Windows XP autoupdating: How do I really turn it off?

Factual Questions
1

A couple of weeks ago, MS insisted that I get new windows updating software. Fine.

It offered me a couple of choices as to how it would run, supposedly something like:

  1. computer DLs and installs critical updates automatically

  2. computer DLs critical updates and then asks you if you want to install them

  3. manual – that is, you have to initiate what and when updates get DLed.
    I picked the third option, because I’m on dial up, and having DLs go on in the background while I’m trying to do something else slows things down to the point of torture.

Well, despite my choice, within a day of the new software I started experiencing times when browsing was like wading through jello. I figured it was ‘busy net’ and lived with it.

Then a few days ago I manually started the windows update (using the button on IE’s ‘Tool’ menue) and it informed me there were 7 critical updates but there was 0 bytes to DL – they were already DLed and waiting to install.

I could just see the smug grin on the site’s face: Ha! I know better than you, I knew you’d want them eventually, so I snuck them by you!

Grrrrrr. I let it install all the patches, and then checked my settings again: yes, it was marked for manual updating only.

Today I again noticed super slow browsing time, and also that the ‘connected’ icon was lit up to indicate bytes being moved, even though I was ‘stationary’ --just reading text off a page – at the time. Checking the status of the connection revealed that yes, a whole lot of downloading was going on.

Given that previously it DLed seven patches without my asking, I suspect it is doing the same right now. :frowning: How do I get it to stop doing this?

BTW, I have the MS beta anti-spyware thing running, have Norton AV running, and have just updated and run both Ad-Aware and Spybot: none of them reported anything other than a couple data miner cookies.

2

Do you have SP2 for windows XP?

Have you checked the “Automatic Updates” setting in that “fancy” new security center that comes with SP2?

If not, go to Start - Settings - Control Panel - Security Settings and see what you can do through there to kill the auto updates.

3

Yes, I have SP2. I just tripled checked, and it says that I have the Update turned off.

I just changed the option to ‘notify me but don’t DL or install’ – maybe that option works, and the completely off setting doesn’t. Which doesn’t make sense, but I’ll try anything.

Thanks for posting.

4

If you want to disable it in a crude but effective manner and you have XP Professional, type services.msc in the run box. Find and disable “Background Intelligent Transfer Service.” No more auto updates. You may have to turn it back on when you visit Windows Update though.