# Time for computer folk to show me how dumb I am **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 21, 2009, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-computer-folk-to-show-me-how-dumb-i-am/486837 "2009-02-21T10:46:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-computer-folk-to-show-me-how-dumb-i-am/486837/1 "2009-02-21T10:46:42Z")
Have an OTS computer running Vista. The automatic windows update indicates that an update is ready to install when I shut the computer down. All well and good. However, the update is for a program that is not on the computer and invariably fails. So every time I go to log off this yellow shield appears saying that an update is ready to be installed. Except I don’t want it. It doesn’t impact on the performance of the computer, and I can ignore it as annoying as i may be. However, if I ignore it, I may miss other important back ups behind it. So folk, tell me the easy way out. Please be gentle. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-computer-folk-to-show-me-how-dumb-i-am/486837/2 "2009-02-21T10:58:23Z")
It is almost certainly a Windows Defender update - this fails all the time. You can check your recent updates. One method is to go to the Microsoft Update site and there will be a link there. You can tell it to ignore that particular one, all others will be OK. You can also look for optional updates while you are there, which you wouldn’t otherwise be made aware of. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-computer-folk-to-show-me-how-dumb-i-am/486837/3 "2009-02-21T11:02:48Z")
I think it is for Powerpoint 2003- as I have 2007 it doesn’t work. Also, Windows defender is disabled as I use Trend Pro. (I hope) ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-computer-folk-to-show-me-how-dumb-i-am/486837/4 "2009-02-21T11:10:56Z")
It shouldn’t be attempting to install updates for non-existent software. As said, you can check on the MSU site for what updates have been installed and their status. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-computer-folk-to-show-me-how-dumb-i-am/486837/5 "2009-02-21T11:42:00Z")
Unfortunately it is a non exclusive computer. So another user may have clicked on to install it. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-computer-folk-to-show-me-how-dumb-i-am/486837/6 "2009-02-21T11:46:21Z")
In the updates list, can you right-click on that particular one and Hide it? ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-computer-folk-to-show-me-how-dumb-i-am/486837/7 "2009-02-21T12:00:06Z")
I’ve gone to the updates list and tried unchecking it, but that seems to do no good. Will try right clicking. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-computer-folk-to-show-me-how-dumb-i-am/486837/8 "2009-02-21T12:01:38Z")
There should also be an option to stop it trying again, if it is an update for something you don’t use or need. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-computer-folk-to-show-me-how-dumb-i-am/486837/9 "2009-02-21T18:27:48Z")
There’s a “hide this update” option in the Windows Update list of available updates. I just used it the other day for this exact reason. Note, however, that it didn’t work the first few times: I clicked “hide this update”, the update got slightly greyed out but not hidden, I closed Windows Update and opened it again, and the update was back to normal. On the third try, it stayed hidden. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-for-computer-folk-to-show-me-how-dumb-i-am/486837/10 "2009-02-21T23:57:01Z")
Thanks folks- especially **Ntucker** - that seems to have worked.