XP repeatedly installing updates

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tony Roake
  • Start date Start date
T

Tony Roake

Hi
I have a problem with Windows XP Home Edition.
Every time I shut down it installs updates.
I am pretty sure it is installing the same updates over and over.
I have noticed that whenever I shut down there is an updates icon attached
to the red
Turn-off button.
In the Liveupdates box, available from control panel, I have unticked
automatic and
chosen the 'inform me when updates are available' but it doesn't. It still
downloads them regardless.
I would be grateful for any help or advice.
 
Tony said:
I have a problem with Windows XP Home Edition.
Every time I shut down it installs updates.
I am pretty sure it is installing the same updates over and over.
I have noticed that whenever I shut down there is an updates icon
attached to the red
Turn-off button.
In the Liveupdates box, available from control panel, I have
unticked automatic and
chosen the 'inform me when updates are available' but it doesn't.
It still downloads them regardless.
I would be grateful for any help or advice.

Pretty sure? It gioves you the KB###### of what it is going to install....
Is it repeating the same one(s)?

If so - which one(s)?

There's also cleanup you can do - but until you give us the exact update(s)
it is trying to do over and over... I'd think it better to wait.
 
Tony Roake said:
Hi
I have a problem with Windows XP Home Edition.
Every time I shut down it installs updates.
I am pretty sure it is installing the same updates over and over.
I have noticed that whenever I shut down there is an updates icon
attached to the red
Turn-off button.
In the Liveupdates box, available from control panel, I have unticked
automatic and
chosen the 'inform me when updates are available' but it doesn't. It
still downloads them regardless.
I would be grateful for any help or advice.

Hi Tony,
LiveUpdate is the updater for Symantec products like Norton Anti-Virus.
When you go to Control Panel, the item for Windows Update is called
Automatic Updates. Is that what you meant to write?

You say, as Shenan pointed out, the you're "pretty sure" it's installing
the same update, when you shut down. Is there a yellow shield icon down
by the clock, telling you there are updates to install? If so, click on
it, and select the Custom Install option instead of Express Install,
then click Next. It will show you what update it is, with a KB number.
Install it, and then reboot and see if it notifies you of an update
again, do the same procedure and see if it is the same KB number.

If you don't see the yellow shield in the notification area while
Windows is running, but there are updates to install when you shut down,
try going to Windows Update site, and do a Custom Install scan for
updates, and see if it brings up any critical or important
updates...ignore any optional updates. Record what updates it finds by
name and KB number, and post back with all the info you find, from any
and all of the above procedures.
 
Hi Glee,
I read this issue and I'm having the very same issue. the "!" remains, even
after the install - which fails each time.

attempting to install: Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - MONTH
(KB890830), Can't seem to STOP or turn off the install.
THNAKS,
Gene:)
 
Gene said:
I read this issue and I'm having the very same issue. the "!"
remains, even after the install - which fails each time.

attempting to install: Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool -
MONTH (KB890830), Can't seem to STOP or turn off the install.
THNAKS,
Gene:)

Specific operating system, service pack level, architecture (32 or 64-bit)
and Internet Explorer version?

Press and hold down the Windows key on your keyboard and then press the
"Pause/Break" key. Let go of both. This is equivalent in Windows XP to
having right-clicked on the "My Computer" icon and chosen "Properties"
from the menu that appears. When the new window appears - ensure you are
under the "General" tab. Is there *anything* in there to indicate you
have a 64-bit version of Windows XP, like the words, "Windows XP
Professional x64 Edition Version"?

Start button --> RUN
(no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
--> type in:
winver
--> Click OK.

The picture at the top of the window that opens will give you the general
(Operating System name and edition) while the line starting with the word
"version" will give you the rest of the story. Post _both_ in response
to this message verbatim. No paraphrasing - instead - ensure
character-for-character copying.

What version of Internet Explorer are you currently using? Easy to find
out. Open Internet Explorer and while that is in-focus, press and hold
the "ALT" key on your keyboard. With the "ALT" key still pressed, press
(just once, no holding) the "H" key. Now, with the "ALT" key still
pressed, press (just once, no holding) the "A" key. That will bring up
the "About Internet Explorer" window. It will give you the exact version
you are using - repeat what you see there in response to this message.

Fix your file/registry permissions...

Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under
"Advanced Troubleshooting" titled,
"Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
*will take time
** Ignore the last step (6) - you should already have SP3 - but
if not - you are not going to install it right now.

You will likely see errors pass by if you watching, even count up. No
worries *at this time*.

*After* that is done, continue on to the next part where you clean off
some excess (unnecessary) files. It only removes those you definitely
do not need, if you follow the directions *as given* and do not deviate.
So reboot (for each of these steps, it is just best to reboot right
before - but I will continue to point that out) and logon as an user with
administrative priviledges.

Download/install the "Windows Installer CleanUp Utility":
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button --> RUN
(no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
--> type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
--> Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

It will flash by *quick*, don't expect much out of this step to get
excited about. But the cleaner your machine is to start with, the
better your luck will be later (not really luck - more like preparedness,
but that's not as fun to think about, eh?)

Yeah - you will get tired of rebooting - but let's soldier on and reboot
again and logon as an user with administrative priviledges.

This time (and this is one of the more time-consuming steps) you will be
running (one at a time with a reboot in-between) two different
anti-spyware/anti-malware applications to ensure you come up clean.

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan with the following
(freeware version):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

Reboot and logon as administrative user.

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan with the following
(freeware version):

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

You may find nothing, you may find only cookies, you may think it is a
waste of time - but if you do all this and report back here with what you
do/don't find as you are doing all of it - you are adding more pieces to
the puzzle and the entire picture just may become clearer and your
problem resolved.

Reboot and logon as administrative user.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/...6F-60B6-4412-95B9-54D056D6F9F4&displaylang=en

Reboot and logon as administrative user.

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the
root of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot and logon as administrative user.

You should now perform a full CHKDSK on your system drive (C:)...

How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time and a reboot

You should now perform a full Defragment on your system drive (C:)...

How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time

Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...

Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time. Rebooting as needed.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to
install Internet Explorer 8 at this time.

Seriously - do all that. This is like antibiotics - don't skip a single
step, don't quit because you think things will be okay now - go through
until the end, until you have done everything given in the order given. If
you have a problem with a step come ask and let someone here get you
through that step. If you don't understand how to do a step, come back
and ask here about that step and let someone walk you through it.

Then - when done - let everyone here know if it worked for you - or if
you have more issues.

Try it out by doing this:

Reboot.

Log on as a user with administrative rights.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

After all that you may find your computer runs a bit faster too - sometimes
people do.

Again - in any case - come back and reply. The rating system isn't all that
important - but a nice reply here and there is replicated throughout all the
mediums this posting will be replicated to - so that's better in my mind.
 
Hi Gene,
Go here and manually download the tool:
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool -
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...E0-E72D-4F54-9AB3-75B8EB148356&displaylang=en

Click the Download button, when the download dialog appears, choose to
Save it to your hard drive, not to run it.
When the download completes, open the folder where you saved it and
double-click the windows-kb890830-v3.4.exe file to run the Tool.

If any of these steps fail, please tell us which step, and what
happened.
 
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