Windows update

[NormaJ]

I've set Windows updates to ask me before downloadind, and of course, before installing. In spite of, there is a download that came straight to my computer, without asking. It's something about knowing if my Windows is a legal piece of software. Of course it is. The part I don't like is that this software that downloaded without asking, now asks to be installed.
And by installing it, it seems you must allow Microsoft to get their noses into your computer as many times as they would like.

Any of you, guys, have had the same thing happening? Should I install this? And, if not, how to make disappear what already is downloaded and asking to be installed?

TIA

[Dv8ted2]

If your OS, is legit, there is nothing to be afraid of. Install away...

[ROF]

Install it. There is no ill effect and once installed you will be able to download and install the latest versions of Microsofts software. Some of which is good and some of which is not but at least after this installation you will be able to download them and see. Without this installation you will only get select limited updates from Microsoft which can leave your computer at risk.

[SingSing]

Why don't you goto accesories, system, restore, and create a restore point ? So you can go back to the point before you allow the update.

[ROF]

Does system restore delete files already downloaded but not installed? That would be news here.

[NormaJ]

Thanks for the replies. Rof, your answer is quite clarifying about what could happen if I don't install. Yet, there is a huge distance between allowing Microsoft verify if my Windows is legit and allowing Microsoft any further monitoring on my pc. And, as far as I understood the agree message, this is what I would do by intalling.

I didn't know that restoring could do this, SingSing, but creating a restoring point wont hurt, either. I was thinking myself that just rebooting would be enough to delete downloaded and not installed software, since I thought it must be located in some temp folder. Did not tried yet.

I'm attentively reading again this message and try to figure out what I'm agreeing with. And will come back to let you know.

Thanks again.

[Dv8ted2]

Does system restore delete files already downloaded but not installed? That would be news here.

He was talking about creating a restore point, so if there were any side-effects from installing, he could go back to before he installed.

He could then delete the downloaded file.

[ROF]

Thanks for the replies. Rof, your answer is quite clarifying about what could happen if I don't install. Yet, there is a huge distance between allowing Microsoft verify if my Windows is legit and allowing Microsoft any further monitoring on my pc. And, as far as I understood the agree message, this is what I would do by intalling.

Without installation you may as well turn off updates and get your updates from elsewhere since each time you update via Microsoft you will continue to get this vital checking software. The only thing it does is check to make sure you are running a legit version of windows. Auto update downloading while you are not using this will become a useless feature without this update

[indijay]

Be happy at least you are getting updates. I have legit copy of XP that I got with my HP machine and its been second month, its shows update downloading icon in system tray and shows 2% complete !!!

I don't understand what the heck is going on...

[ROF]

I'm attentively reading again this message and try to figure out what I'm agreeing with. And will come back to let you know.

What I suggest is that you read about Windows Genuine Advantage(WGA) on the web. Realize though that your reading will include doomsayers and conspiracy theories about Microsoft doing the usual things these people claim. Some of it of taken as real will make you believe aliens live amongst us.

[NormaJ]

Thanks, I see what you mean, Rof. I'm sorry did not caught the idea at once.
My XP copy came with the pc, too, Home edition SP1. Later I updated to SP2, as well as almost all the proposed updates from Microsoft. I think the problem may be your connection, indijay, because the Microsfot updating software works just fine.

[ROF]

Something is most definitely wrong with your machine indijay. If you have waited two months since you have gotten security updates your computer is now ready to accept all sorts of nastiness. Update ASAP or Please take that machine off the internet. You are endangering your own computer and all your friends and relatives computers by exposing your machine to these threats.

[Poppa_Meth]

You can tell it not to install this and not to ask again and until they change the version of it, it will NOT ask again. I have the WGA installed but not the nagware they came out with later. I get updates fine. Well automatic updates quite working correctly long ago. They list as there but they never download or install. Same on several computers I've seen recently. I can get them through the website fine though.

[fritzi93]

You can thank the pirates for WPA and WGA. Yeah, I know MS is within their rights, and it's not a problem if your Windows is legitimate. (Leaving aside anecdotal reports of some people having trouble with it. You have to wonder if in some of those cases the OS was screwed anyway.)

WGA was on my machine for, oh, a couple weeks before I even noticed it, since I had automatic updates turned on. Had to look for it, actually. After reading a few articles on it, I went back to a restore point just prior to it being installed and turned off Windows Update. Call it a personal foible if you will, but it annoyed me. :P

I'd probably cave in and accept it if there was no alternative. But I don't have to:

http://windizupdate.com/

http://www.autopatcher.com

[lordsmurf]

I quit updating Windows.

MS thinks both my OEM version and the one I purchased from my old university are not legit. The school won't talk to me because I'm not a student anymore. The computer company won't talk to me until I pay for warranty extension. The MS software has issues, it's not foolproof, it gives false results.

They can all go to hell.

My system works fine without the updates anyway.

[MOVIEGEEK]

You guys who don't update XP are asking for trouble,you need the updates to prevent malware....I hope you update your anti-virus.
BTW...Win98/Me are no longer being updated as of 7/11.

[lordsmurf]

I have better protection software than anything MS could provide.

[CobraPilot]

Fixes cited in the 9/06 issue of PCWorld.com:

o http://find.pcworld.com/54534 (link to MS uninstall instructions)
o http://find.pcworld.com/54536 (link to MS instructions on fixing invalid license pop-ups)
o http://find.pcworld.com/54256 (another link to MS uninstall instructions)
o http://find.pcworld.com/54520 (non-MS WGA Notifications removal tool)

o WGA "phones home" to MS: http://find.pcworld.com/54252

Linux, anyone? . . . . . Everyone?

[gll99]

Be happy at least you are getting updates. I have legit copy of XP that I got with my HP machine and its been second month, its shows update downloading icon in system tray and shows 2% complete !!!

I don't understand what the heck is going on...

I have auto update on but with the option to select what is installed. The reason I chose this is because if I am doing something else MS update will keep nagging me to reboot even if I say I will do it later. This way I can see what is being installed and more importantly do it only when I am ready to reboot right after.

I had an update caught like you a few months ago. I just killed the task in the task manager and rebooted. The windows alert told me I had updates waiting for download and it was fine again. I don't recall if I also unchecked an autostart program under Start/run/msconfig or not. You may have cleaned some temp files during a partial download and now the update task is confused. Also don't do any heavy internet activity while downloading updates it seems to pause the ms downloads.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hate anything forced on me. Even though I know that "crooks" (to use a generic term) love the idea of having to be proven guilty, this concept is meant to protect innocent citizens.
I don't like the "guilty til proven innocent attitude shown by companies" that have for all intents and purposes a monopoly on what has become a necessary service. Too much power in too few hands.

MS can't have it both ways. If they didn't choke out competition do you think for a minute that they could act the way they do towards their customers. They control the vast majority of home use computers through the windows gui and the programs that have been privately developped using their tools for their platform. I don't buy the argument that says "you won't mind if you have nothing to hide". That's a slippery slope argument. I can willingly choose to waive my right to refuse invasion of my privacy but my back goes up when someone makes it sound like "you must be guilty if you don't".

Tmpgenc I understand is doing something similar but it is not a necessary tool like windows. They can choose this business model of periodic checkup if they want. There are multiple other programs just as good as theirs available elsewhere and some of them are free. I have not used any of their newer products since they started periodic license checking so I don't say this from personal experience. I can choose not to buy this product and suffer no ill effects. I can argue that this is not true of MS windows. The vast majority of developped software of all types is for this platform. I have also invested time and effort and a considerable learning curve using MS products.

To protect my investment, my next upgraded pc will remain completely offline and all updates will need to be done through a more modestly equipped intermediate pc connected to the internet. At no time do I want to expose my next pc directly to the internet. Many windows updates could be ignored but many cannot if it is to function properly with programs developed using newly updated features within the future windows platform.

I don't think I'm the only one who wants to use the internet in this manner.

[ROF]

You guys who don't update XP are asking for trouble,you need the updates to prevent malware....I hope you update your anti-virus.
BTW...Win98/Me are no longer being updated as of 7/11.

Agreed 100%. Those who say "I have better protection software than anything MS could provide." do not realize that Microsoft is the only one who patches their OS unless you fail to patch it in which case you leave your Operating System (the blood, guts, and bones of computing) open to "patching" by just about any site you surf to that happens to be under the control of someone unscrupulous. Even safe sites can be hacked and once hacked the usual effect is to other "unpatched" visitors.

PLEASE PATCH YOUR SOFTWARE!

If not for yourself, for everyone else on the internet world wide web.

I say this as a victim of false identification under the WGA program as a pirate. With a quick 15-20 Minute phone call Microsoft resolved the issue and I am now running safe. I have auto update and auto download on but I am warned before installation so I can chose what I want.

[NormaJ]

Ok, done. I gave up and installed WGA. Everything is fine, no aliens into my computer.
But I do hate anything forced on me, as gll99 wrote. I wish I was so selfconfident as lordsmurf, just to turn off updates and send them all to hell.

[ron spencer]

it is not forced on you...use autopatcher or otther sites that provide the updates....simple really if you do not want wga

[Jester700]

I never used autopatcher, but if you have Opera or Firefox you can also use the Windiz site to get autopatched as well.

The need for MS patches depends on lots of things. It's best to do them, but (for instance) if you have a NAT router, use Firefox or Opera, and have safe online habits...

[ron spencer]

the great thing about autopatcher is that it tells you what the updates are for!!! No guessing...I never use anything else

[RLT69]

I quit updating Windows.

Here here. I'm with you 100% Lordsmurf.

You guys who don't update XP are asking for trouble,you need the updates to prevent malware....I hope you update your anti-virus.
BTW...Win98/Me are no longer being updated as of 7/11.

Horse hockey!!

First off updating your Windows machine will not prevent malware. There are more holes in Windows than Swiss cheese :P

Second, has anybody bothered to read the info Microsoft provides about these so called fixes to these security exploits? You might want to try, it's very informative. For the most part they don't fix the problem but re-route it. In many instances the exploit still exists it's just been moved.

You want to stop malware/virus/hacks? This is what you do:

1. Run anti-virus software actively and keep updated.

2. Run spyware software.

3. Use a firewall and no how to configure it!!

The key here is to close ports you don't use and close ports that commonly used for exploits.

4. Use a router.

Most people probably have one and your router may also have a firewall as well. The advantage is not only being able to share your internet connection amoung other computers, but that the internet can't see your computer, you computer has an internal IP address. The outside world just sees the router. Don't think it matters? I had my computer directly connected to my cable modem and I was running a FireWall on my pc. Within minutes I had 30 people trying to access my PC!! You should have seen the log count after one hour. Then I plugged my PC into a router - ZERO access attempts. That's rather eye opening.

5. Shutdown Windows services you do not need running.

This is VERY important. The reason your machine is so easily exploited is that you have so many services running that you do not need. Trojans, malware and viruses take advantage of this. There is some very good documentation on the internet explaining what services to shutdown.

6. Test your machine to see if it is secure.

Try a place like Shields Up https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

They can tell you what ports are open and what information about your PC is exposed.

7. Don't be stupid!

The biggest security risk is you! Too many people click on EXEs without knowing what they are or scanning for viruses. Too many people willingly give out personal information. Too many people go to toxic sites and wonder why they are infected. Too many people download files from P2P programs and assume they are safe.

Security starts with the user. Know what you are doing and know what your computer is doing. Yeah that's a pain in the ass but welcome to the internet. You wouldn't leave your house unlocked why would you leave your computer?

If you're careful you will not be infected and you will not be infested with malware, even if you do not use Windows Updates. I haven't updated my computer in over TWO years; note I do update anti virus and spyware software. I only got one virus in that time and that was my fault - didn't check a P2P file - stupid me.

[KBeee]

I quit updating Windows.

Here here. I'm with you 100% Lordsmurf.

You guys who don't update XP are asking for trouble,you need the updates to prevent malware....I hope you update your anti-virus.
BTW...Win98/Me are no longer being updated as of 7/11.

<snip>

Most people probably have one and your router may also have a firewall as well. The advantage is not only being able to share your internet connection amoung other computers, but that the internet can't see your computer, you computer has an internal IP address. The outside world just sees the router. Don't think it matters? I had my computer directly connected to my cable modem and I was running a FireWall on my pc. Within minutes I had 30 people trying to access my PC!! You should have seen the log count after one hour. Then I plugged my PC into a router - ZERO access attempts. That's rather eye opening.

<snip>

If you analyse the 30 attempts to access your computer, you'll find they are probably all p2p programs looking for p2p connections. The trouble with much firewall software is that it'll give you a bare message like "xxx tried to access your computer", or "xxx tried to access port...", without giving you a hint why.
Which can be scary to the uninitiated.

[RLT69]

If you analyse the 30 attempts to access your computer, you'll find they are probably all p2p programs looking for p2p connections. The trouble with much firewall software is that it'll give you a bare message like "xxx tried to access your computer", or "xxx tried to access port...", without giving you a hint why.
Which can be scary to the uninitiated.

Except I was not running P2P software at the time. These were users actively scanning for open ports. I can read a firewall log and deduce when it's a valid attempt and when it's an intruder.

:P

[ROF]

First off updating your Windows machine will not prevent malware. There are more holes in Windows than Swiss cheese :P

Second, has anybody bothered to read the info Microsoft provides about these so called fixes to these security exploits? You might want to try, it's very informative. For the most part they don't fix the problem but re-route it. In many instances the exploit still exists it's just been moved.

Firstly, that's why you update your software. You can't fix the cheese if you don't process it.

Secondly, so it is better to leave errant code in place rather than patch it, re-route it, or in most cases fix it?

I find it interesting those who advocate not updating their OPERATING SYSTEM with the latest patches to fix security issues and yet these same people tell you to update and patch your anti-virus. Perhaps these people should understand that without the OS the Anti-Virus can not be installed and leaving the prior layer unpatched makes patching the secondary layer virtually useless.

[Dv8ted2]

First off updating your Windows machine will not prevent malware. There are more holes in Windows than Swiss cheese :P

Second, has anybody bothered to read the info Microsoft provides about these so called fixes to these security exploits? You might want to try, it's very informative. For the most part they don't fix the problem but re-route it. In many instances the exploit still exists it's just been moved.

Firstly, that's why you update your software. You can't fix the cheese if you don't process it.

Secondly, so it is better to leave errant code in place rather than patch it, re-route it, or in most cases fix it?

I find it interesting those who advocate not updating their OPERATING SYSTEM with the latest patches to fix security issues and yet these same people tell you to update and patch your anti-virus. Perhaps these people should understand that without the OS the Anti-Virus can not be installed and leaving the prior layer unpatched makes patching the secondary layer virtually useless.

Also, if the hole is in the OS, your antivirus client will not protect you.

[ROF]

That was the point of my entire last paragraph quoted Dv8ted2.