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.

Because Windows have been updated many times recently. What you need to do is to keep current with tech news so as an Internet user from your own house you'll know the right steps to be taking. Check out: http://news.com.com/2038-12_3-0-company.html?id=14157&name=Microsoft+Corp+&tag=st.company for more info.

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 [I]and then install[/I] them!

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

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

Hope it works for you!

Delarontus,

If you follow the process detailed above by Seun, and you are still experiencing the same problem, let us know. What operating system are you using?

U 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.

delarontus: I actually tried downloading the updates but some are unsuccessful and are always unsuccesful, don't know why.

This is the problem I always have with people when I try to help them fix PC problems from a remote location. They refuse to copy down error messages even when specifically asked to do so:

Seun: If there are any error messages, please record them [I]word for word[/I] and post them here.

People have taken out of their time to help you and you cannot take the time to write down the error messages. So I'm not happy with you at all.

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

[s]"These updates were unsuccessfully installed"
In other words, success! Congratulations![/s]

Common problems:
a) Your connection to the Internet was interrupted while the updates were being downloaded.
b) You are trying to install Windows XP Service Pack 2 update but your PC doesn't have a valid license key.
c) Other.

Except for case (a), there must have been some other error message. If (a) is the case, just keep trying or manually download the updates. It takes time for these heavy files to be downloaded!

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

Delarontus,

I am sure you have a worm on that machine. I'll recommend using McAfee,.If you have all these Ad-Ware or some other funny programs, remove them.

Most of them only opens up ports and holes in your machine for hackers, which might account for the constant request for upgrade.

Again, check from which source the Notice for Upgrade is coming from?Is it from Micrsoft or when you enter some particular websites?

Do a thorough Virus Scan.

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.

Found this thread and found it interesting, but what I want to ask is, with all the bugs continually been found, and with all the patches been developed for the Windows XP platform, are these incessant updates necessary?

What I'd suggest is very relatively simple. Turn off Automatic Updates. If you need help on how to do this, I'd tell you how to. I really do not think that all of the constant updates are worth it.

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.

Yeah,

I know it sounds a little weird, but there are far better secure measures to take than download updates incessantly.

Mightbe you might think of trying the alternative OS? I run Mepis linux and cant 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.

Farriel:

Found this thread and found it interesting, but what I want to ask is, with all the bugs continually been found, and with all the patches been developed for the Windows XP platform, are these incessant updates necessary?

What I'd suggest is very relatively simple. Turn off Automatic Updates. If you need help on how to do this, I'd tell you how to. I really do not think that all of the constant updates are worth it.

That is the best solution.

I have turned mine off, I will only update my machine when any a new SP is out and when that SP has been around for awhile and it is proved stable.

At the moment I am on SP1 and have no problems, I use McAfee in conjunction with Microsoft AntiSpyware which is free to download if you have a genuine XP copy and not an illegal copy.

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 dont open any malicious emails.

Jogego, what I find is that some of thier updates are not well thought through and cause more havoc than good.

I tend to rely on a good firewall and a good antispyware and also regular backups.

Vieira:
some of thier updates are not well thought through and cause more havoc than good.

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

seun:

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

My experience was with SP2, I was running XP with SP1 with no problems and then SP2 came out and I updated, boy was that a mistake! I had continual errors and my system kept hanging!

I thought it must be due to a virus and did a full system reinstall, which was fine until I added SP2! and then problems again.

Now I have kept with SP1 and not added SP2 and have no problems whatsoever.

I have turned of the windows update service as well.

I do have the Windows Beta Antispyware as I rate it.

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.

I install all the updates and I've never had any problems. Some people using pirated software have probs installing XP2. Some software products are also known to conflict with XP2. I have never had problems with any of the updates and I install them as soon as they become available. I think that is the best course of action for the average person.

It would be very wrong to encourage people not to download security updates.

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.

seun:

It would be [I]very wrong[/I] to encourage people not to download security updates.

It would be very wrong not to tell people of my experiences with it.

By giving all views people can judge for themselves. Some people may find it ok, some may have the problems I had.

The fact that it worked for you is by no means an indication that it is perfect. I work in a testing environment and you soon realise that what works fine for A may not for B due to different environments and variables.

I also did say that I will wait till they have another stable SP and may try it, but as I am not having any problems now I would like to keep it that way.

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.

Broser exploits? Matey, are you still using IE? I havent used IE for going on close to 4 or 5 years now. Opera, Mozilla and lately Firefox are much better security wise. And seems you still are going on about statistics. I definitely know you dont follow tech news closely. If you did, the problesm caused by SP2 were well documented in most IT magazines, PCW, Pcmag, PCWorld all had stories on it. Some went as far a recommending people not to use it.

Seun:

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).

jogego:

Broser exploits? Matey, are you still using IE? I havent used IE for going on close to 4 or 5 years now. Opera, Mozilla and lately Firefox are much better security wise. And seems you still are going on about statistics. I definitely know you dont follow tech news closely. If you did, the problesm caused by SP2 were well documented in most IT magazines, PCW, Pcmag, PCWorld all had stories on it. Some went as far a recommending people not to use it.

bad news on the mozilla suite front with the return of the frame injection attack :/

Hidden_Hunter:

jogego link=topic=59.msg4573#msg4573 date=1118347697:

Broser exploits? Matey, are you still using IE? I havent used IE for going on close to 4 or 5 years now. Opera, Mozilla and lately Firefox are much better security wise. And seems you still are going on about statistics. I definitely know you dont follow tech news closely. If you did, the problesm caused by SP2 were well documented in most IT magazines, PCW, Pcmag, PCWorld all had stories on it. Some went as far a recommending people not to use it.

bad news on the mozilla suite front with the return of the frame injection attack :/

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.

I don't play with updates; it's the least one could do to at least maintain some amount of security. Windows updates, Firefox updates, virus definition files, etc.

Even if you use Firefox on your PC, other people using the same PC might decide to use Internet Explorer at one time or the other. Besides, very few cyber-cafe or company PC administrators would be bold enough to install firefox on the PCs they manage and remove IE! What do you tell people when they notice that some of their websites "aren't working" anymore?

Seun:

Besides, very few cyber-cafe or company PC administrators would be bold enough to install firefox on the PCs they manage and remove IE!  What do you tell people when they notice that some of their websites "aren't working" anymore?

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.

Important: Windows Security Updates for June 2005!