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Windows Update Problem

T

Teflon

Flightless Bird
I have 2 laptops with XP Pro SP3, and both have the same problem.
When I connect to the Internet, a 10 minute torrent of activity
rendered them useless. I checked Task Manager and found wuauclt.exe
was using up to 244,000K of memory and 99% of the CPU. After a while,
the WU scan activity subsided and the machines were again useable.
However, this same torrent of WU activity would restart at various
times during the day with the same unuseability problem.

I had Windows Autoupdate set to notify only, so I turned if off
completely. That stopped the startup and periodic activity torrents.

However, when I manually go to the Microsoft Update site to check for
updates, the scan for applicable updates (after verifying the correct
update app is installed) takes over the entire machine, goes on and
on, never completing - at least for an hour. Apparently this is what
was happening when Auto Updates was turned on.

The last update successfully applied was on August 2, for the Icon
problem.

I would like to be notified of updates, but those long scans were
killing me.

Is this lengthy scan a known problem? Has anyone else experienced
this? Are there any suggestions as to what I might do to fix this?
Is there somewhere else I can go to get Windows updates?
 
P

PA Bear [MS MVP]

Flightless Bird
With the demise of Windows Update newsgroup on 01 July 2010, you will find
support for Windows Update in this MS forum now:
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/threads

Always state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; WinXP 64-bit SP2;
Vista SP1; Vista 64-bit SP2; Win7; Win7 64-bit) as well as your current IE
version (e.g., IE6, IE7, IE8) in your first post.

That being said...

Is "Security Update for Windows XP (KB2286198)" listed in Add/Remove
Programs?

If you re-enable Automatic Updates (but change the setting to, e.g., Notify
Only), does the behavior at Windows Update website persist? If not, are any
updates offered?

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)?

Has a(nother) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
computer?

Did a Norton or McAfee free-trial come preinstalled on the computer when you
bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002


Teflon wrote:
> I have 2 laptops with XP Pro SP3, and both have the same problem.
> When I connect to the Internet, a 10 minute torrent of activity
> rendered them useless. I checked Task Manager and found wuauclt.exe
> was using up to 244,000K of memory and 99% of the CPU. After a while,
> the WU scan activity subsided and the machines were again useable.
> However, this same torrent of WU activity would restart at various
> times during the day with the same unuseability problem.
>
> I had Windows Autoupdate set to notify only, so I turned if off
> completely. That stopped the startup and periodic activity torrents.
>
> However, when I manually go to the Microsoft Update site to check for
> updates, the scan for applicable updates (after verifying the correct
> update app is installed) takes over the entire machine, goes on and
> on, never completing - at least for an hour. Apparently this is what
> was happening when Auto Updates was turned on.
>
> The last update successfully applied was on August 2, for the Icon
> problem.
>
> I would like to be notified of updates, but those long scans were
> killing me.
>
> Is this lengthy scan a known problem? Has anyone else experienced
> this? Are there any suggestions as to what I might do to fix this?
> Is there somewhere else I can go to get Windows updates?
 
T

Teflon

Flightless Bird
On Aug 7, 7:57 am, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
> With the demise of Windows Update newsgroup on 01 July 2010, you will find
> support for Windows Update in this MS forum now:http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/threads
>

Thanks Bear, I found one of your posts over there and will follow your
instructions to resolve this problem.

I did find a post by Moe Green regarding the BITS service. I checked
Services and BITS was missing - must have happened after the 8/3/2010
KB2286198 update, which had no problems. I followed instructions to
reinstall BITS then ran WU. Long scan, but it finally produced the
usual optional updates. Decided to unhide the hidden updates, which
initiated another scan. Big mistake. Ran for an hour with no
results. Terminated it. Back to square 1 1/2.

So, off to the wonderful world of Social Answers.

Thanks again for responding to this Google Groups user.
 
T

Teflon

Flightless Bird
On Aug 7, 7:57 am, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
> With the demise of Windows Update newsgroup on 01 July 2010, you will find
> support for Windows Update in this MS forum now:http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/threads
>

One last comment / question here.

I tried to sign in at the Social Answers site so I could post a
question to your post over there, but they were being anti-social.
Some technical glitch, asked me to come back later, which I will do.

If I read your post over there correctly, you advised hiding the IE8
upgrade. You don't like IE8? Would you advise all who have upgraded
to IE8 to uninstall it?

Still thanking you.
 
P

PA Bear [MS MVP]

Flightless Bird
I asked several, very pertinent questions in my original reply which you
<snipped> out of your reply & still haven't answered.

Teflon wrote:
> On Aug 7, 7:57 am, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> With the demise of Windows Update newsgroup on 01 July 2010, you will
>> find
>> support for Windows Update in this MS forum
>> now:http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/threads
>>
>
> Thanks Bear, I found one of your posts over there and will follow your
> instructions to resolve this problem.
>
> I did find a post by Moe Green regarding the BITS service. I checked
> Services and BITS was missing - must have happened after the 8/3/2010
> KB2286198 update, which had no problems. I followed instructions to
> reinstall BITS then ran WU. Long scan, but it finally produced the
> usual optional updates. Decided to unhide the hidden updates, which
> initiated another scan. Big mistake. Ran for an hour with no
> results. Terminated it. Back to square 1 1/2.
>
> So, off to the wonderful world of Social Answers.
>
> Thanks again for responding to this Google Groups user.
 
T

Teflon

Flightless Bird
On Aug 7, 12:52 pm, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I asked several, very pertinent questions in my original reply which you
> <snipped> out of your reply & still haven't answered.

I'm sorry, I took your advice to go to the MS Social Answers site to
mean that you would rather not continue this thread here. I tried to
respond on that site, but as I said, they were being anti-social at
the time. I will re-read your questions and respond accordingly.

I did not intend to ignore, just trying to be correct.

FWIW - still can't get BITS to Start - Error 2 - Cannot find the file
specified.

Thanks, I'll be bock.
 
T

Teflon

Flightless Bird
On Aug 7, 7:57 am, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
> With the demise of Windows Update newsgroup on 01 July 2010, you will find
> support for Windows Update in this MS forum now:http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/threads
>
> Always state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; WinXP 64-bit SP2;
> Vista SP1; Vista 64-bit SP2; Win7; Win7 64-bit) as well as your current IE
> version (e.g., IE6, IE7, IE8) in your first post.

WinXP Pro SP3

>
> That being said...
>
> Is "Security Update for Windows XP (KB2286198)" listed in Add/Remove
> Programs?

Yes

>
> If you re-enable Automatic Updates (but change the setting to, e.g., Notify
> Only), does the behavior at Windows Update website persist?

Yes, FWIW, I've always had it set for Notify Only.

> If not, are any updates offered?

No, scan for updates never completes. - runs for hours.

>
> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
> subscription current?

Avira AntiVir Free and it is current.

> What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?

SuperAntiSpyware

> What third-party firewall (if any)?

None

>
> Has a(nother) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
> computer?

Never, I've had this machine since 2004, never had a problem with WU
until after the installation of KB2286198 on 8/3/2010.

>
> Did a Norton or McAfee free-trial come preinstalled on the computer when you
> bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)

Nope

Thanks for your help.
 
P

PA Bear [MS MVP]

Flightless Bird
> Never, I've had this machine since 2004, never had a problem with WU
> until after the installation of KB2286198 on 8/3/2010.

See the "How to obtain help" section of
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2286198

For home users, no-charge support is available by calling 1-866-PCSAFETY
(1-866-727-2338; and/or 1-866-234-6020 and/or 1-800-936-5700) in the United
States and in Canada or by contacting your local Microsoft subsidiary.
There is no-charge for support calls that are associated with security
updates. When you call, clearly state that your problem is related to a
Security Update and cite the update's KB number (e.g., KB2286198).

Or you can...

Start a free Windows Update support incident email request:
https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=6527

Customers who experience issues installing Microsoft security updates also
can visit the following page for assistance:
https://consumersecuritysupport.microsoft.com/

For more information about how to contact your local Microsoft subsidiary
for security update support issues, visit the International Support Web
site: http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx

For enterprise customers, support for security updates is available through
your usual support contacts.

Teflon wrote:
> On Aug 7, 7:57 am, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> With the demise of Windows Update newsgroup on 01 July 2010, you will
>> find
>> support for Windows Update in this MS forum
>> now:http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/threads
>>
>> Always state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; WinXP 64-bit
>> SP2;
>> Vista SP1; Vista 64-bit SP2; Win7; Win7 64-bit) as well as your current
>> IE
>> version (e.g., IE6, IE7, IE8) in your first post.
>
> WinXP Pro SP3
>
>>
>> That being said...
>>
>> Is "Security Update for Windows XP (KB2286198)" listed in Add/Remove
>> Programs?
>
> Yes
>
>>
>> If you re-enable Automatic Updates (but change the setting to, e.g.,
>> Notify
>> Only), does the behavior at Windows Update website persist?
>
> Yes, FWIW, I've always had it set for Notify Only.
>
>> If not, are any updates offered?
>
> No, scan for updates never completes. - runs for hours.
>
>>
>> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
>> subscription current?
>
> Avira AntiVir Free and it is current.
>
>> What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
>
> SuperAntiSpyware
>
>> What third-party firewall (if any)?
>
> None
>
>>
>> Has a(nother) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
>> computer?
>
> Never, I've had this machine since 2004, never had a problem with WU
> until after the installation of KB2286198 on 8/3/2010.
>
>>
>> Did a Norton or McAfee free-trial come preinstalled on the computer when
>> you
>> bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)
>
> Nope
>
> Thanks for your help.
 
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