Jump to content
Microsoft Windows Bulletin Board

Automatic Updates settings being overridden


Recommended Posts

Guest Sandy Sue
Posted

I have two HP Pavillion notebooks, one slightly older than the other, both

running XPHome, SP2. I am their only user/administrator. The Windows

Automatic Updates setting I've always used is Notify me but don't

automatically install them. I always click Apply before exiting the dialog

box. Recently both computers settings return to the preferred/default

Automatic setting I think when the computer is shut down and started again.

But not always, as now I'm noticing. This only got my attention when the

Automatic Updates box started loading in the middle of my work. I checked

Restart Later and went on working. It happened so often, I finally started

confirming my settings were as I wanted them after restarting. They aren't.

They are reverting to the default Automatic. I've asked several techs who do

this for a living no ideas. This is my first post here. I am not a computer

novice or new to Windows.

Guest MowGreen [MVP]
Posted

Which antivirus/security suite is installed on these systems ?

FWIW, I've never seen such behavior on any system I maintain or own.

 

 

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2007]

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

*-343-* FDNY

Never Forgotten

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

 

 

Sandy Sue wrote:

> I have two HP Pavillion notebooks, one slightly older than the other, both

> running XPHome, SP2. I am their only user/administrator. The Windows

> Automatic Updates setting I've always used is Notify me but don't

> automatically install them. I always click Apply before exiting the dialog

> box. Recently both computers settings return to the preferred/default

> Automatic setting I think when the computer is shut down and started again.

> But not always, as now I'm noticing. This only got my attention when the

> Automatic Updates box started loading in the middle of my work. I checked

> Restart Later and went on working. It happened so often, I finally started

> confirming my settings were as I wanted them after restarting. They aren't.

> They are reverting to the default Automatic. I've asked several techs who do

> this for a living no ideas. This is my first post here. I am not a computer

> novice or new to Windows.

Guest Sandy Sue
Posted

Well, join the crowd. I sought out MS help in confusion and a certain amount

of desperation. Thought it for sure was something I was/wasn't doing, but

aside from not being new to Windows, absolutely coming up blank. The Help

section doesn't even mention the "Apply" step, just OK.

 

Security installed is: Norton antivirus (not their other products) 2006, but

the subscription is up on one of these computers 7/22.

 

"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

> Which antivirus/security suite is installed on these systems ?

> FWIW, I've never seen such behavior on any system I maintain or own.

>

>

> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2007]

> ===============

> *-343-* FDNY

> Never Forgotten

> ===============

>

>

> Sandy Sue wrote:

>

> > I have two HP Pavillion notebooks, one slightly older than the other, both

> > running XPHome, SP2. I am their only user/administrator. The Windows

> > Automatic Updates setting I've always used is Notify me but don't

> > automatically install them. I always click Apply before exiting the dialog

> > box. Recently both computers settings return to the preferred/default

> > Automatic setting I think when the computer is shut down and started again.

> > But not always, as now I'm noticing. This only got my attention when the

> > Automatic Updates box started loading in the middle of my work. I checked

> > Restart Later and went on working. It happened so often, I finally started

> > confirming my settings were as I wanted them after restarting. They aren't.

> > They are reverting to the default Automatic. I've asked several techs who do

> > this for a living no ideas. This is my first post here. I am not a computer

> > novice or new to Windows.

>

Guest MowGreen [MVP]
Posted

Was the problematic notebook ever on a network at work ? Perhaps Group

Policy is involved in the resetting of the AU options.

 

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2007]

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

*-343-* FDNY

Never Forgotten

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

 

 

Sandy Sue wrote:

> Well, join the crowd. I sought out MS help in confusion and a certain amount

> of desperation. Thought it for sure was something I was/wasn't doing, but

> aside from not being new to Windows, absolutely coming up blank. The Help

> section doesn't even mention the "Apply" step, just OK.

>

> Security installed is: Norton antivirus (not their other products) 2006, but

> the subscription is up on one of these computers 7/22.

>

> "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

>

>

>>Which antivirus/security suite is installed on these systems ?

>>FWIW, I've never seen such behavior on any system I maintain or own.

>>

>>

>>MowGreen [MVP 2003-2007]

>>===============

>> *-343-* FDNY

>>Never Forgotten

>>===============

>>

>>

>>Sandy Sue wrote:

>>

>>

>>>I have two HP Pavillion notebooks, one slightly older than the other, both

>>>running XPHome, SP2. I am their only user/administrator. The Windows

>>>Automatic Updates setting I've always used is Notify me but don't

>>>automatically install them. I always click Apply before exiting the dialog

>>>box. Recently both computers settings return to the preferred/default

>>>Automatic setting I think when the computer is shut down and started again.

>>>But not always, as now I'm noticing. This only got my attention when the

>>>Automatic Updates box started loading in the middle of my work. I checked

>>>Restart Later and went on working. It happened so often, I finally started

>>>confirming my settings were as I wanted them after restarting. They aren't.

>>>They are reverting to the default Automatic. I've asked several techs who do

>>>this for a living no ideas. This is my first post here. I am not a computer

>>>novice or new to Windows.

>>

Guest Sandy Sue
Posted

Nope, just retired little ol' me and the machines.

Actually there are two notebooks doing this, but not consistently.

Yesterday, the newer one crashed Windows and I had to set it up again

(hallelujah for backups). I've only done this once before but the Geek Squad

assured it me it wasn't rocket science, so gave it a try. It's up, new

Norton and Zone Alarm on. In the process of rounding up 84 Windows Updates

(and 2 more appeared while in that process). NOW I read about another

community member advising someone on a dialup of the steps to download

updates, save for install later. Oh, well. I'm almost done. Fortunately,

seems to be going ok.

 

In the reboots of this computer, the Update setting that I changed from the

default as one of the first things, seems to be holding throughout the

reboots. But the other Notebook is still having the issue.

 

Could forced shutdowns change a setting? Even if a setting had not been

changed during that work session?

 

There's:

- forced computer (incl Windows) shutdowns with cold starts,

- just restarting Windows,

- Windows computer shutdowns and cold starts

Previously I've only noticed settings (of all types) not being saved during

the first one. I think the Windows Update setting hasn't been being saved

during all three. I've just been routinely checking it now, with each

restart/start up.

 

But really appreciate your continued interest and attempted assistance!

"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

> Was the problematic notebook ever on a network at work ? Perhaps Group

> Policy is involved in the resetting of the AU options.

>

> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2007]

> ===============

> *-343-* FDNY

> Never Forgotten

> ===============

>

>

> Sandy Sue wrote:

>

> > Well, join the crowd. I sought out MS help in confusion and a certain amount

> > of desperation. Thought it for sure was something I was/wasn't doing, but

> > aside from not being new to Windows, absolutely coming up blank. The Help

> > section doesn't even mention the "Apply" step, just OK.

> >

> > Security installed is: Norton antivirus (not their other products) 2006, but

> > the subscription is up on one of these computers 7/22.

> >

> > "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

> >

> >

> >>Which antivirus/security suite is installed on these systems ?

> >>FWIW, I've never seen such behavior on any system I maintain or own.

> >>

> >>

> >>MowGreen [MVP 2003-2007]

> >>===============

> >> *-343-* FDNY

> >>Never Forgotten

> >>===============

> >>

> >>

> >>Sandy Sue wrote:

> >>

> >>

> >>>I have two HP Pavillion notebooks, one slightly older than the other, both

> >>>running XPHome, SP2. I am their only user/administrator. The Windows

> >>>Automatic Updates setting I've always used is Notify me but don't

> >>>automatically install them. I always click Apply before exiting the dialog

> >>>box. Recently both computers settings return to the preferred/default

> >>>Automatic setting I think when the computer is shut down and started again.

> >>>But not always, as now I'm noticing. This only got my attention when the

> >>>Automatic Updates box started loading in the middle of my work. I checked

> >>>Restart Later and went on working. It happened so often, I finally started

> >>>confirming my settings were as I wanted them after restarting. They aren't.

> >>>They are reverting to the default Automatic. I've asked several techs who do

> >>>this for a living no ideas. This is my first post here. I am not a computer

> >>>novice or new to Windows.

> >>

>

Guest Robert Aldwinckle
Posted

"Sandy Sue" <SandySue@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:A3E28485-9754-43A9-AB9D-CEA29E6B80DB@microsoft.com...

>I have two HP Pavillion notebooks, one slightly older than the other, both

> running XPHome, SP2. I am their only user/administrator. The Windows

> Automatic Updates setting I've always used is Notify me but don't

> automatically install them. I always click Apply before exiting the dialog

> box. Recently both computers settings return to the preferred/default

> Automatic setting I think when the computer is shut down and started again.

> But not always, as now I'm noticing. This only got my attention when the

> Automatic Updates box started loading in the middle of my work.

 

 

That's something else. It could mean that you allowed an install

of some updates and now you're on a timer. To stop it just stop

the WUAU service. E.g. in a cmd window enter:

 

net stop wuauserv

 

But provided you don't try to allow the install of updates before you

are really ready for a potential reboot needed to complete its install

you wouldn't see that prompt.

 

There is supposedly a registry edit which can change the interval of the prompt.

I haven't bothered trying to find out the details because I usually only allow installs

when I am ready for them. If you want to change the interval my guess would be

that you could use ProcMon to either see the default value being accessed

or (more likely) an attempt made to access that value which fails because

it is only used as an override to a hardcoded default value. Etc.

 

> I checked

> Restart Later and went on working. It happened so often, I finally started

> confirming my settings were as I wanted them after restarting. They aren't.

> They are reverting to the default Automatic.

 

 

It looks like you could be confusing the service options with the service type.

 

E.g. you set the service options with its Control Panel app (wuaucpl.cpl)

You set the service type with the services.msc administrator console app.

The service needs to be Automatic (in order for both AU and WU to work at all.)

( Note for pedants: those aren't the only ways of changing those options. <w>)

 

> I've asked several techs who do

> this for a living no ideas. This is my first post here. I am not a computer

> novice or new to Windows.

 

 

HTH

 

Robert Aldwinckle

---

×
×
  • Create New...