[crisoco33]

Microsoft automatic updates are interfering with my system but I am puzzled as to where these download records are held.
I have specifically set my downloads to come in to effect at 10pm automatically each day from now on so that I can keep a check as to what is happening.
Today I noticed from my NetPeeker records that Microsoft had applied an update at 11-15pm which to start with is strange when It should happened at 10pm. That is the first problem.
The update was Application:- Program Files / Common Files / Symantec Shared / ccProxy.exe
The address was:- www.update.microsoft.com:80 Protocol:- TCP
Then I did not understand why an update would be applied to a Symantec product.
I investigated the Start / Control Panel / Add & Remove Programs / Security Updates but the last shown update was dated the 21st March 2008. Problem number 2. I know there have been more updates since then.
Could other updates be recorded elsewhere? Would an update like the above be applied without a record being made?
I have always been under the impression that updates would be applied when I shut my system down and this has been happening sometimes but at other times I have been finding that when I log on to my system the next day then updates are applied and bringing my system to a standstill while the updates are applied.
I have now changed the time for updates from 3am to 10pm each day so that I can see what is going on and to be sure that updates are not held over from when my computer is shut down, but I do not seem to be getting any updates taking place during shut down any longer. I have investigated the Microsoft information site but can find nothing which tells me about how to get updates to take place ONLY at shut down. There are no boxes to tick anywhere regarding this option, only about automatic update times.
Apart from the serious problems Microsoft updates give me during normal working I have recently been having serious clock problems. In the last day the clock has been working perfectly but all of a sudden it will change the day back a day and the time from something am to something pm. I have checked the BIOS and all is well and I do not think the battery is faulty as everything has been working well in the last day. I suspect that something could be triggering the clock to malfunction. At the moment I suspect Microsoft updates but I have nothing to confirm these suspicions just yet.
Can you help with answers to any of these problems?

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You could try downloading Belarc www.belarc.com
or..
Check the Event Viewer logs
--> to do so: right click My Computer, select Manage. expand event viewer and select System. Scroll and look for Windows Update Agent under source (particularly around the time of the update).

Hope this helps in your investigations.

[Ztruker]

There is no way a Microsoft Update touched ccProxy.exe. That had to be a Symantec update. Perhaps your NetPeeker is confused?

To see what has been installed on your system, and when, go to the Windows Update site and click on Review you update history.

To maintain better control over Windows Updates, change the setting to Notify me but don't automatically download or install them. Then you can chose when to download and when to install.

[crisoco33]

Thanks jjsmith and Ztruker for your help in this matter.

jjsmith
Which Belarc download are you referring to. Is it Belarc Advisor? Does this make problems easier to find than using Event Viewer?
I have investigated Event Viewer and it has thrown up quite a few error logs which I am working through. One of them seems to be a common problem of not having Dependent Assembly Microsoft.VC80.MFCLOC installed, so I have downloaded Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Version8.0.50727.42 and those errors have now disappeared.
I will work through the remaining ones which seem to be errors not finding application drivers and files for uninstalled products.
This viewer is certainly of help alongside NetPeeker in finding problems.
I found the last Windows Update Agent log and this corresponded with the Control Panel / Add & Remove Programs / Microsoft Office Security update of the same date.
So as Microsoft have made no updates since 21-Mar-08 it seems the clock problem is caused by something else.
Perhaps the Visual C++ installation will make a difference. I will work through the other errors now.
Thank you for your input.

Ztruker
I found yesterday's log in NetPeeker for the ccProxy.exe 'update' and quite frankly I do not understand it. Today it just shows :80 against the log when yesterday it showed www.update.microsoft.com:80.
Snapshot of NetPeeker log for ccProxy.exe
I have also checked the actual file ccProxy.exe and it has not been updated since 2005.

To see what has been installed on your system, and when, go to the Windows Update site and click on Review you update history.

Where is the Windows update site? Do you mean Control Panel / Add & Remove Programs / Microsoft Security Updates?

To maintain better control over Windows Updates, change the setting to Notify me but don't automatically download or install them. Then you can chose when to download and when to install.

I had already tried this. Like you, I thought this would give me more control but instead it gave me more problems. It required so many checks and interruptions that I had to abandon the idea and revert to automatic updates.
If I could just understand how 'apply updates at shut down' in relation to 'apply automatic updates at (10pm) each day' I would feel a lot happier.
Thank you for your input as well.

[happyrock]

Ztruker advice here is sound

QUOTE
To maintain better control over Windows Updates, change the setting to Notify me but don't automatically download or install them. Then you can chose when to download and when to install.

I had already tried this. Like you, I thought this would give me more control but instead it gave me more problems.

how so..

[crisoco33]

To maintain better control over Windows Updates, change the setting to Notify me but don't automatically download or install them. Then you can chose when to download and when to install.

I had already tried this. Like you, I thought this would give me more control but instead it gave me more problems.

how so..

Sorry happyrck. I am quite sure your advice and Ztruker advice is sound. All I was saying was that it gave me problems.
I did not elaborate because it was so long ago and I could not remember what the problem was. I am probably not carrying out the process correctly. It may have been something to do with Microsoft requiring me to go through the Genuine Advantage process each time.
Is there a simple way of applying Windows Update download / install when required?
I will have another go at it if it is fairly straightforward.
Thanks.

[happyrock]

just set the updates to notify you but not download and install them...later when your ready ..just click on the updates icon in the system tray and the downloads and installation will start..
want to be super safe just create a restore point before doing any...
I use and recommend ERUNT...get it here...
Our Rating: 5 stars (Excellent)

ERUNT (Emergency Recovery Utility NT) allows you to keep a complete backup of your registry and restore it when needed. The standard registry backup options that come with Windows back up most of the registry but not all of it. ERUNT however creates a complete backup set, including the Security hive and user related sections. ERUNT is easy to use and since it creates a full backup, there are no options or choices other than to select the location of the backup files. The backup set includes a small executable that will launch the registry restore if needed.

[crisoco33]

Thanks happyrck. Some useful advice there. I will have a look at ERUNT tomorrow. I hope that the install updates is as easy as you say because I know I had lots of problems the last time I opted for this service. I will keep my fingers crossed when doing it the next time. I do not get quite so many XP updates now that Vista is in full swing.

[Ztruker]

The Windows Update site can be reached by clicking on Start then Windows Update.

It will require that you have a WGA certified copy of XP but should only do this once.

[crisoco33]

Thanks Ztruker. Each time I get a reply it raises no end of queries. I would not have believed how much help you people have been.
I will try to elaborate what my problems are.

The Windows Update site can be reached by clicking on Start then Windows Update

I looked for this link and it was not present so I searched the internet for Windows Update and was absolutely amazed that I was missing 143mb of high-priority security updates and some Optional Updates.
Microsoft Windows XP
Security Update for Windows XP (KB941693)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB945553)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP (KB947864)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB948590)
Security Update for ActiveX Killbits for Windows XP (KB948881)
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - April 2008 (KB890830)
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1 (KB110806)
Microsoft Office 2003
Update for Microsoft Outlook Junk Email Filter 2003 (KB949044)
Office 2003 Service Pack 3 (SP3)
Custom / Optional Updates
Creative Audigy Audio Processor
Viewsonic Monitor VP191s (KB896344)

Pin to Start Menu
I have found the wupdmgr.exe and created a shortcut from the start menu and also from my tray to make sure I keep the matter in hand from now on.
Microsoft Automatic Downloads Do Not Work
This exercise has certainly shown me that you cannot rely on Automatic Downloading of security updates. Some have been downloaded and others not. Whether this is a problem of my system I do not know but it certainly pays to check the download site regularly.
www.update.microsoft.com
Cannot get this link to open up the Internet Explorer 7 window maximised. I have searched the internet and tried all the suggestions but nothing works. The closest suggestion I got to making it work was by deleting the registry entry Window Placement under key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main. I found that it got rid of the minimised window I had only to replace it with another minimised window I had been using prior to that. It is better, but still a pain in the neck when my normal shortcut for IE7 loads it perfectly maximised. I have every shortcut property / run set to maximise.
Microsoft Event Viewer
I have worked through all the error logs and eliminated all of them bar one very stubborn entry (error 7000) against the Automatic LiveUpdate Scheduler which refuses to load. It also refuses to start when I click the button and produces another error 7009

Timeout (30000 milliseconds) waiting for the Automatic LiveUpdate Scheduler service to connect

Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - April 2008 (KB890830)
In the process of downloading security updates I seem to have downloaded an update that I do not really want. It is a removal tool for malicious software, but the tools I have will be finding this information anyway.
I checked all the downloaded updates in the Windows log on my computer against the Add / Remove programs and it transpires that all of the entries are present bar this Removal Tool which has been downloaded but not set to come into effect till my scheduled time for Automatic Downloads of 10pm this evening (in about 4 hours time).
Sorry to labour the point but I want to
a) Stop this Removal Tool from taking effect.
b) Change the Automatic Download settings to Manual like you advised me earlier.
I do not want to upset the Microsoft arrangement for this update.
What would you advise me to do?

[happyrock]

I too avoid the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool...kept having to reinstall nero after running it several times...it comes out every month and you will have to deselect it every time...no way around it that I know of...wish there were...
looking at your screenshot...its NOT windows auto updater...its norton auto updater thats "broke"

[crisoco33]

Thanks for your reply happyrck.

its NOT windows auto updater...its Norton auto updater thats "broke"

Yes I know it is the Symantec Norton Internet Security that is not loading. I have set the tick box in Norton Internet Security but Windows reports that it will not load. I have researched everywhere on the internet about this problem and I cannot find an answer.

I too avoid the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

I have re-loaded Windows after the time it said it would run but there was no problem report screen. I have now set the updates for Windows to manual like you say and hope this resolves the issue.
Do you still think that the Removal Tool that may or may not have run would have caused a problem?
I checked everywhere to see if I could find a report to say that it had run but could not find anything.

[happyrock]

contact norton support for help with the auto updater problem...I bought norton system works back in 03...fought with it for 6 months trying to keep it running..finally gave up uninstalled it...(was like removing a stubborn virus)...put on AVG and never looked back...

Do you still think that the Removal Tool that may or may not have run would have caused a problem?

can't say for sure...

[crisoco33]

Finally have decided to enable Windows Automatic Updates
Since opting for Windows to notify me instead of automatically downloading and installing updates this has created a problem with Norton Internet Security.
Turning off Windows Automatic Updates sets Norton off to display a yellow explanation warning in the system tray. Fixing this Norton error then changes Windows Updates back from Notify to Automatic Updates. I can understand the logic behind this, to keep Windows fully protected but it should allow more freedom of choice.

For full details about this problem go to www.mudcat.org and read Tech: Grumble.. Windows Internet Explorer 7 posted by Cluin.

There are also a huge number of postings about Symantec is Annoying Me (Again!) at Geeks With Blogs

Norton Automatic Live Update Scheduler - Comments about Symantec Support

Contact Norton support for help with the auto updater problem

In my experience contacting Symantec support has to be the last resort. They have some expert people at the top but the Call Centre they use are absolutely hopeless. They never seem or want to grasp the problem you face and after hours of communicating back and forth end up fobbing you off with an answer that either does not work or does not relate to the question you first asked. When finally pushed they will refer the matter higher and then a result can be achieved.
Having said that, I may still put the problem to them about the Norton Live Update Scheduler not loading just to see what they have to say. If nothing is forthcoming then I will just have to accept that MS Event Viewer will always show this error on loading my computer. Downloading Norton Virus Pattern Updates does not seem to affected by this error.

To Summarise
1) Windows Automatic Updates.
2) Weekly check of Windows Update Web Site for anything missing.
3) Norton Internet Security 2006. Automatic Updates.
4) Weekly check Norton and manually download anything missing.

[Ztruker]

Uninstall Symantec. Set Windows Update to Notify.

Install AVG Free for AV, Comodo for Firewall, Spybot S&D & Spyware Blaster for spyware prevention, detection and removal.