New XP Home question

[psyktek]

Just the other day, the Windows download symbol appeared in my system tray, and has been trying to download updates without giving me the chance to choose what I want. For example, I'm not on a network, so I don't need network server security tools/fixes.

I KNOW I had this set to ask me before downloading, and now the damn thing won't let me in to change the settings!! Anybody have an idea where in the system
this little utility lives and how I can get in there and change it?


HALP!!!!!!

 

[Maggs44]

I KNOW I had this set to ask me before downloading, and now the damn thing won't let me in to change the settings!! Anybody have an idea where in the system
this little utility lives and how I can get in there and change it?


HALP!!!!!!

From the start menu, click control panel, then performance and maint, then system, there you can adjust the auto updates to fit your needs.

Hope that helps

Bruce

 

[psyktek]

Internet Update actually shows up in Control Panel as its own entry, and it's STILL set to
"Notify but do not download". Yet, this AM, when I connected, there was the little blue ball in the system tray, and the connection icon is busily transferring data.

WTF!!!

 

[Muley]

hover your mouse over the little blue ball. does it say updates are ready to download, or downloaded updates are ready to install? If the former, in internet, go to "tools" then "windows update" and you'll go to microsoft's page where you'll get to choose updates. Question, if you're not on a network, how are viewing your internet and writing this post (that's a smartass way to say that anytime you are on the internet, you're on a network connected to your ISP's servers.)

Read the updates' descriptions fully too. There are some that you think you wouldn't need, but upon closer inspection, you can often find that the fixes are integrated across several applications. Especially any security fixes.

 

[psyktek]

THAT's been my frustration!!! If I scroll over the little tray icon, I get nothing, no options to set download preferences or anything else. So I went into control panel, opened Internet Updates, and disabled any downloads.

As far as the network security updates, I only ignore the ones that are stipulated as fixing security flaws on SERVERS, which I am not running.

But I will try to go to the M'soft website and see what I can do. I don't want automatica updates, but I do want to know what's available.

 

[mdman]

Double click on it and turn automatic updates off and it wont happen.

I imagine its trying update with sp2. Its a big file and its in the update area now.
Its a good update so you should download it.

 

[Gunpowder]

MS is recommending that all xp users turn on autodownload. The PAck 2 as mentioned is large and is being downloaded in increments. It starts again where it stopped the last time. you logged off. It is a very big file and I believe it will take about 1 months to download as they are releasing only parts at a time.

 

[mdman]

Its the full install. With broad band it too me about 10 or 15 min to download.. and 20 min install.
It has a lot of updates and improvements.. like a better firewall and other things.
You can request a CD if you are on a phone modem

 

[psyktek]

Double click on it and turn automatic updates off and it wont happen.

I imagine its trying update with sp2. Its a big file and its in the update area now.
Its a good update so you should download it.

Yes, well, that would be sound advice if the little sucker would respond.

As I said in my last post, I disabled auto updates in Control Panel, but the damn thing is still working away. :angry:

Given the short amount of time that I'm online each day, this should finish downloading sometime around next Easter. :sign:

 

[mdman]

LOL..
Well, this is what you can do. go to your Windows Update in your program files area and log in to the update screen.

You can stop any updates or mark them so then never download if you wish.

Then you can turn it off. It may just be in the middle of the download.

I recomend that you leave your PC on overnight and let it download if you can.

 

[Muley]

beware with SP2 !!! It killed my email/internet/and Palm settings. I lost my entire address book and all email in my folders, it wiped out my Palm synchro settings so when I synced, it killed everything on the handheld, etc. DO NOT INSTALL THIS UNTIL YOU BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER (as directed.)

 

[Gunpowder]

Ouch :0

 

[psyktek]

Well, Monstersofft finally returned control of my computer to me. Installed the SP2, (you all were right, that's what it was) and everything's working just fine.

I still object to having my choices about M'soft downloads over-ridden, but I suppose it's all for the good (HAH!!!)

New question: Is there an operating system I can install other than windoze that will play nicely with all my current games, email client, browser, etc.? Only other consideration would be that it has a GUI interface too. (I hate command lines!!)