Windows Auto Update doesn't always work

[Jimquist]

Why hasn't my XP Home been updated by "Automatic Updates"?
When I go to MS Update Home, it shows that Automatic Updates is turned ON.
However, when I looked at my "update history" today, I find that XP hasn't
been updated since December 15.
"Defender" has been updated weekly through Automatic Updates.
So, I clicked the "Express" Get-High-Priority-Updates and had 10 updates
installed. I was a bit shocked to think I was patched and up-to-date these
past two months when it seems my machine was really quite vulnerable.
When I select "Everyday at 1 PM" as the time to install updates, it
disregards my input and reverts back to 3 AM. I don't let my machine run
24/7.
Does anybody have a suggestion as to a setting that I may have wrong?
or..............?
thanks, Jim

 

[PA Bear]

How to troubleshoot Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and Windows Server
Update Services installation issues:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=906602

1. See the "Need more help? Tell us what problem you are having" section of
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=ph;en-us;6527

2. You cannot install some updates or programs
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822798

3a. Check Windowsupdate.log (%windir%\Windowsupdate.log) for errors
associated with the download/install.

How to read the Windowsupdate.log file:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=902093

3b. Compare errors to those listed here:
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/archive/windows_update_codes.htm and/or go to
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com > click on Help and Support link in left
pane > Solve problems on your own.

4. Windows Update Checklist:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/updtcl.htm

5. Windows Update-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/mi­crosoft.public.windowsupdate

Archive of Windows Update newsgroup:
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate

 

[Jimquist]

Thanks PABear,
The problem may have been that the time to "check for updates" somehow got
changed to 3 AM when my 'puter is seldom on. It appears that the computer
must be on and on-line at the time selected for updating. I've managed to
get the "check for updates" time changed to a daytime hour when the machine
is always turned on. Guess I'll know next Update Tuesday whether this
solves my problem.
Thanks again, Jim

 

[PA Bear]

Having 3:00 AM selected shouldn't be a problem: AU would automatically
check-in the next time the machine's started and connected to the internet.