Hours of downloading something

[ann]

Help, PLEASE!!

Keep getting message saying I or a program has requested
information from microsoft.com and asks which connection
I want to use? If I connect (and even when I connect to
the net for any reason, it begins downloading data and it
takes FOREVER. Yesterday I finally cancelled the
transfer after 6 hours and 400 and some odd millions of
bytes.

Can someone please tell me what is going on and if is
unsafe, how do I get rid of it.

Thank you so much for help.

 

[Chris Dabis]

Ann,

What virus program are you using, and when was the last
time you 1) updated its definitions, 2) scanned you PC for
viruses?

Chris Dabis

 

[John Barnett - MVP]

To do any good we really need the full text of the message you are getting
and, in particular, what program is asking for such a large download. On a
56k modem another couple of hours (assuming transfer rates didn't vary) you
would have virtually downloaded the whole of windows xp. So this is one big
download you or your application is asking for. The more details you can
give, the better.

John Barnett - MVP
Associate Expert

 

[Alex Nichol]

Keep getting message saying I or a program has requested
information from microsoft.com and asks which connection
I want to use? If I connect (and even when I connect to
the net for any reason, it begins downloading data and it
takes FOREVER. Yesterday I finally cancelled the
transfer after 6 hours and 400 and some odd millions of
bytes.

Check at Control Panel - System - AutoUpdate, to see if that is set to
get updates fully automatically. If you do, at least have the 'notify
me' setting selected. But you might want to have it off (I will update
manually) and then go to All Programs - Windows update as needed. It
sounds to me as if it may be trying to download and install the entire
Service Pack 1 in a single operation - which is likely to be at least 30
MB and probably twice that.

You can get the Service Pack on a CD for $10, which would probably be
worth it:
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/pro/downloads/servicepacks/sp1/default..asp
and down at the bottom is the link to order it.