Auto Update Missbehaving

Howard H · Feb 11, 2006

I have set Auto Update to "Notify me but don't automatically download or
install them." However, when I open IE to URL
<http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us>;
I find that Auto Update is turned ON. I select Custom Install and
find that the system has downloaded software updates without my having
requested that action.

I find this disquieting at best and disingenuous at the very least. Is
there some setting accessed from some other location? ...Other than
those accessible from the Control Panel Security Center?
Thanks,
Howard H

Micky · Feb 11, 2006

Howard H said:
I have set Auto Update to "Notify me but don't automatically download or install them."
However, when I open IE to URL
<http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us>; I find that Auto
Update is turned ON.

Well of course it is. You have to turn it OFF if you want it OFF altogether.

I select Custom Install and find that the system has downloaded software
updates without my having requested that action.
I find this disquieting at best and disingenuous at the very least. Is there some setting
accessed from some other location? ...Other than those accessible from the Control Panel
Security Center?

The settings you set in Security Centre apply to the ActiveX control
used by Windows Update. There are no other settings besides the
"Pick a time to install updates" link on the web page. If you specify
a time, Windows Update switches to the fully automatic mode
(download and install).

What makes you think downloads have occured behind you back?
Do you see a Windows Update notification icon in the notification
area (system tray)? If not, no downloads are available (you've already
installed them). If you do, what does it say when you hover over the
icon?

Howard H · Feb 12, 2006

Micky said:
Well of course it is. You have to turn it OFF if you want it OFF altogether.

The settings you set in Security Centre apply to the ActiveX control
used by Windows Update. There are no other settings besides the
"Pick a time to install updates" link on the web page. If you specify
a time, Windows Update switches to the fully automatic mode
(download and install).

What makes you think downloads have occured behind you back?
Do you see a Windows Update notification icon in the notification
area (system tray)? If not, no downloads are available (you've already
installed them). If you do, what does it say when you hover over the
icon?

I uninstalled .NET Framework 1.1 and I had installed .NET Framework 2.0;
when I went to check for updates this week; there were no updates to
be installed. However, when I went to Control panel to do a new
software application installation; I found that there was .NET Framework
1.1 plus a .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB886903). I had not installed
these nor had I recently installed any new applications prior to this
visit to Control Panel. That would suggest that Update had somehow
installed the older .NET Framework. If my supposition is incorrect,
please enlighten me.
Thanks,
Howard

Micky · Feb 13, 2006

Howard H said:
I uninstalled .NET Framework 1.1 and I had installed .NET Framework 2.0; when I went to
check for updates this week; there were no updates to be installed. However, when I went
to Control panel to do a new software application installation; I found that there was .NET
Framework 1.1 plus a .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB886903). I had not installed these nor
had I recently installed any new applications prior to this visit to Control Panel. That
would suggest that Update had somehow installed the older .NET Framework. If my
supposition is incorrect, please enlighten me.

If you had uninstalled .NET 1.1, then Windows Update would have offered
it to you as an optional software update (not a critical update). It would not
have downloaded it without your permission, since it is not a high priority
update. Even fully automatic updates do not download optional updates.

More likely you've run a .NET program that required a specific feature
of .NET 1.1. If so, Windows Installer would simply have re-installed
..NET 1.1 from its cache. You should have seen a maintenance dialog
at the time, but since no user-interaction is required, you either missed
it, or it occured silently.

Ultimately, no download would take place without you knowing about it.
Even fully automatic downloads are notified to the user when they occur.

Note that .NET isn't like DirectX where the latest version supercedes
the previous version. There's no reason to uninstall the previous version
unless you have absolutely no need of it. It would appear you DO need
it for something.

It's either that or you've restored your system to a time prior to when
you uninstalled .NET 1.1.

Howard H · Feb 13, 2006

Micky said:
If you had uninstalled .NET 1.1, then Windows Update would have offered
it to you as an optional software update (not a critical update). It would not
have downloaded it without your permission, since it is not a high priority
update. Even fully automatic updates do not download optional updates.

More likely you've run a .NET program that required a specific feature
of .NET 1.1. If so, Windows Installer would simply have re-installed
.NET 1.1 from its cache. You should have seen a maintenance dialog
at the time, but since no user-interaction is required, you either missed
it, or it occured silently.

Ultimately, no download would take place without you knowing about it.
Even fully automatic downloads are notified to the user when they occur.

Note that .NET isn't like DirectX where the latest version supercedes
the previous version. There's no reason to uninstall the previous version
unless you have absolutely no need of it. It would appear you DO need
it for something.

It's either that or you've restored your system to a time prior to when
you uninstalled .NET 1.1.

Micky,
Thanks for the information. I do occasionally do an install from a
trusted site or from a CD and leave the computer while it is being
installed. That may have been what happened.
Howard