Windows Update

[Richard Urban]

Has anyone seen this problem?

Every time I start one computer the Windows Update icon is in the
notification area, but it does "nothing". While the icon is there (for about
60-90 seconds) the computer can not do anything. The system is stalled until
the icon removes itself.

Is this do to Windows Defender?

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

This could be Windows Defender related. I'd suggest opening the Windows
Update UI, and checking installation history, in the left column.

If you see repeated applications of the current Windows Defender
definitions, you'd want to proceed with the steps in KB 915105.

 

[Richard Urban]

I can report (with some sorrow) that I have found the cause of this
condition.

Last month I was offered the new version of WGA. I chose NOT to download
this update as I know, for a fact, that all of my software is 100% legal.

It appears that the Windows update icon was displaying (during and after
desktop initialization) itself due to the fact that this "critical" update
was trying to download and install on my computer - but could not for some
strange reason. I did NOT hide this update on the Windows Update web site -
I just chose not to install it.

Today I went to the Windows Update web site and downloaded the update. I
have not seen the icon in my system tray (immediately after the desktop
initializes) since. Also, Windows Defender now gets the updates
automatically the way it is supposed to.

When the update icon was displayed, for about 60-90 seconds after desktop
initialization, my computer was totally frozen. None of the
programs/services that are supposed to connect to the web automatically were
able to do so. These included MSN Messenger, Mail Washer, Windows Defender,
ZoneAlarm, Weather Pulse and more that I fail to remember right now. In
addition, Windows Update itself failed to download it's critical updates.
All of these now connect/update as they are supposed to, without any time
lag.

All of my programs are now more responsive, including Outlook Express which
had begun to take about 1-2 minutes to connect and display my newsgroups.
Connection/display now occurs in 10-15 seconds.

I am very disappointed in Microsoft right now, but I guess it will pass in
time.

I have to wonder how many others are experiencing this same problem.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Richard--I'm not sure what's going on here--but let me tell you my own most
recent experience with that update. On most machines, I've just put it on
and ignored it. However, I just restarted my laptop in XP after some weeks
of running only Vista on it, preparatory to putting in a new build of Vista.
So I did all the XP updates. When I got to that one, I read the EULA
carefully, because I wanted to check what it said, and, since it said
clearly not to install it on production equipment, I said, no thanks! As I
recall, when the Windows Update screen reappeared that update was marked as
failed.

I've been using the laptop for a good long time since then, downloading,
burning a DVD, formatting the other partition--and that update hasn't
interfered, or popped up in the tray. I just checked my history in Windows
Update, and it isn't shown as failed in history. However, when I do an
express scan, it is the only update offered--so it is still there.

So--for me, this update went away politely when I refused it, and hasn't
interfered with my use of the machine since.

I'm still suspicious of Windows Defender in your case--that behavior does
sound like what I have sometimes seen when one set of defs isn't fully in
place, and is offered repeatedly.

Does the history, in Windows Update--show you anything interesting?

--

 

[Richard Urban]

Windows Update history is just as I would expect it to be. There are no
failed entries. They just didn't happen - at all (updates didn't even try to
download automatically). Once I manually installed the new WGA and rebooted
I got 5-6 different updates through automatic updates. I am now current on
everything. Windows Defender is up-to-date .

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

OK--don't know what happened. I was wondering if you'd see multiple
"successful" entries for Windows Defender defs (same version)

But, I guess not. I suppose all those little yellow shields are in
windowsupdate.log, but the process of parsing through all the stuff in there
to see what was going on is likely beyond me.

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