How do I control and/or stop Windows Updates?

[mexi cali]

Windows Update contains software tools that detect information about your computer, such as the make and model and the version of Windows and other Microsoft software that your computer is running. Microsoft uses that information to install only the updates your computer needs. For more information, read

That is my understanding. Thanks B.

[omisimaw]

I manually update, not automatic! I get all updates and pick and choose. My computer does not send information anywhere without warning me and asking me first.
You can cut and paste a paragraph off the Microsoft site all you want but that is not what is happening. Plus it is not only Microsoft that sends out updates and Microsoft does not control other companies....
Instead of doing the ole copy and paste routine pay attention to what is happening to your computer yourself.
By the way I am not running Win8 but get all the updates.... not even running the latest version of the next O/S in line but get those updates too.....
Argue all you want, but facts are facts!
The one huge problem with O/S updates are they more often than not throw off the "security" software you have installed and do not marry well with it. Until the security software is updated you are hooped! It can and does crash computers, severely crashes them!
Telus security is the absolute worst for this, not to mention their customer service sucks if you can understand the broken English from the help desk individual sitting at a desk in some other country!
But hey if you choose to send your computer information out, be sure to send it out every so often so they can see all those automatic changes from ALL your software companies doing the same thing for you!
Bottom line is if you do not understand your machine, and do not know what is going to be installed and why, then you are just asking for trouble.

[Bsuds]

Telus security is the absolute worst .

Well you got one thing right!

Most people should leave auto updating on. http://www.pcworld.com/article/254647/s ... ates_.html

[omisimaw]

We can all cut and paste:

I too have been running windows for years on as many as 12 systems, and never seen this problem, only since I migrated to 64bit Windows 7, from XP and then 32 bit Windows 7.

This is my home system that uses many video and photo software programs, mostly from Corel. NitroPDF 6, Hamachi to access my office through its VPN portal. I did a fresh install of the program back in August, and it seems to have started with critical updates back in October.

For now I am saving restore points and will save my registry, along with a full back up of my SSD that houses most of my OS. I have been through the "fix it" routines, but they never worked. I will look into you suggestions and report back..

Adobe issued a bug fix.

This was to remedy a severe crash when Adobe automatically updated to a newer version.

Last time I had this happen, about a month ago, same exact symptoms, with Adobe on automatic update. Recovered, downloaded and manually installed that update. Set Adobe to notify only, so when this new update came in, I ran System Restore, just in case. At least I now had an option before I ran the update.

Bug fix was only to fix the severe installer issues if it applied to your system. No Security vulnerabilities were fixed at this time.

If Adobe caused it, this is not a Windows problem or Microsoft's fault. Microsoft cannot fix what they do not own or control.

I had Windows 7 automatically downloading and installing critical updates. NO MORE!!! A critical update was automatically downloaded and installed, unnoticed by me. When my computer would not turn on yesterday, I tried many things, eventually restarting in Safe Mode - which did at least get me out of the black error screen and into windows. After poking around and testing things, I finally decided the only way to go was System Restore. There, I found there'd been an automatic critical update. After restoring to before that point and turning off all automatic windows updates, my computer is now running fine. BEWARE!!!

[GordonH]

[omisimaw]

hey you forgot the beer one! can't just have the corn without the beer LOL

[mexi cali]

You are getting testy and I don't know why. I am well versed in the world of technology and I have been using auto updates forever. I have never had a problem.

As for any other providers trying to send me updates, I look at them all before I decide to install or not.

The only problem I have ever had was with an Adobe update. I fixed it and no worries.

The example of the critical updates causing a problem, I suspect that there was more going on in the shell than the user was aware of. If his system was compromised by that particular update, then the issue was already there and the update may not have interfaced well with it.

Sadly, you sound like my dad who despite his best efforts seems to have nothing but issues with his system. Always has and I have invested countless hours debugging and restoring his OS and I have had nothing even remotely resembling his issues.

[omisimaw]

I don't have issues with my system at all! Have had, everyone has had from time to time.
I doubt I am like your dad, but I might just be one of those folks throughout time that have helped him out of his problem, thanks for asking LOL
I do not do auto updates and have not done them for many years. As I said before they can be troublesome and can cause mega problems that can cause $$$, time and loss of work.
People can do what they want, it just puts more money in the pocket of others when they come along and fix the mess.
The OP is right in wanting to stop and or control the Windows update and they have also not spoken about the version they have so the only post that makes any sense to the OP on this thread is the person who said
"get a MAC"

[Loed]

Apple PC's do "random" updates also. To fix, you know, security holes/stability issues. Just like windows.

The root of this is, if you have a windows PC. Set them to download automatically, but ask when to install. It's the best mixture IMO and allows you to actually keep your PC secure and hopefully not part of a bot net.

[JagXKR]

Sometimes Microcrap is aptly named. Latest "Important" update for Win7 is kb3006137. You really need to get this fix as it has the word "important". Let's see what it is fixing and I quote:

"This article describes an update or hotfix that changes the currency symbol of Lithuania to the euro (€) and guides you on how to manually change the currency symbol for Lithuania. "

Yep Lithuania cause god knows how often we use that countries currency. Just yesterday, or maybe it was never, I was thinking about if my computer had the right currency symbol for Lithuania.

Moral of the story is that just because this god awful corporation tells you something is important do not believe them. I always check the updates, I never leave them on automatic and behave like one sheep in a herd without a mind of my own.
Thus endeth the lesson.

[Loed]

Opinions aside, care to explain why this corporation that supports a worldwide market is "god awful"?

Oh no an update was pushed that fixed an issue for someone other than you!

Seriously, get over it. Why you're upset about a company supporting it's product is beyond me.

[atenbacon]

Opinions aside, care to explain why this corporation that supports a worldwide market is "god awful"?

Oh no an update was pushed that fixed an issue for someone other than you!

Seriously, get over it. Why you're upset about a company supporting it's product is beyond me.

Well said! I wanted to say the same thing.

Why does JagXKR hate Lithuania so much?

[my5cents]

I used to be able to choose which updates are added, but now I don't seem to have any choice. The last few days it's been updating a lot and it's causing issue with speed and freezing. Yesterday I did a system restore to the point before all the updates had been installed and it worked great, but when I started it up today 42 Microsoft home and student 2010 updates were added, one Microsoft visual and 12 Microsoft Windows updates. I tried to copy the list to here but can't figure out how to.

I realize I probably need some of these updates, but because the option to choose which ones is not as obvious as it was even a month ago on my laptop, it seems I am getting the motherload....Help!

I have to agree with your concerns with Windows. On several levels it seems to work against or contrary to it's own interests.

I use Microsoft Security Essentials, I have it scheduled to run overnight, once a week. I also have Windows set to automatically put my PC to sleep after 30 minutes of inactivity. I leave my PC powered on 24/7. You'd think that one Microsoft product would compliment another, but that isn't the case my Security Essentials won't run over night because the PC is sleeping. I would have thought that MS would have programmed some type of wake up. So every week or so when I remember, I cancel the sleep function and manually run the virus scan.

Last week, I woke up my PC to check my Email, the PC would hardly run loading larger files. I noticed that the HD was running, to me for no reason. I closed everything I had running and still my PC was working like crazy.

I checked my task manager, it said nothing was running.

So I tried a restart, only then did I get a message that Windows was updating and wouldn't shut down til it was finished. It was at "18 of 19" .