Windows XP Updates installing automatically when option disabled

August 15, 2007

I have set my Windows XP Update option to only download updates once I have

reviewed the updates.

I have used Windows XP for 2/3 years now and generally consider the

experience disastrous. I have not had so many problems running my own PC

(hanging, crashing etc.) since the mid 1980s. I also consider some of the

updates a violation of my privacy and could cause big problems with other

software on my PC (eg. Explorer 7 is not compatible with eBay's Turbolister 2

which I use extensively in the on-line selling part of my business).

However, I often find Windows XP Updates install themselves automatically

anyway (and automatically reboot my machine at inconvenient times too). I

found 12 updates automatically installed themselves on one of my machines

yesterday when I logged off, without me having any opportunity to review the

updates being installed. I just noticed that the same would have happened on

one of my machines if I had not noticed the option to 'Turn off' without

installation. I re-rentered my machine to see if I could review the Updates

and found I could not.

How I stop this? I have definitely set my Update options to allow me to

review Updates before installation, but it seems to ignore this at times.

August 15, 2007

Anothernetworknewbie wrote:

> I have set my Windows XP Update option to only download updates

> once I have reviewed the updates.

>

> I have used Windows XP for 2/3 years now and generally consider the

> experience disastrous. I have not had so many problems running my

> own PC (hanging, crashing etc.) since the mid 1980s. I also

> consider some of the updates a violation of my privacy and could

> cause big problems with other software on my PC (eg. Explorer 7 is

> not compatible with eBay's Turbolister 2 which I use extensively in

> the on-line selling part of my business).

>

> However, I often find Windows XP Updates install themselves

> automatically anyway (and automatically reboot my machine at

> inconvenient times too). I found 12 updates automatically installed

> themselves on one of my machines yesterday when I logged off,

> without me having any opportunity to review the updates being

> installed. I just noticed that the same would have happened on one

> of my machines if I had not noticed the option to 'Turn off'

> without installation. I re-rentered my machine to see if I could

> review the Updates and found I could not.

>

> How I stop this? I have definitely set my Update options to allow

> me to review Updates before installation, but it seems to ignore

> this at times.

So - don't set it to automatically update at all.

If you want more control over what goes on your system (you did *not* have

to update to IE7 for example) then visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

periodically (at least the day after the second Tuesday of each month) and

scan for/install whatever updates you wish. There is nothing stating you

*have* to setup updates to automatically notify you, download or install.

You can - in Windows XP - turn that off and be responsible for it yourself.

What you have chosen is perhaps not the option for you. You are allowing

them to download and notify you... Just have it NOTIFY you and NOT

download/install. Then you have more control and still have the option of

having something else remind you to check for updates.

--

Shenan Stanley

MS-MVP

--

How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

August 15, 2007

Re: Windows XP Updates installing automatically when option disabl

Shenan

You wrote:

'You are allowing them to download and notify you... Just have it NOTIFY you

and NOT download/install. Then you have more control and still have the

option of having something else remind you to check for updates.'

I thought the option that I have Windows XP set to IS to 'NOTIFY and NOT

download/install', but sometimes it just goes and downloads anyway, even

rebooting my machine to install when I have walked away from the machine for

5 minutes after chosing the option 'Don't install now' three or four times.

I know I didn't have to install E7. I did on one machine and deinstalled it,

then was careful to stop it being installed on my other machines, but I

understand it is going to be distributed via automatic update in September,

which is why I'm worried about it.

In any case shouldn't the option do what it 'says on the tin', ie. give me

the chance to review updates before installing. Installing updates on my

machine without me giving permission must surely be violating some sort of

law isn't it?

"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> Anothernetworknewbie wrote:

> > I have set my Windows XP Update option to only download updates

> > once I have reviewed the updates.

> >

> > I have used Windows XP for 2/3 years now and generally consider the

> > experience disastrous. I have not had so many problems running my

> > own PC (hanging, crashing etc.) since the mid 1980s. I also

> > consider some of the updates a violation of my privacy and could

> > cause big problems with other software on my PC (eg. Explorer 7 is

> > not compatible with eBay's Turbolister 2 which I use extensively in

> > the on-line selling part of my business).

> >

> > However, I often find Windows XP Updates install themselves

> > automatically anyway (and automatically reboot my machine at

> > inconvenient times too). I found 12 updates automatically installed

> > themselves on one of my machines yesterday when I logged off,

> > without me having any opportunity to review the updates being

> > installed. I just noticed that the same would have happened on one

> > of my machines if I had not noticed the option to 'Turn off'

> > without installation. I re-rentered my machine to see if I could

> > review the Updates and found I could not.

> >

> > How I stop this? I have definitely set my Update options to allow

> > me to review Updates before installation, but it seems to ignore

> > this at times.

>

> So - don't set it to automatically update at all.

>

> If you want more control over what goes on your system (you did *not* have

> to update to IE7 for example) then visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

> periodically (at least the day after the second Tuesday of each month) and

> scan for/install whatever updates you wish. There is nothing stating you

> *have* to setup updates to automatically notify you, download or install.

> You can - in Windows XP - turn that off and be responsible for it yourself.

>

> What you have chosen is perhaps not the option for you. You are allowing

> them to download and notify you... Just have it NOTIFY you and NOT

> download/install. Then you have more control and still have the option of

> having something else remind you to check for updates.

>

> --

> Shenan Stanley

> MS-MVP

> --

> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

>

August 15, 2007

Re: Windows XP Updates installing automatically when option disabl

May I enlighten you on the truth?

Automatic updates have the "feature" to disturb you every now and then so

that you have better sense of how much time have passed. You can count the

number of times the pop-up appears saying:

A: Updates are installed, it's time to restart.

U: Not now, I'm working...

A: Em... what about now?

....

It also has a feature to train your concentration:

the default button or option is restart now, so if you are typing text and

accidentally hit "SPACE" or "ENTER", you'll have no chance to save. That

also trains your fast response on unexpected events.

And the moral of that is:

Automatic updates are good for you, so my first things to do after

installing windows are:

disable automatic updates, dismiss the dog, so I can find files faster,

remove the places in my computer. Shot the messenger and, check what's new

with windows -- Man, how I love that part when I'm in a hurry! And then I

reconfigure (turning everything upside-down) a lot of other lovely features

that Microsoft liberally added to their operating systems.

George Valkov

| Shenan

|

| You wrote:

| 'You are allowing them to download and notify you... Just have it NOTIFY

you

| and NOT download/install. Then you have more control and still have the

| option of having something else remind you to check for updates.'

|

| I thought the option that I have Windows XP set to IS to 'NOTIFY and NOT

| download/install', but sometimes it just goes and downloads anyway, even

| rebooting my machine to install when I have walked away from the machine

for

| 5 minutes after chosing the option 'Don't install now' three or four

times.

|

| I know I didn't have to install E7. I did on one machine and deinstalled

it,

| then was careful to stop it being installed on my other machines, but I

| understand it is going to be distributed via automatic update in

September,

| which is why I'm worried about it.

|

| In any case shouldn't the option do what it 'says on the tin', ie. give me

| the chance to review updates before installing. Installing updates on my

| machine without me giving permission must surely be violating some sort of

| law isn't it?

|

| "Shenan Stanley" wrote:

|

| > Anothernetworknewbie wrote:

| > > I have set my Windows XP Update option to only download updates

| > > once I have reviewed the updates.

| > >

| > > I have used Windows XP for 2/3 years now and generally consider the

| > > experience disastrous. I have not had so many problems running my

| > > own PC (hanging, crashing etc.) since the mid 1980s. I also

| > > consider some of the updates a violation of my privacy and could

| > > cause big problems with other software on my PC (eg. Explorer 7 is

| > > not compatible with eBay's Turbolister 2 which I use extensively in

| > > the on-line selling part of my business).

| > >

| > > However, I often find Windows XP Updates install themselves

| > > automatically anyway (and automatically reboot my machine at

| > > inconvenient times too). I found 12 updates automatically installed

| > > themselves on one of my machines yesterday when I logged off,

| > > without me having any opportunity to review the updates being

| > > installed. I just noticed that the same would have happened on one

| > > of my machines if I had not noticed the option to 'Turn off'

| > > without installation. I re-rentered my machine to see if I could

| > > review the Updates and found I could not.

| > >

| > > How I stop this? I have definitely set my Update options to allow

| > > me to review Updates before installation, but it seems to ignore

| > > this at times.

| >

| > So - don't set it to automatically update at all.

| >

| > If you want more control over what goes on your system (you did *not*

have

| > to update to IE7 for example) then visit

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

| > periodically (at least the day after the second Tuesday of each month)

and

| > scan for/install whatever updates you wish. There is nothing stating

you

| > *have* to setup updates to automatically notify you, download or

install.

| > You can - in Windows XP - turn that off and be responsible for it

yourself.

| >

| > What you have chosen is perhaps not the option for you. You are

allowing

| > them to download and notify you... Just have it NOTIFY you and NOT

| > download/install. Then you have more control and still have the option

of

| > having something else remind you to check for updates.

| >

| > --

| > Shenan Stanley

| > MS-MVP

| > --

| > How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

| > http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

| >

August 15, 2007

Re: Windows XP Updates installing automatically when option disabl

Thanks George. I too have lost work dozens of times because of the

persistency of the auto reboot feature, which cannot as far as I can tell be

turned off.

Since posting this question I've rechecked what options I had set in

Windows, and found that they were on 'Automatic Download and Install'. The

funny thing is that I have reset the option from AUTOMATIC to 'NOTIFY and not

download/install' FOUR OR FIVE TIMES before on this PC, but it seems to keep

reverting to 'Automatic'. And this has not just happened with this PC but

also the other three that I have. The only explanation I can come up with is

that the Updates themselves are resetting the PC to Automatic Updates!!!!

So even a simple reset doesn't do it. Does this have something to do with

not downloading 'Genuine Advantage' (yes my version of Windows XP is genuine,

but I fail to see the advantage TO ME at least in downloading a 1.1MB

programme to allow Microsoft to test remotely that it is, and presumably

generally spy on my PC)?

"George Valkov" wrote:

> May I enlighten you on the truth?

> Automatic updates have the "feature" to disturb you every now and then so

> that you have better sense of how much time have passed. You can count the

> number of times the pop-up appears saying:

> A: Updates are installed, it's time to restart.

> U: Not now, I'm working...

> A: Em... what about now?

> ....

> It also has a feature to train your concentration:

> the default button or option is restart now, so if you are typing text and

> accidentally hit "SPACE" or "ENTER", you'll have no chance to save. That

> also trains your fast response on unexpected events.

>

> And the moral of that is:

> Automatic updates are good for you, so my first things to do after

> installing windows are:

> disable automatic updates, dismiss the dog, so I can find files faster,

> remove the places in my computer. Shot the messenger and, check what's new

> with windows -- Man, how I love that part when I'm in a hurry! And then I

> reconfigure (turning everything upside-down) a lot of other lovely features

> that Microsoft liberally added to their operating systems.

>

> George Valkov

>

> | Shenan

> |

> | You wrote:

> | 'You are allowing them to download and notify you... Just have it NOTIFY

> you

> | and NOT download/install. Then you have more control and still have the

> | option of having something else remind you to check for updates.'

> |

> | I thought the option that I have Windows XP set to IS to 'NOTIFY and NOT

> | download/install', but sometimes it just goes and downloads anyway, even

> | rebooting my machine to install when I have walked away from the machine

> for

> | 5 minutes after chosing the option 'Don't install now' three or four

> times.

> |

> | I know I didn't have to install E7. I did on one machine and deinstalled

> it,

> | then was careful to stop it being installed on my other machines, but I

> | understand it is going to be distributed via automatic update in

> September,

> | which is why I'm worried about it.

> |

> | In any case shouldn't the option do what it 'says on the tin', ie. give me

> | the chance to review updates before installing. Installing updates on my

> | machine without me giving permission must surely be violating some sort of

> | law isn't it?

> |

> | "Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> |

> | > Anothernetworknewbie wrote:

> | > > I have set my Windows XP Update option to only download updates

> | > > once I have reviewed the updates.

> | > >

> | > > I have used Windows XP for 2/3 years now and generally consider the

> | > > experience disastrous. I have not had so many problems running my

> | > > own PC (hanging, crashing etc.) since the mid 1980s. I also

> | > > consider some of the updates a violation of my privacy and could

> | > > cause big problems with other software on my PC (eg. Explorer 7 is

> | > > not compatible with eBay's Turbolister 2 which I use extensively in

> | > > the on-line selling part of my business).

> | > >

> | > > However, I often find Windows XP Updates install themselves

> | > > automatically anyway (and automatically reboot my machine at

> | > > inconvenient times too). I found 12 updates automatically installed

> | > > themselves on one of my machines yesterday when I logged off,

> | > > without me having any opportunity to review the updates being

> | > > installed. I just noticed that the same would have happened on one

> | > > of my machines if I had not noticed the option to 'Turn off'

> | > > without installation. I re-rentered my machine to see if I could

> | > > review the Updates and found I could not.

> | > >

> | > > How I stop this? I have definitely set my Update options to allow

> | > > me to review Updates before installation, but it seems to ignore

> | > > this at times.

> | >

> | > So - don't set it to automatically update at all.

> | >

> | > If you want more control over what goes on your system (you did *not*

> have

> | > to update to IE7 for example) then visit

> http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

> | > periodically (at least the day after the second Tuesday of each month)

> and

> | > scan for/install whatever updates you wish. There is nothing stating

> you

> | > *have* to setup updates to automatically notify you, download or

> install.

> | > You can - in Windows XP - turn that off and be responsible for it

> yourself.

> | >

> | > What you have chosen is perhaps not the option for you. You are

> allowing

> | > them to download and notify you... Just have it NOTIFY you and NOT

> | > download/install. Then you have more control and still have the option

> of

> | > having something else remind you to check for updates.

> | >

> | > --

> | > Shenan Stanley

> | > MS-MVP

> | > --

> | > How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

> | > http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

> | >

>

August 15, 2007