Turning off automatic updates
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Turning off automatic updates
Hi,
I have a little problem with automatic updates. Cannot turn it off or do any change about it. When I click the Automatic update label in My computer properties all options are passive, I can only see that the updates are set to automatic and thats it. Does anybody know what do I have to tweak so the menu becomes active?
Thak you.
b
- 622 reads
Hi Brian,
Are you logging onto your PC with an account with administrator priviledges? If not, make sure you are and you should find that you are able to make the changes. Let me know how you get on.
Hi,
Yes I am logging as a admin. That was the first thing I thought of. I have even created another account with different rights to see the difference. But there was none.
The thing is I don`t know if automatic updates were disabled from the begging I installed this comp. It was never connected to the internet, so I never looked. Two days ago I went online with this computer and find out this thing.
Anyway, thank you for the answer. I think I am going to reinstall and watch it from the begging.
Talk to you after...
brian
Hi,
I did reinstall, and all seemed to be OK. I turned it off. Then after installing SP1...there I was again. It seems SP1 (2?) takes over my updates and there is nothing really I can do. Did you hear something like this before?
brian
It wouldn't suprise me if SP2 did this. You'll probably need to go into the Security Center in your control panel and configure the automatic update options from there.
This is what I have found in Help and Support:
My Automatic Updates options are grayed out?
If your computer is part of a network, your network administrator might have configured your Automatic Updates options for you. Network administrators often need to implement systemwide changes to help make sure that the network operates smoothly and more securely whenever changes, such as updates, are applied. Your options might also be grayed out if you are not an administrator for your computer. Only administrators can add or remove programs, including updates.
I am not part of the network, in which case the second option should apply to me. However I still believe I am the Admin. So I don`t get it. For installing and unistalling programs I have admin rights, but for some features I don`t?
Bill...what are you doing to me?
Hi Brain,
I've done a bit of reading and it seems that Microsoft have made it next to impossible for the average Joe user to disable automatic updates in XP once Service Pack 2 installed. Take a look at this;
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/aupolicy.htm
Now I know why I haven't installed SP2 on any of my machines...
Hello Brashquido,
Thank you for the help. The link you sent me was for real :)
I only did the first step, deleted two values from the register and it is working. Thanks again.
Personally I am not agaist SP2 or generall updates, but I just didn`t like that I was deprived of option to control it. Now I can only hope that the updates are good for something and they are worth the effort.
brian
Hey Brian, glad to hear you got it all sorted :-) . I'm not against updates either, but as far as updates go SP2 has been pretty unforgiving. The problem is that Microsoft have built up a perception where their updates are uninstrusive and rarely cause operation problems for the end user. SP2 is almost the complete opposite of that and a lot of people that had been used to just applying updates without knowing what they did got caught out. Not being able to choose your automatic update settings without hacking the registry is either an oversight by Microsoft, or if deliberate then I think they have definately stepped over the line. Anyway, glad your out of the woods :-)
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Joined: Sep 2003