Windows update - How the heck do I look at what it's doing?

[damian5000]

The update is fluctuating percentages...Once it was saying 80%. Then it disappeared and came back and said 73% and is now climbing slowly.

I'd like to be able to see what the update is actually doing What update is it downloading..how many are left to download etc...It's a LONG time since this computer was updated..I think there were at least 30 to be downloaded.

Right clicking...Double clicking do nothing...Hovering gives the %, but that's all I can get... How do I look at what this darn update is actually in the process of doing?

TIA!

 

[goombawaho]

You can look at the c:\WINDOWS\WindowsUpdate.log, but I don't know if it will give you a blow by blow of what's being downloaded as it is happening. You would want to make a copy of the file rather than opening it.

Best to just let it go, not worry about it and then review what it wants to install BEFORE allowing it to go ahead.

The other thing to do to minimize downloading is to make sure you have XP SP3 installed first by manually downloading and running the install and then allow other updates to follow.

 

[linney]

I guess it is just working away in the background and trying not to use too many of your resources. Some updates like the Malicious Removal Tool (mrt.exe) like to run scans, and some updates like IE 8 want your permission to run and install. Some updates may need to be installed and the machine rebooted before extra updates become available.

When you bring up the Shutdown box you may see an indication on that of an impending cold reboot as opposed to a general restart/reboot being required.

When I have problems with the yellow shield disappearing and perhaps not reappearing after any reboot, or not seemingly indicating any progress via mouse overs, I usually just manually take the downloads via the actual Windows Updates site.

How do I reset Windows Update components?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058/#appliesto

 

[preventec47]

i strongly suspect that at some point in the future microsoft
will be updating with software code that will purposely
degrade the operation of xp pro in ways that will make
us and force us to acquire new op sys>

i am still using win ninety eight on another system
with legacy programs just fine but microsoft now has
too much control over xp pro updates etc and we
cannot know when they purposely degrade the peRformance
with inefficient code or update code designed to
cause minor problems etc

 

[Sympology]

At preventec.

take you tin hat off... if your that worried, turn off the updates! However can you please remove it from the internet as I don't want to be spammed by you.

Thanks,


Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

 

[goombawaho]

preventec47 Paranoid alert!!!!

Conspiracy theories R us. I would be more worried about what Google or Yahoo knows about your search habits than what Microsoft is doing via it's updates.