My PC keeps asking me to get Windows Update!

Please, why does my PC keep asking me to get Windows Update because the PC is vulnerable to security attacks from the Internet? 

I get the updates everyday and it keeps telling me to update!  It's frustrating!  Is it the presence of worms, virus or some other threats?  I also need to know the best anti-virus to download.

Delarontus,

You probably never wait for the Microsoft Windows Update process to be completed.  Microsoft Windows Update needs to download some files from the Internet and then install them!

What to do:

• Visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com in Internet Explorer, and wait for it to load.  It takes a while.
• Click on 'Express Install (Recommended)'.  You'll see "Windows Update is looking for available updates..."
• Wait until you see the list of packeages that need to be updated.
• Now Click 'Install' to download and install the updates.  This will take some time!
• Reboot the computer if instructed and repeat this process until you see 'No updates available'

If there are any error messages, please record them word for word and post them here.

Hope it works for you!

You guys thanx for the replies. I actually tried downloading the updates but some are unsuccessful and are always unsuccesful, don't know why. I'm using Windows XP, service pack 1, Home Edition 2002. I guess i'll continue to get the 'install updates' until i'm able to succeed.

KB8971781
KB885835
KB890859
KB893066
KB893086
KB873333
KB888113
KB888302
KB890175
KB885836
KB873339
These updates were unsuccessfully installed

I already did that yesterday and no longer get the security message. Thanks

Hi,
     If your PC keep on telling you to update,try and uninstall any anti-virus on it and reinstall current one i.e the current version like Norton Anti-virus 2004 or 2005,Macaffe 2005 anti-virus. Don't try to download any anti-virus because they can only give you free trial that may lapse say within  30 days which is not adviceable.
And it can even cause some virus to enter your system through the Internet.
So, with this piece of advise and others you have been receiving,i hope the problem is solved.
Thanks,
Yours,
Francis.

Thats a really bad idea Farriel, if you leave your computer insecure you open your self up to a whole wave of identity fraud, hacking, slowed down use etc.

If you really are that worried about it run Linux.

Mightbe you might think of trying the alternative OS? I run Mepis linux and can't remember ever bothering about updates, or worms or virii. I open any mail without thinking of attachment problems. And Linux has gotten to the point of being as easy to use as windows.

If u need any further info, I'd be willing to help.

Not keeping up to date with security updates while you are using windows is a walk in the dark especially if you are connected to the internet directly. If you are using a router with NAT then you should be safe as long as u don't open any malicious emails.

To support your opinion, can you share your first hand experiences of Windows Updates 'causing havoc' on a system?

XP2 is very buggy that is a known and documented fact. In fact windows itself is too bloated I guess thats why it cannot be properly secured. To be honest, I never install any updates and just tend to ignore them. I am behind a router and hardware firewall and for all intents and purposes I should be fine.

First off, I am not encouraging anybody not to update. Secondly, I put it explicitly that am behind a HARDWARE FIREWALL which is why I cannot be bothered with the stress. The fact that I love walking on the edge does not mean you'all should follow me does it?

And the issues with win XP sp2 are well documented, it ranges from hardware to software and not only for people using pirated copies of windows.

jogego: what about browser exploits?  Does your hardware firewall protect you from browser exploits?

Vieira: Two questions,
- Out of every 1000 installations of SP2 in your testing environment, how many were problematic?
- Out of every 1000 unpatched Windows PCs owned by ordinary folks, how many will be compromised?

You wll find that one number is much larger than the other.

Actually when I was talking about testing enviroment I was referring to Lotus Notes. But my company as a whole does not upgrade whenever Windows release a new version.

They stick with proven stable platforms before deciding to move to the next version.

We are actually in the main workplace still running Windows 2000 and only deal with XP on clients locations.

So we very rarely get problems as it is a proven enviroment for our cocktail of applications.

SP2 has a bad rep in my circles but we all use other security software for virus, spyware and firewall protection.

At home I operate XP but use Firefox as my browser and I also have a firewall and antispyware (microsofts actually).

agreed, but am sure you know the attacks on the mozilla suite is less compared to the attacks on IE. The fact that majority of the web browsing public use IE makes IE more attractive to hackers.

Am not sure you can really uninstall IE. Its been so tightly interwoven into windows that all u can do is pretty much hide it from view. Its good to keep your computer up to date. Since I adminsiter my own computers, I can be pretty sure that nobody can cause any wahala on my network. The general use laptop has simply mepis on it. Linux by design does not allow u to install or do any administrative stuff so its pretty secure. But then, I up date my system files every two weeks.