogging the disk
> > every time I switch on even from hibernation (i.e. a variation of the
> > problem). Changing the update options to a specific day of the week are
> > ignored, it still goes through the motions every day!
> >
> > I can find out if any updates are available via the MS Website route in
> > about 2 minutes and if so successfully update from there, so 15-30 minutes
> > using the local updater every day is unacceptable. Updating via the local
> > Auto updates works too, but I've just had enough of the time it takes
> > every
> > day when it's not worth attempting to do anything.
> >
> > I use AVG, Zone Alarm & SpyBot S&D 1.52 (tea-timer is on), all up to date.
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> > MarkD
> >
> > "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >> Please confirm: Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the 100% CPU problem
> >> *and* you can access Windows Update website and update the machine using
> >> that interface.
> >>
> >> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed? What
> >> anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)? What third-party
> >> firewall
> >> (if any)?
> >> --
> >> ~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/
> >>
> >>
> >> MarkD wrote:
> >>> I've been experiencing start up problems for a while in that my laptop
> >>> remains busy for upto 30 minutes (even from hibernation). It looks like
> >>> a
> >>> variation of the 100% CPU problem except the hard disk is busy
> >>> throughout
> >>> the process, not the CPU. Checking for updates via the MS website takes
> >>> 2
> >>> minutes max. My MS S/W is completely upto date!
> >>>
> >>> I've switched off auto updates completely as it ignores the check on a
> >>> specific day of the week option and the problem has gone away!
> >>>
> >>> I've only been able to find info on the 100% CPU problem hence this
> >>> post.
>
>

Try disabling Tea Timer, Mark (and consider leaving it disabled, especially
if you have Defender or another anti-spyware app installed that provides
real-time protection): http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=32409

If no improvement, try uninstalling ZA *and* then enabling the Windows
Firewall.
--
~PA Bear


MarkD wrote:
> Thanks for explaining how auto update works... looks like I'll have to
> keep
> it switched off permanently for now... will watch for next update of this
> mechanism & try again then...
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Automatic Updates (AU) will usually /check for/ available updates at
>> least
>> once every 22 hours or less, or when you restart or wake from
>> hibernation.
>> IOW, it's supposed to do that.
>>
>> The day/time setting to which you refer corresponds to when AU will
>> /install/ updates if the "automatic" configuration has been selected; cf.
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/327838.
>>
>> See if you prefer how the machine behaves with the Notify Only
>> configuration selected; cf. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306525.
>>
>> Update your computer automatically
>> http://www.microsoft.com/protect/com...automatic.mspx
>>
>> Description of the Automatic Updates feature in Windows:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294871
>> --
>> ~PA Bear
>>
>>
>> MarkD wrote:
>>> Hi thanks for responding...
>>>
>>> The problem is not the 100% CPU one, it is Windows Update hogging the
>>> disk
>>> every time I switch on even from hibernation (i.e. a variation of the
>>> problem). Changing the update options to a specific day of the week are
>>> ignored, it still goes through the motions every day!
>>>
>>> I can find out if any updates are available via the MS Website route in
>>> about 2 minutes and if so successfully update from there, so 15-30
>>> minutes
>>> using the local updater every day is unacceptable. Updating via the
>>> local
>>> Auto updates works too, but I've just had enough of the time it takes
>>> every
>>> day when it's not worth attempting to do anything.
>>>
>>> I use AVG, Zone Alarm & SpyBot S&D 1.52 (tea-timer is on), all up to
>>> date.
>>>
>>> Any ideas?
>>>
>>> MarkD
>>>
>>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>>>
>>>> Please confirm: Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the 100% CPU
>>>> problem
>>>> *and* you can access Windows Update website and update the machine
>>>> using
>>>> that interface.
>>>>
>>>> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed? What
>>>> anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)? What third-party
>>>> firewall
>>>> (if any)?
>>>> --
>>>> ~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/
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> MarkD wrote:
>>>>> I've been experiencing start up problems for a while in that my laptop
>>>>> remains busy for upto 30 minutes (even from hibernation). It looks
>>>>> like
>>>>> a
>>>>> variation of the 100% CPU problem except the hard disk is busy
>>>>> throughout
>>>>> the process, not the CPU. Checking for updates via the MS website
>>>>> takes
>>>>> 2
>>>>> minutes max. My MS S/W is completely upto date!
>>>>>
>>>>> I've switched off auto updates completely as it ignores the check on a
>>>>> specific day of the week option and the problem has gone away!
>>>>>
>>>>> I've only been able to find info on the 100% CPU problem hence this
>>>>> post.