Downloading updates

[Panic Button]

In our house we have had a PC for years and recently added a laptop.
Very often when I connect the laptop to the internet a little yellow shield appears on the yoolbar, bottom right.
Hovering over this it says 'downloading update 0%'
The computer then goes very slow, and task manager shows CPU at 100%.
It stays like this for a few minutes then the shield goes off. It is very annoying.
This doesn't happen on the main PC.
I presume it is connecting and searching for updates every time I connect. Is this right?

[Ethel]

You have your laptop set to automatically update Windows. This explains how to disable it:

http://www.theeldergeek.com/disable_automatic_ update.htm

[Panic Button]

If I do that Norton gets all upset and keeps giving me warnings.

Also the main PC is set the same way as the laptop but doesn't do this.

[Ethel]

Is your main pc connected to the internet more than the laptop?

If you don't use your laptop regularly you will notice the updates being checked and installed - because it will be longer since the last update.

[Panic Button]

Not a lot of difference.

I do see the yellowshield on the main PC sometimes, and the percentage downloaded increases as it takes in an update. With the laptop the percentage usually stays at 0%.
That's why I think it is checking for them but usually not finding them.

[Panic Button]

Actually asking this question has reminded me of an earlier problem, that I now realise is probably linked.

The laptop at one time kept downloading and installing the same update again and again. I presume that whatever is supposed to tell it that it had done that one wasn't being recognised. I could only stop it by actively rejecting that particular update and saying never to install it (even though it was already installed)

Hopefully this might make sense to someone out there?

[Panic Button]

Thinking further, perhaps this is the same update trying to download but being rejected by the computer? The timing of this problem starting might fit that.

Would uninstalling that update and allowing it to reinstall work? Anyone?

[jaydee101]

This could be to do with the Security Center being disabled. Check Control Panel, Security Center. If it says the service is not started then any updates will only reach 0%.
To fix, right click my computer, select Manage, services and applications, services. Find Security Center and set to Automatic and Started.
This may not help, but sounds like the same problem I had on my laptop.
Good Luck

[Panic Button]

Not sure about that.

I followed that through on the main PC which does not suffer, and that also shows the security centre as disabled. I think that is because Norton does that job so the XP version has to be switched off.

I will try uninstalling the suspect update and allowing it to reinstall.

[Confab]

In IE7 go to Tools, Windows Update, and update manually.

[Panic Button]

I found a screen that tells it to download updates every day at 3am, and have changed it to weekly, so at least it will only p... us off once a week.