Windows Automatic Updates

[JD]

Heretofore I have received notices when updates were available for Windows
and Defender. I am now being offered updates for Office 2003. Is there a
way that I can "revert" to only Windows security updates?

 

[Smirnoff]

Heretofore I have received notices when updates were available for Windows
and Defender. I am now being offered updates for Office 2003. Is there a
way that I can "revert" to only Windows security updates?

You may have enabled MS Updates. Is there a shortcut to it when you click on
Start?
Or see:

http://www.update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us

You can click "Change Settings" in left hand column. Bottom of page allows
you to revert to Windows Update only. Don't forget to Apply changes.

 

[Smirnoff]

You may have enabled MS Updates. Is there a shortcut to it when you click
on Start?
Or see:

http://www.update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us

You can click "Change Settings" in left hand column. Bottom of page allows
you to revert to Windows Update only. Don't forget to Apply changes.

Out of interest, why do you not want to be informed of/install security
updates for Office products?

 

[JD]

There is no sortcut to MS Updates. I did change the settings as you
suggested. I received this message:
To keep your computer up to date, make sure you have turned on Automatic
Updates in Control Panel. You can also visit the Windows Update website at
any time. If you change your mind and want to use the Microsoft Update
website later, you will need to re-install the software.
I hope that I will still get the daily updates for MSE
Thanks.

 

[JD]

On several occasions I have installed Word 2003 Service Pack 3 and each time
I had a problem with Word. The scroll function got ahead of the text, which
became garbled. Uninstalling Word, reinstalling it, and applying only SP2
avoided the problem. I don't want to install SP3 again. That's why I don't
want it to appear in the Update list.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Select Notify me when updates are ready to install.

When you get notified, select Custom Install.

If you see the Office 2003 SP3 update de-select it and "don't offer this one
again" or whatever the message is.


Gord

 

[Smirnoff]

As Gord Dibben points out, if you use MS Updates, you can still select which
updates you want to install if you have the "Notify" setting.

PA bear's post explains that WLM updates are not offered in Windows Update.

However, I think you should address the problem you are having with
Office/Word SP3.

I'm not too sure what you mean by "The scroll function got ahead of the
text, which became garbled" but there is obviously a problem.

Perhaps if you try an NG such as microsoft.public.officeupdates you may find
the solution. Or, search for problems with Word after installing SP3.

I'm sure the posters in this group will advise on the best NG to resolve
this.

It seems to me that you are causing yourself more hassle by avoiding the
main issue.

 

[JD]

Your advice is well taken. I have, in fact, gotten a number of suggestions
from the Word newsgroup. Nothing seems to correct the problem other than
avoiding SP3. Perhaps I'll try again.
What I meant was that when I scroll rapidly through a long document, the
text becomes garbled, with two or three lines atop each other, the cursor
out in the far right of the page. When I change the view, the text corrects
itself. This does not happen when I run Word without Service Pack 3.
Strange.

 

[Smirnoff]

This may be of some help, seen at:

http://getsatisfaction.com/microsoft/topics/scrolling_up_does_not_work_right_lines_repeat

"The scrolling problem is solved! Finally Microsoft acknowledged that the
problem is caused by a security update in Service Pack 3 (SP3). If you don’t
have SP3, I discovered it also in Word Security Update KB954464.
As of October 28, 2008 you can now ask for a hotfix that will solve the
problem: http://support.microsoft.com/default....
For information about hotfix installing see:
http://blogs.msdn.com/dougste/archive...
Microsoft will ask for your email address and send you the hotfix in a
zip-file. I did this and immediately received the hotfix without charges.
After unzipping it I ended up with a file called Winword."

And:

"I installed the hotfix and it works! No more scrolling problems and nothing
changed in my settings."

Remember, this hotfix is for use AFTER you have installed SP3:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/957706/

 

[Smirnoff]

Meant to add that there is probably now an update that resolves this
problem.

Try checking for Office updates that become available after you have
installed SP3.

 

[JD]

Wow! As I said earlier, after being burned several times by SP3 I had
decided to just permanently avoid it. Now I see that many others have been
through the same grief. When I was originally researching this, no one in
the Word newsgroups could offer any help. No doubt had I kept at it I would
have learned about the "hotfix." Your help is very much appreciated.

 

[Smirnoff]

You're welcome JD, however, please see my subsequent post.

After a lot of searching, I was so pleased to find an example of the problem
you described that I got a bit in front of myself.

The hotfix was issued very quickly when the problem was discovered. This was
late 2008. I don't think that you need to use it now as it has been
incorporated within later updates.

As far as I know, even though Office SP3 was responsible for your particular
(and several other) issues, MS did not (will not) alter the original file.

They rely on post-SP3 updates.

I think all you need to do is install SP3 and reboot, then check for further
updates. Obviously, these updates can only be offered if SP3 is detected on
your machine in the first place.

As you are not using MS Updates at the moment, the best thing to do after
installing SP3, is open Word and click on Help in the menu (wait a few
seconds for the options to expand) and then click "Check for updates....".

Hopefully this will solve your problem and you wont have to worry about
using MS, as opposed to Windows Updates in the future.

 

[JD]

A glance at the hotfix referenced indicated that the problem it was
resolving had to do with Korean characters. Maybe I didn't look closely
enough.
Your suggestion that I install SP3 (again) and then subsequent Office
updates is clearly a sound approach.
BTW, I think I'm confused on some of the terms used in these posts. Windows
Update (which I now use), Windows Automatic Update (which would also check
for Office updates), and MS Updates. Is the latter the same thing as
Automatic Update?
I'm pleased to see that I am successfuly receiving the daily signature
updates for MSE (via MS Updates?). This is reported in MSE and in the Event
logs. That was a concern when I started this thread.
Thanks again.

 

[Smirnoff]

Korean characters were only one of the issues the hotfix was meant to
correct. However, as you obviously read my subsequent post, I don't think
you need to use it. All you need to do is check for further updates after
you install SP3.

Windows and Microsoft updates - Windows Update only checks for Windows
updates. Microsoft Update checks for Windows AND Office updates. Below is an
example of what you may see when using only Windows Update:

When looking in "Review your update history" in the update page, under the
Source column:

Windows Update - updates that you have manually downloaded and installed
from the update page.

Windows Automatic Update - updates that have been downloaded and installed
via the automatic setting, i.e. when the little shield appears in the system
tray telling you that updates are being installed or notifying you of new
updates (depending on your setting). This does NOT check for Office updates.

Only Microsoft Updates do both, that is why you are not receiving/being
notified of subsequent post-SP3 Office updates.

 

[JD]

I am notified when new Windows updates are available (including, until
recently, Windows Defender). I then go to the Windows Update Web page and
download the "critical" ones. So I guess that I'm using Automatic Update to
check for and advise me of new updates, then Windows Update to "manually"
download and install. As I understand it, the MSE signature updates are
"automatically" downloaded and installed via the Windows Automatic Update
"pipeline," with help from the Background Intelligent Transfer service,
which is set to "Automatic." I have turned off Microsoft Updates, so I'm not
told of Office updates. Have I got that right?
Thanks again for your interest in my questions.

 

[Smirnoff]

Are you notified by the little shield in the system tray? If so, double
click on it and then "custom". You can choose which updates to install by
selecting/deselecting them rather than having to go to the web page.

You are correct that MSE uses the update "pipe" and downloads and installs
automatically. Definition updates are listed in "review update history" as
"Other Source".

You are correct that as you do not use Microsoft Update, you will not be
informed of Office updates.

However, this can be done manually by opening Word and clicking on Help as I
explained in a previous post.

Personally, I would use Microsoft Update. You have stated that you avoid
this because of the the problems you have had with Office SP3. MS Update
will inform you of all the necessary fixes AND fixes for fixes!

 

[JD]

I am, indeed, notified by the little shield in the notification area. I will
use the double-click and "custom" method next time I get Windows updates.
And I suppose I need no longer fear Word SP3, since I can get a fix for the
"fix."
You've been of enormous help to me and, no doubt, to other readers of these
posts. As my dad used to say, "You're a gentleman and a scholar."

 

[Smirnoff]

You're welcome.

Bite the bullet. Switch to MS Update, install Office/Word SP3, reboot.
Rather that wait for MS Update to offer further updates, do a manual check
by going to the MS web page and clicking "Express".

Install further updates and repeat the process until no more are offered.

Good luck.

 

[JD]

Will do. Thanks again.
Jim

You're welcome.

Bite the bullet. Switch to MS Update, install Office/Word SP3, reboot.
Rather that wait for MS Update to offer further updates, do a manual check
by going to the MS web page and clicking "Express".

Install further updates and repeat the process until no more are offered.

Good luck.